News
Trip of the month: Llandudno - Y Gogarth (Great Orme Circular Walk)
Why not try out one of our trips out from Eccles Station ? July's Trip of the Month is Llandudno - Y Gogarth (Great Orme Circular Walk), one of fifty trips compiled and described by Jim Rayner in his new book.
This is an extremely rewarding walk for the practised walker. Good brisk exercise with tremendous views, and all that Llandudno has to offer afterwards.
You can download and print this trip from the above link, or look at the complete list of fifty trips here.
3 April 2010: New interchange signs for Eccles Station
After a long campaign by FRECCLES, new interchange signs have been erected on both platforms at Eccles station. They indicate that passengers can alight at Eccles to change for trams to Salford Quays, or for buses to the Trafford Centre.
FRECCLES would like to thank the GMPTE and Northern Rail for jointly funding these new signs. We hope they are the first step towards making Eccles an important interchange hub between rail, tram and bus.
23 July 2009: Government announces electrification of Manchester - Liverpool line
The Department for Transport has announced that work is to start immediately on the Electrification of the Manchester to Liverpool railway line through Eccles. The work will take 4 years to complete. Passengers will notice improvements to speed, reliability and comfort as electric trains are not only quicker, but quieter, smoother and more reliable than diesels.
FRECCLES will campaign hard to ensure that Eccles gets a frequent train service to both Manchester and Liverpool when electrification is completed.
June 2009: Book Trips Out from Eccles Station Launched at Eccles Gateway centre
Jim Rayner presenting copies of his book to Hannah QuinlanFriends of Eccles Station (Freccles) member and volunteer Jim Rayner has written and published his first volume of 'Trips Out from Eccles Station' and the official launch and presentation of copies of the book for Eccles, Hope and Winton Libraries was held on Monday 29th June 2009.
The book is a collection of 50 trips that are designed to inspire people to explore greater Manchester and further afield in their leisure time but with the starting & finishing point always at Eccles or Patricroft railway stations.
Jim (Rayner) says "For longer than I'm prepared to admit, I have taken little trips out from Eccles or Patricroft stations and I have compiled them to be a source of inspiration and promote travel by train from our local stations. These fifty trips are intended mainly to be pleasurable rather than challenging. Most of the walks can be fitted into a morning, afternoon or an early evening in summer."
The book Trips Out from Eccles StationThe funding for the publication and printing was granted to Freccles by Eccles Community Committee and members of Freccles and other local people joined Jim as he talked about his book and presented the copies to Hannah Quinlan from Eccles Library.
The libraries at Eccles, Hope and Winton have copies of the book available for reference and photocopies can be made of walks of interest.
Elizabeth Charnley, Secretary of Freccles says "We are very proud of Jim's excellent and inspiring work and hope that it will encourage more people to use the train from Eccles station to start their leisure trips out. As part of their journey they will be able to see the work Freccles has been doing to change the look of the station.
We welcome new people to join us with our work on the station, no special skills required; we need people who are happy to do a spot of light weeding or litter clearing through to people to help us with heavier work such as digging and lifting.
Since we started in 2005 we have secured several thousand pounds worth of cash funding and other benefits that have made a vast improvement to a once neglected eyesore station. We regularly receive positive comments from people who have not visited the station for a while and from railway staff who say that it is a pleasure to stop at Eccles Station and see the changes."
6th December 2008: World Heritage Site bid for Liverpool and Manchester Railway ?
Salford City Council is bidding for the historic Liverpool and Manchester Railway, which includes Eccles station, to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The line, the first main line passenger railway line in the world, opened in 1830. Manchester Evening News, 6/12/2008
21 October 2008: Freccles representatives at House of Commons Reception
Janice Clapham and Elizabeth Charnley were privileged to be invited to the House of Commons to take part in a reception for groups that had received funding from the O2 It's your community fund. O2 have made this splendid banner for Freccles, depicting enthusiastic Freccles gardeners !
16th November 2007: Bishop of Manchester joins Freccles
Members of Freccles were invited to meet the Bishop of Manchester, the Rt Revd Nigel McCulloch, when he arrived at Eccles Station on the 16:01 from Manchester Victoria as part of his pilgrimage visit to Eccles on Friday 16th November 2007. Read the full story here.
24th September 2007: Christopher Eccleston unveils new mural at Eccles Station
To mark its second anniversary, FRECCLES has commissioned an exciting mural, which was unveiled at Eccles station on 24th September 2007 by local actor Christopher Eccleston. Chris is an old boy of Eccles College, four of whose arts students designed the mural.
The mural, which invites visitors to Eccles to discover the past, present and future of the town, incorporates historical and contemporary motifs, including eight Eccles cakes. It marks an important step in the improvement of Eccles station and its facilities, which is one of the main aims of FRECCLES. Full report and photos.