Great British Railways: Pete Waterman backs Crewe for rail HQ

Especially for Crewe - Pete Waterman, who lives in Cheshire, said he was happy to lead the town's bid

The record producer and railway enthusiast Pete Waterman is leading Crewe's bid to become the headquarters of Great British Railways.

The public body, which is due to start operating from 2023, will oversee all rail travel in the UK, taking over from Network Rail and a number of other organisations.

Towns and cities have until 16 March to enter the race to become its base.

Mr Waterman said the railway heritage of Crewe was "phenomenal".

He said he had been approached by the town's bidding team to lead the campaign and added: "Crewe is the natural place for the headquarters to be, Crewe is an amazing place."

Mentioning the plans to bring high-speed rail network, HS2, to the town, he said the arrival of the Great British Railways headquarters would be another important boost for investment in the area.

He said: "We all know our area does need more and more investment."

Cheshire East Council is also involved in the campaign and its leader, Sam Corcoran, said: "Rail is in the blood of so many people in Crewe."

He added the town had "long been seen as the gateway to the north, making it the perfect location for GBR's headquarters".

Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: [e-mail]