RAIL enthusiasts have snapped up iconic Crewe Rail Station signs and helped raise over £2,000 for a South Cheshire charity.

The eight signs were up for grabs during Sandbach-based Railway Children's week-long Rail Aid fundraiser which included an online auction.

Avanti West Coast donated a number of items, including a photobook capturing the experience of the railway during the pandemic, which fetched £255 under the hammer.

The signs will not have far to travel to their new homes, with five of the winning bids coming from people who live in or around Crewe. The remaining three will be spending their retirement in Milton Keynes, Wigan and Leicestershire.

One of the lucky auction winners was Rachel Cope (pictured), from Crewe, who has big plans for her sign.

"I couldn't believe when I heard that I'd won one of the signs. I'm a regular visitor to the station, and the sign will be the perfect back drop to the model railway that I'm building, which is based on the layout at Crewe," she said.

Karen Grimshaw, Station Manager for Avanti West Coast at Crewe said: "We've been overwhelmed by the response and the amount raised. So a big thank you to everyone, especially the winners who clearly have such fond memories of their time spent at the station."

Rail Aid, led by charity Railway Children, raised over £500,000 in 2020, bringing the best of the UK rail community together to raise money and help vulnerable children whose lives have been impacted by coronavirus.