Crewe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Crewe |
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Clockwise, from top: Crewe Municipal Buildings, Crewe railway station, Market Hall, Crewe Arms Hotel and Crewe Town Clock |
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 Crewe
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| Population | 76,437 (built-up area, 2021) |
| OS grid reference | SJ705557 |
| • London | 147 miles (237 km) SE |
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| Unitary authority |
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| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | CREWE |
| Postcode district | CW1, CW2 |
| Dialling code | 01270 |
| Police | Cheshire |
| Fire | Cheshire |
| Ambulance | North West |
| EU Parliament | North West England |
| UK Parliament |
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| Website | Crewe Town Council |
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Crewe is a town in Cheshire, England. It's famous for its railway history. In 2021, the town itself had about 55,318 people. The larger area around Crewe had about 76,437 people.
Crewe is well-known as a big railway hub. It was home to Crewe Works, a major place for building and fixing trains. While it's smaller now, the railway is still important. From 1946 to 2002, Rolls-Royce cars were made here. Now, the Pyms Lane factory makes only Bentley cars. Crewe is about 158 miles (254 km) northwest of London. It's also 28 miles (45 km) south of Manchester and 31 miles (50 km) southeast of Liverpool.
Contents
History of Crewe
The name Creu was first used a long time ago. But the town of Crewe we know today was planned in 1843 by Joseph Locke. It grew around the Crewe railway station, which opened in 1837. The town was named after the railway station. The name 'Crewe' comes from an old Welsh word 'criu', meaning 'weir'.
Crewe was once a small village with only about 70 people in 1831. This changed when the Grand Junction Railway (GJR) company chose Crewe for its locomotive works and railway station in the late 1830s. Other nearby towns had said no to the railway.
A new town quickly grew next to the busy station. By 1871, the population had grown to 40,000 people. Joseph Locke, the GJR chief engineer, helped design the town.
The town has a large park called Queen's Park. The land for the park was given by the London and North Western Railway, which took over from the GJR. The railway company also helped build a church and schools. They even provided a doctor's surgery and health insurance for workers.
During World War II, Crewe was a target for air raids. This was because of its important railways and the Rolls-Royce factory, which made aircraft engines. On August 29, 1940, about 50 houses were destroyed near the station.
Crewe is even famous on Mars! A crater there is named after the town.
How Crewe is Governed
Crewe is part of the Cheshire East Council. This council manages local services for the area. Since 2013, Crewe Town Council has looked after local matters in the town.
In 2022, Crewe tried to become a city. This was part of the Platinum Jubilee Civic Honours. However, the application was not successful, and Crewe remains a town.
Crewe's Weather
Crewe has a typical oceanic climate, like most of the United Kingdom. This means it has warm summers and cool winters. The temperature doesn't change much throughout the year.
Crewe's Economy
The railways are still important for jobs in Crewe. Crewe Works now focuses on train maintenance. In the past, it employed over 20,000 people. Today, Alstom owns the site.
The Bentley car factory is on Pyms Lane. About 3,500 people work there. This factory used to make Rolls-Royce cars. But since 2003, it has only made Bentley cars.
There's also a BAE Systems Land & Armaments factory nearby in Radway Green. It makes ammunition for the British armed forces.
Several business parks around Crewe have offices and light industries. These include Crewe Business Park, which has companies like Air Products and Barclays. Crewe Gates Industrial Estate has smaller businesses, including a company that makes ice cream vans.
Crewe has two small shopping centres: the Victoria Centre and the Market Centre. You can also find outdoor markets during the week. The Grand Junction Retail Park is just outside the town centre.
New Developments
Crewe's town centre has seen some new projects. A new Lifestyle Centre opened, which has a swimming pool, gym, and library.
The Crewe Market Hall was also updated and reopened in May 2021. This was a big step in improving the town.
Crewe was planned to be a stop for the High Speed 2 (HS2) railway line. This project would have brought many jobs and homes. However, in October 2023, the plan for this part of HS2 was cancelled.
Getting Around Crewe
By Train
Crewe railway station is very important. It's one of the biggest stations in the North West. It's a major place where trains connect on the West Coast Main Line. The station has 12 platforms.
Many train companies use Crewe station:
- Avanti West Coast trains go to London Euston, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Manchester, Liverpool, and Holyhead.
- Transport for Wales Rail connects Crewe to Cardiff, Chester, and Wrexham.
- London Northwestern Railway runs trains to Birmingham, Stoke-on-Trent, London, and Liverpool.
- East Midlands Railway has trains to Newark, Derby, and Nottingham.
- Northern offers local services to Manchester Piccadilly.
By Road
Crewe is connected by the A500, A530, and A534 roads. It's also less than 5 miles (8 km) from the M6 motorway.
By Bus
Most bus services in Crewe are run by D&G Bus. They connect Crewe to nearby towns like Congleton, Nantwich, and Northwich.
By Air
The closest airport to Crewe is Manchester Airport, about 30 miles (48 km) away. Liverpool John Lennon Airport is about 40 miles (64 km) away.
Culture in Crewe
The Crewe Heritage Centre is a museum about railways. It has old signal boxes and a miniature railway. You can also see the Advanced Passenger Train there.
The Lyceum Theatre is a beautiful old building in the town centre. It was built in 1911 and hosts plays, ballet, music, comedy, and pantomimes. The Box on Pedley Street is a popular place for live music.
Crewe has several churches, including Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, and Baptist churches.
Crewe Hall is a grand old house built in the 1600s. It's now used as a hotel, restaurant, and health club.
For entertainment, there's an Odeon cinema, a bingo hall, and a bowling alley on Phoenix Leisure Park.
Queens Park is the main park in Crewe. It was restored in 2010 and has walkways, a play area, a boating lake, and a café.
Education in Crewe
Crewe has a comprehensive school system. This means schools teach students of all abilities. The town has four main secondary schools: Ruskin High School, the Oaks Academy, Sir William Stanier School, and St. Thomas More Catholic High School.
For students aged 16 and over, Cheshire College South & West offers further education. It also has programs for adults.
Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) used to have a campus in Crewe. It offered courses in business, arts, and sports. The campus closed in 2019.
Since 2016, there has been a University Technical College for 14-19 year olds. It focuses on automotive and railway engineering.
Sports in Crewe
Crewe's local football club is Crewe Alexandra. It was started in 1877 by railway workers. The club is known for helping young players become stars. Famous players like David Platt and Robbie Savage started their careers here. In 2013, the club won its first major trophy, the EFL Trophy.
Crewe also has rugby clubs based nearby. Speedway racing used to be popular in Crewe in the 1960s and 70s. The Crewe Railroaders are the town's American football team. There's also a roller derby team called Railtown Loco Rollers.
The main leisure centre in Crewe is the Crewe Lifestyle Centre. It has a swimming pool and gym. Queens Park hosts a weekly parkrun event every Saturday morning.
Notable People from Crewe
Many interesting people have connections to Crewe:
- Gwyneth Dunwoody (1930 – 2008) was a British politician who served as an MP for Crewe.
- William Hope (1863 – 1933) was a pioneer of spirit photography and lived in Crewe.
- Blaster Bates (1923 – 2006) was a famous explosives expert and storyteller from Crewe.
- Chris Hughes (born 1947) is a top quizzer who appears on the TV show Eggheads. He lives in Crewe.
- Mark Price, Baron Price (born 1961) is a businessman who was the MD of Waitrose.
- John Mark Ainsley (born 1963) is a well-known English singer.
- Adam Rickitt (born 1978) is an English actor, singer, and model.
- Frank Blunstone (born 1934) was an English footballer who played for Crewe Alexandra, Chelsea, and England.
- Sir Philip Craven (born 1950) was the president of the International Paralympic Committee.
- Shanaze Reade (born 1988) is a world champion in BMX and track cycling.
- Bryony Page (born 1990) is an Olympic gold medal-winning trampolinist.
Town Twinning
Crewe is twinned with two towns:
- Bischofsheim in Germany
- Dzierżoniów in Poland (since 2005)
See also
In Spanish: Crewe para niños
