Handforth Station now boasts another place-name sign on its richly-decorated platforms – and this one is in Greek !

The Hellas Taverna in Handforth has become a regular for several members of the volunteer group Friends of Handforth Station (FoHS). When the restaurant team heard of Handforth station’s collection of “foreign station signs”, they were delighted to sponsor one in Greek.

The new sign transliterates the name of the station from English letters into corresponding Greek ones. As a result, passengers arriving at the station are now greeted with Χαντφορθ on the Manchester-bound platform.

Sofia and Stathis, from the Hellas Taverna, said “We were intrigued when we first saw the collection of signs that the Friends of Handforth Station have installed on their platforms. We suggested that they could do with one in Greek script, and they welcomed what we have donated to them.”

Jenny Barnes, the Arts Coordinator for FoHS, said “My family and I visit the Hellas regularly and Dylan (now 7) has been going since he was in a highchair. Stathis is a nutritionist and the food there is delicious and nutritious. I was delighted when the team from Hellas joined our Friends group at the latest Handforth Paddock Christmas Fair, bringing some wonderful Mavrodfani wine from Sofia’s home village near Patras, along with some melomakarona and baklava.

“We have many place-name signs on our platforms, mainly from rail companies like Netherlands Railways, Ireland’s LUAS, the London Underground and Hong Kong’s Metro. The idea is to make our station stand out from many others and keep us in the public eye; this was a major contributor towards us being awarded over £2M funding from the UK Department of Transport in April 2019 to install step-free access.

“This lovely new Greek sign is very welcome because it has been donated by friends of ours; it illustrates the strength of the relationships between Friends of Handforth Station and the local community in Handforth.

“If you’d like to join us and help make Handforth Station an even better place, please see our web-site www.handforthstation.org.uk.”

 

On presenting Sally with a framed print of Elizabeth Gaskell, one of the Amazing Women in Sally’s project Amazing Women by Rail, Mark Barker, Chair of Cheshire Best Kept Stations said:

“Sally became Community Rail Officer for the Mid Cheshire Line in 2009, an event I well remember as I sat on the interviewing panel together with Michael Ross who is also here tonight.

“One of the best decisions we ever made, I think Mike!

“Sally served in that role for 10 years before moving to a new role with Cheshire West & Chester Council last year.

“The Mid Cheshire Line at that time had lost some of its earlier momentum, but Sally introduced her own style of Creative Partnership Working, developing a network of support and involvement with communities, colleges, volunteers along the line and with the rail industry.

“With colleagues in the CRP and MCRUA, the Mid Cheshire Line was creatively marketed under the ‘Marvellous Days Out’ banner.

“Sally’s skill lay in spotting a potential collaborator and then having the ideas and imagination to work with them to develop an idea into a resounding success.

“The highlight of Sally’s work for me was the Over By Christmas musical commemoration of WW1 in September 2014 in partnership with Theatre in The Quarter.

“400 volunteers including singers and actors in period dress put on 47 live performances at 25 stations not only across Cheshire but also at Manchester Piccadilly and London’s St.Pancras International.

“This unique and breathtaking project reached over 20,000 people.

“In 2015 Mid Cheshire CRP became the first individual CRP to take the Overall Winner Award at ACoRP’s Community Rail Awards.

“Sally has been an influential figure across the community rail movement, serving on the ACoRP Board and helping to found Women in Community Rail.

“Last year she was awarded the MBE for her services to Community Rail and tonight I would like make a presentation to Sally to express our thanks for her work and achievements and her efforts in helping Cheshire Best Kept Stations over the last few years.”

1st Handforth Beavers, Cubs and Scouts have helped Handforth Station to commemorate Remembrance Day. Every year, the Friends of Handforth Station adorn the platforms and ticket office with poppies to mark the occasion.

This year, many youngsters from Handforth joined in the tributes, encouraged by their Scouting Association leaders, by making more poppy-based artwork to grace the station.

The Remembrance Parade went past Handforth Station on its way to and back from the Church Service on Sunday 10^th November. Some of those who marched took time out to have their photographs taken in front of their work.

1st Handforth Beavers (aged 5 to 7) made displays with individually-painted poppies on it, which can now be viewed in the ticket office and in one half of the Friends of Handforth Station’s “Art In A Box” installation.

The Cubs (aged 8 to 10) created remembrance rocks and poppies out of upcycled plastic, which are attached to the fence on the Northbound platform. Scouts (aged 11 to 14) created an Avro Lancaster poppy display in the other half of “Art In A Box”.

Hugh Everett (Secretary, FoHS) said “We were delighted that the Beavers, Cubs and Scouts could help us with this important commemoration. We are very impressed by the efforts they’ve made, and it all helps make our station even more attractive and part of the community.”

The poppies displays will remain at the station for a short while. Friends of Handforth Station then plan to festoon the concourse and the ticket office with traditional Christmas decorations and lights towards the end of November.

 

On Saturday 19th October 2019, Handforth Station was the venue for the unveiling of a newly-installed 1950s era Running In board – a large sign showing the name of the railway station. Such signs are intended to inform passengers of their location when aboard a train entering the station, possibly while still moving at speed.

This piece of railway history was bought at auction by the Connolly family, who have kindly agreed to loan it to the Friends of Handforth Station (FoHS) for display at its station of origin.

Andrew Backhouse (Chair, FoHS) welcoming the guests, said “One of our primary aims is to preserve railway history, and we’re very grateful to Brian and Nancy Connolly for loaning us this sign”. Hugh Everett (Secretary, FoHS) gave a safety briefing before the approximately 30 people descended the 35 steps to the Manchester-bound platform for the ceremony.

Highlights of the ceremony included the unveiling of a commemorative plaque by Nancy Connolly and brief addresses by Cheshire East’s Mayor Barry Burkhill, who said “I’ve been involved with Friends of Handforth Station personally for years and I know how much effort they put into many schemes like this”, Dan Coles of Network Rail who added “We’re delighted to have worked with the Friends of Handforth Station on this fantastic initiative. Network Rail are committed to working collaboratively with communities across the region to help transform station environments” and Brian Connolly who recalled his school days using the station. Following the ceremony on the station platform, refreshments were served at the nearby Railway Hotel.

When loaned to FoHS, the running in board was in a very fragile state and liable to break. Members of FoHS inserted a stiffening panel of plywood into the rear of the board and applied several types of anti-rust treatment. A timber frame was constructed in the form of a cradle so that the running-in board could be displayed without the need to drill further holes through the enameled metal. The whole assembly was then mounted on three reclaimed railway crossing sleepers – an exercise needing ingenious engineering and a lot of manual effort.

FoHS thank Network Rail for providing funds for the crossing sleepers and the Railway Heritage Trust for funding the renovation works. Thanks are also due to B&Q in Stanley Green for providing post-fixing cement and paint. Handforth residents, including Graham Howard, Peter Moore, Nick Quinn, and Paul Redwood are thanked for assistance with the erection of the three crossing sleepers and for assistance with the construction and transport of the sign and its timber frame.

The restoration and erection of this running in board provides a perfect example of the rail industry, local businesses and local residents working in partnership with the Friends of Handforth Station to see a challenging project through to completion for the benefit of rail passengers and the local community.