This piece of railway history was bought at auction by the Connolly family, who kindly agreed to loan it to the Friends of Handforth Station (FoHS) for display at its station of origin.
It is mounted on the Stockport/Manchester-bound platform.
Renovating the sign
The sign undergoing renovation in Roger Small's garage
Renovating the sign
The sign undergoing renovation in Roger Small's garage
Renovating the sign
The sign undergoing renovation in Roger Small's garage
Network Rail have kindly donated sleepers to FoHS, to be used in the Rotary Garden and elsewhere. Here you see several sleepers having just been delivered, awaiting mounting at the station to serve as a frame for displaying a 1950s BR running-in board.
Preparing the frame
Sleepers being delivered
Preparing the frame
The sleepers fixed in place vertically
The work to prepare the mounting for the donated "Connolly running-in board" took many hours over a few days. Holes were dug, sleepers erected vertically and concrete poured, and battens were carefully attached - to make a strong yet flexible structure onto which the sign could be attached.
Mounting the sign
Members of FoHS carefully mounting the sign as horizontally as possible
Mounting the sign
Members of FoHS carefully mounting the sign as horizontally as possible
Mounting the sign
Members of FoHS carefully mounting the sign as horizontally as possible
Mounting the sign
Members of FoHS carefully mounting the sign as horizontally as possible
Mounting the sign
Members of FoHS carefully mounting the sign as horizontally as possible
Members of FoHS mounting the new running in board on the three sleepers
Members of FoHS carefully mounting a BR 1950s running-on board as horizontally as possible
The sign successfully mounted
Members of FoHS display the newly-mounted sign
Newly completed running-in board (aka the Connolly sign)
The sign having been fully mounted
Unveiling ceremony
Hugh Everett giving safety briefing before the ceremony
The new sign
Andrew Backhouse (Chair, FoHS) introducing the new sign
The new sign
Andrew Backhouse (Chair, FoHS) introducing the new sign
Unveiling ceremony
Brian Connolly addressing the unveiling ceremony
The new sign
Brian Connolly at the unveiling ceremony
The new sign
Barry Burkhill (Cheshire East mayor and FoHS member), Nancy Connolly, Brian Connolly and
The new sign - aka the "Connolly" running-in board
Brian Connolly with Cheshire East mayor (and FoHS member) Barry Burkhill
Unveiling ceremony
The unveiling ceremony on the Northbound platform
The unveiling ceremony (Nancy Connolly and her son Brian underneath the N and D respectively)
The plaque commemorating the loan of the sign