The busiest railway station in the north-west of England is set to close for nine days for a "major overhaul" which aims to "significantly reduce disruption" on trains.

Manchester Piccadilly will shut on 14 February next year for upgrades to tracks, points and signalling systems, with work due for completion on 22 February. During the works, services normally running to and from the station will terminate at other stations, including Stockport.

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) said investment in rail infrastructure was crucial to deliver a "reliable and resilient railway" for passengers.

TfGM's Simon Elliott, said: "While unfortunately there will be some short-term disruption, we're committed to working with rail industry colleagues to ensure people can still move easily across Greater Manchester while these essential upgrades take place."

No trains from the south and east of the city will run into Manchester Piccadilly. Some trains from across the north of the city will also be affected, as well as direct connections to Manchester Airport.

Network Rail, who are investing £7.9m in the upgrade, said it was a "critical stretch of the track", adding: "Any issues with the ageing infrastructure can disrupt all trains running in and out of Manchester."

Julien Dehornoy from Network Rail said the "long-awaited" work would "significantly reduce" disruption. "Once the job is done, we will have a better, more reliable railway," he said. "The major overhaul over six railway lines can only take place during a full railway closure and we are working closely with train operators, TfGM and Manchester City Council on alternative travel plans to keep people on the move, the full details on which will be published in mid-November."

More weekend disruption at Manchester Piccadilly


The closure will see services cancelled or altered on Sunday

Passengers travelling through Manchester Piccadilly have been warned to expect more disruption when the station shuts to some rail routes on Sunday.

Trains from the south and east of England will be unable to call at the station from the start of services until about 13:00 GMT, with some connections cancelled and others running on altered routes.

The closure will allow "essential" work to be finished as part of a £7.9m upgrade to tracks, points and signalling systems, Network Rail said.

Some trains to Liverpool, Blackpool and Chester will continue to run from platforms 13 and 14 on a reduced timetable.

The latest closure comes after the station shut for a week last month.

It means no services will run from Stockport until 12:30 GMT, from London Euston until 12:55 GMT.

Trams will continue to run from Piccadilly, while Transport for Greater Manchester said valid rail tickets will be accepted on several buses through the wider city region.

Rail replacement buses will run from the station between Stockport and Crewe.

The Bee Network has provided a full list of amended services from operators across the region.

And.....the Carabao Cup Final at Wembley on Sunday features a club from.......yup, Manchester!

And.....the Carabao Cup Final at Wembley on Sunday features a club from.......yup, Manchester!

No London train until lunchtime will mean substantial overcrowding on the few trains to get to Euston in time for kick-off.

You couldn't make it up really. 50 other weeks without a Cup Final at Wembley to choose from