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

Have you seen the new exhibition of art by children at Goostrey Primary School in the platform shelter at Goostrey station?

With the title ‘Air and Sea’, it features Spitfires from World War 2 flying over shimmering blue water.

The planes were drawn by year 5 pupils and the sea pictures by children in year 6. The display was created last June specifically for Goostrey’s D Day +80 commemoration.

But deputy headteacher Becky Cowell thought it was so lovely that it was right to place the pictures where a wider audience could appreciate them. FoGS are delighted that local children are helping to ensure that Goostrey station is a place that our community can be proud of.

Recently FoGS members Debbie Goldsmith, Louise Willis and Vicky Worsley welcomed a group of Rainbows and their leaders as they arrived by train from Holmes Chapel.

Once inside Goostrey Art Studio, the children enjoyed a lively session making hedgehogs, either from clay or from card and natural materials collected from the station gardens.

Afterwards the young people inspected the bug hotels on the grassy area near the car park.

With obvious concern, one child wanted to know who checked the bugs in for the night!

As they left for home, each Rainbow received a copy of Arlo’s Adventures, a book designed to teach them about safety on the railway.

All of the children who come to Goostrey station love seeing and hearing the trains.

But the excited screams of Holmes Chapel Rainbows in response to a driver sounding the engine’s horn will be hard to forget!

 

The Friends of Altrincham Interchange share their Remembrance Day Displays on Platform 4 and Platform 1.

They include knitted poppies, RBL poppies and a selection of poetry.

Poignant and respectful displays.

We will remember them.