AS the rest of country slows down in the midst of the coronavirus crisis, hidden heroes on the north west's railway lines are stepping up to help deliver essential supplies.

Every 24 hours, 131,000 tonnes of supplies are being moved by rail through Cheshire and the north west, including vital foods and medicines.

Amongst these, Royal Mail post is delivered by trains between Warrington and Glasgow.

Joined with the railway in the south of the country, the daily total of critical supplies moved by rail is 1.13 million tonnes per week.

Ordinarily, rail freight goes largely unnoticed, travelling by night to keep wholesalers, shops, pharmacies, hospitals and building supply yards stocked.

Despite passenger services reducing, customer demand for critical supplies has remained consistent, and the freight industry is standing together with Network Rail to keep key supply lines open and trains moving.

Phil James, route managing director for the north west route, said: "Rail freight has never mattered more than now for the people of Britain.

"Our job is to continue moving critical supplies where they’re needed – keeping wholesalers and supermarket shelves stocked, hospital medicine cupboards full, power stations fuelled and construction and manufacturing ticking over.

"Our frontline key workers, including signallers, control room staff and maintenance engineers, are the hidden heroes in this national team effort.

"They are helping NHS medics to save lives and keeping shop shelves stocked, and I’m very proud of them."

To prioritise freight and key worker journeys, a reduced timetable is currently running on the railway network.

Government guidelines are advising the public to only travel if absolutely essential.

People making essential journeys should visit nationalrail.co.uk to check the revised train times.