Crewe
Crewe is a medium-sized town in South Cheshire. It boasts friendly people, inexpensive hotels and eateries. It is famed for its railway connections and also as the home of Rolls Royce, though the factory is now operated by Bentley Motors.
Understand
editCrewe is perhaps best known as a large railway junction and home to Crewe Works; for many years, it was a major railway engineering facility for manufacturing and overhauling locomotives, but now much reduced in size. From 1946 until 2002, it was also the home of Rolls-Royce motor car production. The Pyms Lane factory on the west of the town now exclusively produces Bentley motor cars. Crewe has two centres; Nantwich Road the road that runs past the railway station & the main town centre which is about two thirds of a mile North North West of the Railway station.
The local football team is Crewe Alexandra F.C., the only team in the country with this unusual suffix.
Get in
editBy rail
editThe main West Coast Mainline (London Euston to Glasgow Central) runs through the famous Crewe railway station. The town was built around this important junction when the railway arrived in the 1830s. Around 10,000 people per day pass through Crewe station.
1 Crewe railway station. Crewe can be seen as the 'gateway to the North West', with very frequent links to the tourist centres of Manchester, Chester, and Liverpool. Very many places on the British rail network can be reached from here on a direct train. 
By bus
editCrewe is connected to several towns by bus with most services terminating at the new bus station in the town centre. Services 3, 12, 37, 38 & 85 pass the railway station. Some of the more significant destinations are to; Alsager, Kiddsgrove & Hanley (Stoke-on-Trent) by service 3; Sandbach, Middlewich & Northwich by service 37; Sandbach, Congleton Macclesfield by service 38; Nantwich & Chester by service 84.
More details of local buses can be found on the Cheshire East Council Website.
By road
editThe M6 motorway is close by. Use junction 16 or 17 to get to Crewe.
Crewe is 158 miles (254 km) northwest of London, 28 miles (45 km) south of Manchester city centre, and 31 miles (50 km) southeast of Liverpool city centre.
Get around
edit
Crewe is a relatively small and compact town so most attractions and amenities are within walking distance but there are several local bus services.
See
edit- 1 Queens Park (towards the west of the town). A very attractive park which can be reached easily from the town centre.
Do
edit- 1 Crewe Heritage Centre. Apr-Sep: Sa Su 10AM-4PM and other occasional days. A very interesting and fitting museum for Crewe. It features many locomotives including many steam trains and the ill-fated British Rail Advanced Passenger Train of the 1980s. It also has working signalboxes and many activities for children, as well as a birds eye view of the many trains leaving the north of Crewe station. The museum isn't as rigid as many railway museums and you are free to wander around the yards and locomotives at your leisure. £5.
- Football: Crewe Alexandra FC, Gresty Rd CW2 6EB, ☏ +44 1270 213014. "The Railwaymen" were relegated in 2022 and now play football in League Two, England's fourth tier. The club, founded in 1877, was named for Princess Alexandra, Queen Consort and wife of Edward VII. Their home ground Gresty Road (capacity 10,000) is west side of Crewe station.
- Rollers club (Crewe Roller Disco), Legends Fitness Suite, Sunnybank Rd, Crewe CW2 8WD, ☏ +44 7904 341 348, info@rollersclub.co.uk. Roller disco for families at Legends Fitness Suite, Rollerskate or rollerblade to the latest music with help on hand for beginner skaters.
Buy
editSome British chain stores have outlets here. There are also covered and outdoor markets, selling local produce and many other things.
Eat
editThere are a few cafes in the Town Centre, such as Rimini's and Rhode Island Coffee.
- 1 The Brasserie, Crewe Hall Hotel, Weston Rd, Haslington, CW1 6UZ, ☏ +44 1270 253333. M-F 6:30AM-11PM, Sa Su 8AM–11:30PM.
- 2 Spedali's, 143A Nantwich Road, CW2 6DF, ☏ +44 1270 617539. Tu-F 9AM-3:30PM, Sa 9:30AM-2:30PM, Su M closed. A popular but small cafe.
Drink
editCrewe has a good pub scene. Hops and The Borough Arms offer many real ales. If waiting for a train, try the British Lion (locally known as The Pig) on Nantwich Road, about 500 yards (460 m) away.
- 1 Ebenezer's, 159 Nantwich Road, Crewe. (turn left out of railway station and walk half a mile.). M closed; Tu-Th 4-10PM, F Sa noon-11PM, Su noon-10PM.
- 2 The Crewe Dog, Unit L, Market Hall. 27 Earle Street. Pub in the refurbished market hall surrounded by small independent food outlets.
- 3 The Borough Arms, 33 Earle St, CW1 2BG, ☏ +44 1270 254999. M-Th 5PM-11PM, F Sa noon-midnight, Su noon-11PM. Long established local pub.
- 4 Hops, 8-10 Prince Albert St (far end of road.). M Tu 4:30-9:30PM, W Th 4-11PM, F-Su noon-11PM. Belgian-style xafé-bar. Enjoyable outdoor area on a sunny day.
Clubbers should try Nantwich Road area on Friday and Saturday nights.
Sleep
edit- 1 Premier Inn Crewe Central, Weston Road, CW1 6FX (adjacent to Crewe Railway Station; fom the south: M6 (J16) 1st exit at roundabout onto A500, then 3rd exit onto Old Park Rd (A5020); at the next roundabout take 1st exit onto Weston Rd (A5020) then 3rd exit at roundabout on the Weston Rd (A5020); from the north: M6 (J17) take right Old Mill Rd (A534) then 1st exit onto A534; follow signs for A534 approx. 5 miles until you see signs for A5020 Weston Rd at roundabout take 1st exit), ☏ +44 871 527 8276. This is a smallish (20 rooms) Premier Inn a few minutes' walk from the entrance to Crewe Railway Station. There is another Premier Inn, Crewe West, 2-3 miles away in Woolstanwood.
- 2 Holiday Inn Express Crewe, Macon Way, CW1 6DR (5 minutes walk from Crewe Railway Station, adjacent to drive-through McDonalds), ☏ +44 871 942 9139, reservations@hiexpresscrewe.co.uk. A fairly standard HI Express. 70 rooms. Macon Way is a busy road taking traffic north from the roundabout which has alternative routes to junctions 16 and 17 of the M6, depending on whether you're coming from the south or the north, also 5 minutes' walk or less from Crewe Railway Station. It is next to a drive-through McDonald's.
- 3 Travelodge Crewe, Beswick Drive, CW1 5NP (exit M6 junction 16; from roundabout take A5020, signposted for Crewe; at next roundabout take last exit signposted Leighton Hospital; at next roundabout take 1st exit and at the next roundabout take last exit; turn left onto University Way and the Travelodge is behind the Duke of Gloucester pub). A 56-room Travelodge, slightly out-of-the-way on the eastern edge of Crewe, though reasonably handy if you're visiting the Crewe campus of Manchester Metropolitan University.
- 4 Crewe Hall, Weston Road, CW1 6UZ (leave the M6 at Junction 16 and take the A500 towards Crewe; at the first roundabout, take the last exit (A5020) signposted Crewe; at the next roundabout take the first exit; the entrance to Crewe Hall is a few hundred yards along on the right), ☏ +44 1270 253333, Stay@qhotels.co.uk. This is certainly the swishest hotel in the area - AA 4-star rated, it is based on the Grade-1 listed 17th-century Crewe Hall, and has 117 rooms, some in the old hall, though most in the "contemporary" wing.
Connect
editCrewe has 4G from all UK carriers. As of August 2024, 5G is available from EE & 3.
