2025 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of the modern railway. In September 1825, the first public railway to use steam locomotives was opened, between Stockton and Darlington.

See the web-site Railway 200 for information about how this anniversary is being commemorated nationwide.

Locally, the Friends of Handforth Station (FoHS) are developing several events to help celebrate Railway 200. These include an exhibition of rail-related poems, a joint “open day” with the miniature railway in Handforth’s Meriton Road Park (run by Handforth Model Engineering Society), a new stainless-steel “Railway 200 screen” to match their current “Millennium screen”, and a “Rail Ale Trail”. All profits from all events will be donated to the Alzheimer’s Society, being the chosen charity of the Railway 200 organisation.

The Rail Ale Trail will be hosted by the stations between Manchester Piccadilly and Crewe (the Crewe to Manchester line). Many of these stations have “Friends of” groups, and FoHS are coordinating the organisation of the Rail Ale Trail. The Rail Ale Trail is intended to promote little-known attractions of each station and village/town, not least including at minimum one pub near each station.

The initial planning meeting for the Rail Ale Trail was hosted by FoHS in the Railway Pub (opposite Handforth Station) on Tuesday 18^th February. Attendees included other “Friends of” groups on the line, representatives of two local CAMRA groups, the local Robinsons Brewery manager, and the Community Rail Officer for the Crewe to Manchester line. The landlady of The Railway, Sue Norman, provided the morning meeting with tea, coffee and biscuits.

Matthew Curtis, photographer and writer (and long-term CAMRA member) said “A rail trail is the perfect way to enjoy some of the best pubs and discover local beers and nuggets of history along the way.”

Hugh Everett, Secretary of the FoHS, added “This Rail Trail will be promoted all year, and we expect that it will continue for many years to come. It will allow people to appreciate the communities that have grown up around each of the stations since the Crewe to Manchester line was opened in 1842. After all, in North Cheshire we are very close to the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution and home to several of its innovations.”

The Rail Ale Trail is expected to open in late Spring. Other Railway 200 events will run throughout 2025.

What a lovely surprise! Last year Lynn Gerber contacted Friends of Goostrey Station through our website friendsofgoostreystation.org because she thought we might be interested in a photo of her grandfather Joseph Harrop. Of course, we are!

Joseph was born in March 1895 and started work as a porter at Goostrey Station in January 1911. In the photo, Joseph is seated on the left of the bench.  But who are the other men? Could they be Mr Lockett, Mr Brandreth, Mr Thompson or Mr Wilde who were living in station cottages at the time of the 1911 census? If you can identify either of these people, please get in touch with FoGS chair Craig Sidebotham on 01477 544111.

In September 1914, at the start of WW1, Lynn’s grandfather volunteered for the Royal Marines and he was wounded at Gallipoli. On his return to civilian life at the end of the war, Joseph trained as a signalman at Eccles and he was subsequently employed at several stations on the Crewe-Manchester line. When the system was modernised in 1959, he changed job and became a porter again.

After WW2, Joseph received a commendation for his devotion to duty in Goostrey Home Guard. In 1927 he had joined the St John Ambulance and the training he received allowed him to lead the ambulance section.

On his 65th birthday, Joseph was given a gold wrist watch by British Rail. When he retired in October 1961, officials  presented him with a long-service certificate and he received a clock from the staff at Goostrey, Holmes Chapel and Sandbach stations.

Joseph’s granddaughter Lynn has provided FoGS with a precious glimpse into the life of someone who worked for half a century on the local railway. She described him as a lovely man who was well respected. He was an active member of the labour party and, as a keen gardener, he was also secretary of the Allotment Association and the Gooseberry Society.  She added that ’it’s a really nice feeling to know that my grandfather’s story is still being remembered’.

In early 2024, the Friends of Handforth Station (FoHS) were delighted to receive two station name totems dating from the era of British Railways London Midland Region (1948 – 1992). They were donated by Scott Dempster in memory of local resident Mrs Jean Smith, and by John Coghlan of the Handforth Model Engineering Society.

Both totems were donated in a damaged condition, so FoHS decided to raise funds for their restoration before displaying them in Handforth Station’s Ticket Office.

Using sponsorship from the Railway Heritage Trust, Wilmslow and District Rotary, Handforth Model Engineering Society and the Chair’s fund of Handforth Town Council, FoHS commissioned the restoration of the totems from Christine Bennett of Middlewich.

Her restoration work was completed in Autumn 2024, and the sponsors were invited to inspect the resulting totems.

On 9th December, Tim Hedley-Jones, Executive Director of the Railway Heritage Trust, visited Handforth and was given a guided tour of the station’s collection of historic running-in boards, signs and name totems. Tim said “I have enjoyed an excellent visit; the Friends are telling the story of the station so well”.

On Saturday 21st December, David Pincombe (Chair Wilmslow and District Rotary) and Susan Moore (Chair of Handforth Town Council) visited, to inspect the newly-restored totems and their display in the ticket office. Both congratulated the quality of the restoration work and the way the totems were displayed.

Rosemary Thomason, Chair of the FoHS, said “We are very grateful to the donors of the two totems, to Chris Bennett who restored them, and to the generosity of the groups who gave money for their restoration. One of the main aims of our group is to maintain heritage items at the station, and we are delighted to be able to show these name totems at their original location”.

The totems can be seen inside the station’s ticket office during weekday and Saturday mornings.

Have you visited Stockport station recently?

A painting by Debbie Goldsmith (whose studio is in the restored building at Goostrey station) has helped to transform the dominating wall along the pavement at the Edgeley approach.

The project was led by two Community Rail Partnerships – South East Manchester and Crewe to Manchester.

The theme was a View from a Train Window. Those leading the project were inspired by the recesses in the wall which resemble both train windows and picture frames. This fitted with wanting to promote train travel as well as brightening up the entrance to the station.

Many groups and individuals were involved including college students, primary school pupils, a mental health charity and professional artists, like Debbie Goldsmith. This ensured that a wide variety of artwork was included.

It also gave as many people as possible a sense of involvement and ownership of the project. The artists used a number of different techniques including watercolours, acrylic paints and collage. In order to be displayed, all the artwork was digitised and printed onto composite panels.

There have been lots of positive comments about the difference it has made to the station approach. The proud organisers hope the 50 pieces of artwork will start conversations, evoke memories of previous train journeys and encourage people to plan more travel by train. A short video can be watched on the Stockport Tourism Facebook page