The two companies, based in Manchester and Birmingham, had to negotiate with each other to develop the proposals, and they were altered somewhat over the next two years.

Also at this time, a new station opened to serve as the line's northern terminus; it later became Manchester Piccadilly.

The station building, opposite the Hesketh Tavern public house, is now a private residence.

It included a structure from which tickets were sold, and in the window of which a candle was lit to act as a signal during the hours of darkness.

[5] When plans were made for a line to Stoke-on-Trent, it was originally intended for a branch to be built from Stockport to Macclesfield.

The railway brought a huge influx of people to the area, and provided opportunities for residents to work in places such as Manchester.

[4] A special train - known as the "Lollipop Express" - carrying 234 school children from Gnosall, Stafford to York for a day trip derailed at the station on 28 May 1964.

The road under it was more than doubled in width, and the bridge height was increased by 3 feet (0.9 m) allowing double-decker buses to pass underneath.

[16] Work on the second bridge commenced on 8 June 1965, increasing the height and width in accordance with Ministry of Transport requirements.

[17] Station Road was significantly widened and rerouted slightly in 1967 in a further attempt to accommodate increasing traffic.

[18] As part of the privatisation of British Rail, all stations in the United Kingdom were sold to Railtrack, and each would be managed by a franchised train operating company.

Cheadle Hulme had £1.2 million spent on repairs to its platforms, buildings and waiting shelters, and new lighting installed throughout the station.

Stephen Day, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Cheadle Hulme, opened the updated station in March 1998.

[10] In 2002, Railtrack entered administration and ownership of the station transferred to the newly formed government-owned company Network Rail, but it was still managed by First North Western.

[20] In addition, the PA equipment installed in 2011 was finally brought into use to provide automated announcements across the station.