As part of various events held to commemorate Railway 200, the Friends of Cheadle Hulme Station (FoCHS) have unveiled a fantastic wooden train in a park close to the station.
Oak Meadow Park, which is near to Cheadle Hulme Station and a location for many community events, is the chosen location for the commemorative wooden train carved by a local chainsaw artist.
Catriona O’Brien of the FoCHS Group explained that the train “was an idea from early last year [2025] as we wanted to enhance the park and create something that would have longevity to commemorate the 200-year anniversary of the railway.”
The railway is vital for Cheadle Hulme, she continued: “The town wouldn’t have developed if it wasn’t for the railway junction and it is still a big reason people want to live here.”
In addition to commissioning the artwork, the Group also had a Railway 200 theme for their annual September BBQ in 2025, which was held in another park close to the station, Hesketh Park.
The wooden train was funded with contributions from CrossCountry, Northern and Crewe to Manchester Community Rail Partnership (that’s us!). It was placed in the park during the summer of 2026 and has quickly proved popular with the local community, especially the youngsters who enjoy climbing all over it!
Mike Burgess was the chainsaw artist who created the train for the FoCHS Group. He hails from a family of wood carvers and sources the wood for his creations from local tree surgeons. Find out more information about his work on his website: Mike Burgess – Chainsaw Artist