2025 is the 200th Anniversary of the birth of the modern railway. Friends of Goostrey Station have planned several activities to celebrate this important milestone. As well as looking inside the Victorian building, visitors will see historic photos and plans for further improvements. At noon, FoGS will bury a time capsule containing items that reflect life in 21st century Goostrey.
Goostrey Station opened in 1891, 50 years after trains started to run between Manchester and Crewe. When the line was electrified in 1960, buildings at many smaller stations were replaced, but, at Goostrey, only the ‘up’ building on the Crewe platform was demolished. In the late 1970s, the decaying wooden steps from the platform were removed and replaced on the Crewe side by a zig-zag path through the trees. The ‘down’ building was staffed until 1994 and included a waiting room and booking office. Sadly, after that it was left to decay and became an eyesore.
Encouraged by Goostrey Parish Council, FoGS began work in 2012. Members kept the area tidy and added attractive tubs of flowers. They also lobbied for the building to be restored. Eventually the Railway Heritage Trust recognised that, though once common, this type of timber building had dwindled significantly in number, and so they agreed to provide funds, as long as Northern Rail and Network Rail also contributed. The renovation was completed in 2019 and professional artist Debbie Goldsmith started to use the building as her studio.