Manchester Mayfield Railway Station, July 2012

Manchester Mayfield Railway Station, July 2012

Introduction:

I'm not entirely sure where to begin with this one, what a truely fantastic explore this was. I suppose I should start off by explaining how this one came about firstly, it certainly wasn't planned! I had decided to head to Crewe for the day with my old mate Dale, we had decided to go as it was the Direct Rail Services open day at Crewe Gresty Bridge Depot. I've always had a lot of love for all things railway, been an engine enthusiast I guess it's only natural that I would, listening to those big powerful English Electric and Sulzer Engines powering up... So my plan for the day was to hit Gresty Bridge and Basford Hall as permission visits, then whislt Dale was doing a bit of spotting on Crewe Station (Not really my bag sitting on a station with a camera) I'd hit the semi abandoned Crewe DMD. This was all well and good, and everything went according to plan, until we arrived at Manchester Piccadilly for our connection back to Leeds... Deylays, of up to 3 hours.

Fantastic, so what to do in Manchester for 3 hours? Dale was fine, he pulled out his camera and began marching up and down platforms photographing passenger trains, me? Well, I went outside in search of the nearest KFC, I was starving! As I wondered out of Piccadilly Station, I basically bumped into Mayfield Station, at the time I was aware of Mayfield but I'd completly forgotton about it and it took a few seconds to register that the building in front of me was THE legendary ghost station I'd read so much about. Bingo, I immediatly knew exactly how my next couple of hours would be spent! I skirted around the building looking for an access point, it wasn't looking good to start with, a river rus around the rear of the property, and I didn't fancy attempting a jump across, the windows where all boarded up and razor wire skirted the tops of the walls all around the property. I could see a potential way in though, it did however include climbing up a 15 foot wall in full view of the network rail offices running up a ramp and diving over a set of palisade fencing... I waited for about 20 minutes, reassuring myself that I could do this, trying to calm myself down, I was desperate to get inside and nothing was going to stop me. Finally when the coast looked clear I threw myself at the wall and began climbing as fast as I could, when I got to the top I threw myself over and ducked down for a few seconds to get my breath back before peering back over. It seemed as though I'd gotten away with it, somehow! Now all I had to do was crawl up the ramp and jump the fence, then I'd have the entire station to myself! Sorted, within a few seconds, I was in!

Approaching the old trainshed through the jungle of budlia and ferns I could sense an immense feeling of excitement, I felt like a giddy school kid once again, a whole life sized railway station to play with, all to myself! Once inside it felt exactly as if the last train had only just rolled out a couple of hours earlier, don't get me wrong the building was decaying, but the smell of oil was still prominent and although the rails had been removed, the place still felt very much as I imagine it would have when open. It felt easy to picture an old steamer simmering away on the blocks and I could imagine how lively the place must have been with passengers scurrying around running for their trains etc. What an amazing building I found myself in, I couldn't beleive my luck! Having the interest I have in railways just made the whole experience a little more magic for me! After exploring the platform areas I decided I'd have a little wander down below the station, to where all the old offices and warehousing would have been, sadly without a torch or tripod I didn't get very far, but the atmosphere down here was interesting to say the least. Water was dripping down from the platforms above and showing down on the floors below, fungus appeared to be growing out of the woodwork and the smell of damp and rotting was horrendous. Having left the underneath of the station I fnished off shooting on the platforms, gave a call Dale a cheeky wave from the top window of the station, before heading back down the way I'd came to get back for our train back to Leeds which was now in the platform waiting. I remember scrambing down the wall and landing in front of a few old women on the way out, who seemed far from imppresed by my antics, which was I have to say, rather amusing! The end to a perfect day, Crewe depot's complete, both open and derelict and Mayfeild Station, appearing totally out of the blue!

Pictures:

Upon leaving Piccadilly you're pretty much immediatly faced with Mayfield...

The ramp! A quick shot at the bottom before scurrying up the wall I had to climb to the left, 15+ foot drop on the otherside!

Once I'd gotten past the rest of the obsticles unseen, I had to find my way throught the brush to the get into the trainshed, here's my first glimpse of the entrance to the station!

Once inside I got the chance to witness that impressive roof all to myself...

The buffer Stops too, they looked like they belong on a battleship, they just don't make stuff like this anymore...

Moving further into the building, and down the subway to the offices below... Really wish I'd brought the tools to explore further but with no tripod or torch that just wasn't going to happen...

There where still public notices down here too, although they had been placed for the filming of the 90's post apocalyptic TV series 'the last train'.