New footage reveals progress on Greek Street Bridge replacement

Network Rail has shared new footage of progress made on a £20 million project to replace the Greek Street Bridge over the railway line in Stockport town centre.

The 67-year-old bridge and roundabout is being demolished and rebuilt over the course of a three-week period in August. The bridge was already closed to pedestrian and vehicle traffic in Spring, while the West Coast Main Line’s Manchester spur will be closed from Stockport to Stoke during the three-week project to put the new bridge’s structure in place.

The first week of the project has seen around 100 engineers from Network Rail’s contractor, Murphy on site per day, who have so far removied 200 old concrete beams from the structure. Lifted by two huge cranes, with a combined capacity of 1300 tonnes, the redundant bridge beams were carefully placed to the ground and taken off site by a fleet of 67 heavy goods vehicles (HGVs). 

With a 60-metre cavernous gap where the old bridge used to be, the team can now prepare to install the new bridge this week. The new bridge structure is made up of 51 parts which will be moved into their final position by the two crawler cranes, which have a maximum hoisting height of 196 metres.

Timelapse footage has now been released by Network Rail to show how work has progressed on the project.

William Brandon, Network Rail’s project manager, said:

“After years of planning it is fantastic to see the work at Greek Street get off to such a good start. The team on site are doing a great job, and I’m really looking forward to seeing the new bridge installed within the next two weeks.

“Once the railway reopens, journeys for passengers will be safer and more reliable for the next 120 years. This truly is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to improve the West Coast Main Line for future generations.

“I’m very grateful to passengers and the Stockport community for their patience during this essential work. I’d advise everyone to continue to plan their journeys carefully on the National Rail Enquiries website. We’ve done everything we can to create the best possible alternative travel plan.”

Stephen Harnett, Murphy’s project manager, said:

“At Murphy our aim is to improve life by delivering world-class infrastructure, so we are proud to be delivering this critical work with Network Rail. The project is a real team effort and we are all united in our commitment to improving the transportation network for the local community and the wider North West. We look forward to seeing the new bridge in use again very soon.”

Lisa Magee, Avanti West Coast station manager at Stockport, said:

“It’s great to see the work to Greek Street bridge is progressing nicely, as the project reaches this latest milestone. We’d like to thank our customers for their continued patience and understanding while the West Coast Main Line is closed and remind those who are making journeys up to and including 22 August to plan ahead, check the National Rail website before travelling, and leave plenty of time.”

Cllr Grace Baynham, Cabinet Member of Parks, Highways and Transport Services, said:

“We’re continuing to work closely with our partners to support our local residents and businesses every step of the way as Network Rail delivers the essential improvements Stockport needs.

“I want to thank residents and businesses for their continued patience and resilience – we know it hasn’t been easy, but the way people have responded to the disruption so far really shows the strength of our community.”

The effects of the closure are far-reaching because of the critical location of the bridge. During the closure, there are no train services on the line between Stoke-on-Trent and Manchester Piccadilly, and no train services on other lines into Stockport. Where possible, services are being diverted around Stockport.

With tracks clear of most train traffic along approximately 50 miles of the West Coast Main Line between Staffordshire and Stockport, it provides an opportunity for Network Rail and its contractors to access the railway for dozens of additional railway upgrades.

The railway will reopen on the morning of 23 August 2025, while vehicle traffic across the bridge will resume next year when work completes.