This spring will see the return of regular rail services at Styal railway station, located on the doorstep of the National Trust’s famous Quarry Bank visitor attraction, after a quarter of a century. Arriva Northern has incorporated the hourly stopping services into its summer timetable, which comes into effect on 20 May.

The station, on the Manchester to Crewe line was, opened in 1909 and had frequent stopping services. It was well-known in the region for its award-winning

station gardens in the 1950s and 1960s but, in 1993 a “skeleton” rail service was introduced. Friends of Styal Station’s campaign, supported by the likes of HMP Styal, Styal Village Association, Crewe-Manchester Community Rail Partnership and local residents,

prompted

Serco-Abellio, the Northern franchise operator at the time,  to restore Sunday services and make modest improvements to weekday services.  The introduction of hourly services

this year, however, is a game-changer for residents and visitors.

Stephen Forde, the Community Rail Officer for the Crewe to Manchester Community Rail Partnership (CRP), said; “The CRP has long supported the work of the Friends of Styal Station

in their campaign to bring viable train service to the communities that the station serves. We’re delighted that Arriva Northern have been able to provide such a service. Styal Station is close to two major trip generating locations in Quarry Bank and Styal Prison.

We look forward to working with both locations, helping them to encourage their visitors to use the train as often as possible. I’m sure any reduction in vehicular traffic passing through Styal village will be warmly welcomed by its residents.”

Joanne Hudson, general manager at nearby Quarry Bank, added, “We’re delighted that an hourly rail service has been introduced for Styal station. At the National Trust

we work hard to reduce our impact on the environment, and we’re pleased to be able to encourage visitors, volunteers and staff to use public transport. Every visit helps us to look after this special place for ever, for everyone, and this service will offer

a new way to travel to Quarry Bank.”

A spokesperson for Friends of Styal Station said: “We are delighted with this outcome and thank Arriva Northern. The restoration of regular stopping services at Styal

is the culmination of ten years of hard work and we are very grateful to the people and organisations that have supported us in our endeavours.”

Trains for Manchester will typically depart Styal at around 45 minutes past the hour, calling in the Wilmslow-bound direction at around 11 minutes past the hour. The

full timetable for Styal can be viewed at www.nationalrail.co.uk. Friends of Styal Station

has a website (styal-station.org.uk) detailing the history of the station. The group and can

be followed on Twitter via @styalstation or contacted via styalstation@gmail.com. The group welcomes new members.

Notes for editors

Styal station opened in 1909 and lies on the Crewe to Manchester via Manchester Airport line. It was a staffed station until the 1990s and, in the 1950s and 1960s won

many station garden competition awards.

The station is operated by Arriva Northern and lies just 200 metres from the edge of the National Trust’s Quarry Bank estate. The famous mill and other attractions are

a ten minute walk from the station. The website for Quarry Bank can be visited at: nationaltrust.org.uk/quarry-bank

Friends of Styal Station – a voluntary community group - was founded in 2008 to advocate the development of services at the station.  It can be contacted via styalstation@gmail.com

From: Styal Station

Sent: 06 May 2018 13:40

To: Carla Flynn ; Joshua Pennington

Subject: Press release - Styal Station: restoration of regular services

Dear Wilmslow Guardian team,

Please could you consider featuring this item and images in your newspaper?

Thanks,

Friends of Styal Station (FoSS)