As one of the biggest train operators in Britain, Northern Rail provides 2,500 local and regional train services every day across the north of England, serving a population of nearly 15 million.
We pride ourselves on offering consistent and local train services to our customers, as they make their way around our network to visit the wide variety of things to do and places to see in the areas we operate.
Northern Rail is proud to be at the heart of the railways and we work closely with local community groups to help enhance our stations and their surroundings.
Having worked with 'Friends of Heaton Chapel Station' since August 2011, we've seen the station blossom thanks to the great efforts made by this partnership.
From the early 13th century, Heaton Norris was a sub-manor of Manchester, encompassing all of the Four Heatons including Heaton Moor which was mainly moss land (peat bog) with rich agricultural land that supported mixed farming.Panel 16 was sponsored by 4 Heatons Traders Association and informs us:
In 1837 Parliamentary approval was given for the railway to by built by the Manchester and Birmingham Railway, the first section from Heaton Norris to Manchester opening in 1841.
Heaton Chapel Station was built in 1851 close to the St. Thomas Rectory and not according to some railway company's grand plan but largely at the instigation of a local clergyman, Edward Jackson of St Thomas Church in Heaton Chapel.
Before entering the church, he had been a master at Manchester Grammar School and when he discovered that one of his former pupils was the superintendent of the northern division of the LNWR, he was determined to use his influence and put Heaton Chapel on the railway map. This was quite a tall order: even if all the arguments are on your side, because building a station in a deep cutting presents difficulties, (there are 43 steps to the platform on northbound platform 2).
However Rev. Jackson won the day, his old pupil complied and Heaton Chapel was the triumphant result. The opening of the station had am immediate effect on the surrounding area which became a fashionable address for those who could afford to live in the leafy suburbs and commute to Manchester by train. Land was acquired and roads were planned. The houses, villas and new buildings along Heaton Moor Road were of a grandiose scale with generous gardens.
Sadly, Joseph Swindlehurst, the stationmaster in the 1890s would no longer be able to recognise his beloved station.
The artwork was designed by local artist Karen Allerton with photographs and historic information supplied by Phil Rowbotham ©A contribution to Monday Murals.
Two members of Sustainable Living in the Heatons, a local community group, explored the possibility of developing an art protect on the northbound platform of the station in June 2011 with a burning passion to change the tired salmon wall. As a result of the discussions we formed the Friends of Heaton Chapel Station in August 2011, with the principal aim of making the station a more attractive place.
Out enthusiastic group began work during the autumn cutting and cleaning beds on the Stockport bound platform and planted flowers, herbs and plants which have now blossomed this spring, We also set up a library in the ticket office which has proved really successful with travellers.
With the help of materials and paint from Northern Rail and a great bunch of volunteers, we painted the wall black in preparation for the artwork. We have engaged with various groups in the Heatons community and would like to thank them and all the local businesses that have sponsored this great undertaking. Additionally, we are indebted to the local primary schools who have worked with us on the project.
Heaton MerseyPanel 6 was designed with pupils at Norris Bank Primary School.
The word Heaton is made up of two words of Anglo Saxon origin. "Hea" means high ground, which in this case is a shoulder of the Mersey Valley above the flood plain. The suffix "ton" means a defended settlement or farm.
The name Mersey originates from an Old English word Maere which means boundary. The river was the boundary of the ancient Saxon kingdoms of Mercia and Northumbria.
Hence the name Heaton Mersey can be literally translated as the high farmstead beside the River Mersey.
Heaton Moor is predominantly flat with no rivers or streams. The soil is black and fertile as expected from land that was previously peat moor. Before the opening of the railway, Heaton Moor was the main agricultural land in Heaton Norris, supporting pigs, cattle and cereal.Panel 8 was sponsored by Agito Transport Planning Consultancy and designed with pupils at Broadstone Hall Primary School - Heaton Chapel. It features Cecil Kimber.
The opening of Heaton Chapel station in 1851 marked a turning point in the development of the area as people wanted to live close to the railway line between Stockport and Manchester.
Heaton Moor is characterised by the Victorian housing most of which was built between 1852 and 1892 and features tree lined roads which follow the former field patterns when the area was used for agriculture.
Heaton Moor is a thriving residential and commercial suburb of Stockport and contains its own busy and vibrant district centre which focuses on Heaton Moor Road.
Former resident of Shaw Road, Cecil Kimber was the man behind the iconic MG Sports Car. He was born in 1888 in south London during a time when the world had just discovered the combustion engine and people were realising its possibilities. His main interest was motor bicycles and he bought his first in 1906 aged 18 but he switched to cars and four wheels after a bad accident.A contribution to Monday Murals.
In 1914 following a family dispute, Cecil left the family printing business in Manchester and pursued a career in motor engineering.
In 1919 he met Frank Woollard who later helped Cecil establish the MG car. Two years after joining Morris Garages as sales manager in 1922, he launched the first four-door saloon, built on the chassis of the Morris Oxford.
Tragically Cecil died in a train crash in 1945, but the MG sports car flourished with a number of pure racing models winning countless successes on race circuits.
The designation Norrey or Norres came from the family name of the le Norreys in 1364. Heaton Norris was part of the Manchester barony of the Grelley family, but between 1162 and 1180 It belonged to William le Norreys. In the early 13th century Heaton Norris was a sub manor Manchester, encompassing what we know now as the Four Heatons. The area reverted back to the manor of Manchester around 1280.Panel 2 was sponsored by Sustainable Living In The Heatons.
The township stretched from Cringle Brook in the north to the river Mersey in the south which is a distance of approximately two miles. The south east part has long been a part of Stockport since 1832 when it was included in the Parliamentary borough and in the municipal borough in 1835 when a district ward was formed.
For several centuries Heaton Chapel was part of the Heaton Norris township. In 1758 the first Chapel in the Heatons, St Thomas' Church was built on the principal Manchester to Stockport road on a field known as Yarn Croft, through money raised by public subscription. The place name then became Heaton Chapel in its own right.Panel 4 was sponsored by Heaton Moor Evangelical Church and designed with pupils at St Thomas' CE Primary School. It features Sir John Alcock.
Almost a century later The London and North Western Railway company completed the Crewe to Manchester line and Rev. Jackson used personal influence, to have a station built in 1851, close to the rectory in Heaton Moor Road with the new station being named Heaton Chapel
Sir John William Alcock, who grew up in Heaton Moor and attended St Thomas' Primary School, took up the challenge of attempting to be the first to fly directly across the Atlantic and successfully piloted the first transatlantic flight between Newfoundland and Ireland in June 1919.A contribution to Monday Murals.
The epic flight which John Alcock made with Arthur Brown covered 1,980 miles over mainly water, and took 16 hours and 12 minutes. The flight had been much affected by bad weather, making accurate navigation difficult and the intrepid duo also had to cope with turbulence, instrument failure and ice on the wings.
The flight was made in a modified Vickers Vimy bomber, and secured a £10,000. prize offered by London's Daily Mail newspaper for the first transatlantic flight.
A few days after the flight, King George V knighted Alcock and Brown and invested them with their insignia as Knight Commanders of the Order of the British Empire for their remarkable act of courage and bravery as pioneering aviators.
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"Inspired by Olympics in 2012, the Group completed the Running Man art project within three months, all sourced from local suppliers. Supported by businesses and organisations in the local community, 16 panels of artwork were sponsored and children from three local schools were involved in working with a local community artist, which resulted in a huge attendance of over 200 at the unveiling ceremony on 25th May 2012. The multi-talented group has within 10 months of inception demonstrated incredible attributes of engagement with the local community whilst leaving a wonderful exhibit for station users to enjoy for the future."
