The Harecastle and Sandbach line from Lawton Junction on the Kidsgrove to Crewe banch via Wheelock to Sandbach on the LNWR was opened on 21 January 1852. — Directory of the Railway Companies of Great Britain, by Donald J. Grant, page 416, publ. Troubador Publishing Ltd, 2017.
The line ceased passenger service in July 1930 and closed to freight traffic in 1964, and is now part of the “rail trail” walk.