Exhibition of Macclesfield and Bollington railway photographs

Possibly the largest exhibition of railway photographs ever to go on display in Macclesfield will be held at Macclesfield Library between 1st  and 16th August – forming the last of the celebrations to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the opening of the Macclesfield, Bollington & Marple Railway which took place on 2nd August 1869.

Exchange sidings, Macclesfield July 1904

The exhibition, detailing the life of the line that closed in January 1970, has been assembled and mounted by Molly Spink on behalf of the Bollington Discovery Centre and admission is free.

Waters Green 1858-1871

Open during normal library opening hours more than 140 photographs will be on display – many in colour – spanning a period from the early 1870s through to the present day and featuring stations and scenes at Macclesfield, Bollington, Higher Poynton, Middlewood, High Lane and Marple (Rose Hill).

Macclesfield Central Station ⓒ John Alsopp Collection

Included in the exhibition will be photographs of tickets, timetables and excursion notices.

Bollington Bug

Also on display are images of the two railcars – the “Bollington Bug” and the “Sentinel” – which worked the railway shuttle service between Macclesfield and Bollington during the 1920s and the 1930s – along with some fascinating photographs of the omnibuses which competed for custom with the rail services to Bollington and to Buxton and were introduced into the area after 1913.

Buxton Rd bridge circa 1893

The Exhibition will be formally opened by Councillor Janet Jackson, MBE, the Town Mayor of Macclesfield, on Thursday 1st August at 5 pm.

Lower Heyes Mill circa 1905

The recently-published 56 page A4 book, Macclesfield, Bollington & Marple Railway – Remembered 150th Anniversary by Basil Jeuda – priced at just £5 – will be available for purchase at the exhibition.

The book is also available at Macclesfield Visitor Information Centre in the Town Hall and at the Bollington Discovery Centre, Clarence Mill.

For visitors to the July Macclesfield Treacle Market  there’ll be a book signing session at the Visitor Information Centre on Saturday 3rd August and another at Macclesfield Library on 10th August.


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