Tameside Tracks at Stalybridge

The West Hill Tameside Tracks group had a fantastic day last Thursday as they hosted the Tameside Tracks Community Day at Stalybridge Train Station!

Tameside Tracks is a brilliant social action project driven by a passionate group of West Hill School students. Since May, they’ve been working with PIE and bursting with ideas on how to brighten up Stalybridge Train Station and make a real difference in their community. The project gave young people the chance to develop new skills, take the lead, and create improvements that will be enjoyed by everyone who uses the station. They took part in the exciting Try the Trains initiative, getting a behind-the-scenes tour from TransPennine Express staff and discovering how stations and trains really work. They even hopped on a train to Manchester Piccadilly to experience the journey from a passenger’s perspective! 

The students have been busy transforming their station and giving back to their community! They built brilliant bug hotels with their D&T teacher, Mr Wilson, brightened up the planters on Platforms 4 and 5 with inspiring designs, and created a confidence-boosting video for young people using the station. And of course — they’re the ones who planned and organised the fantastic Community Day! 

For the Community Day, the group got into the Christmas spirit and were eager to give back to the Stalybridge community. They handed out free teas, coffees and cookies baked by students from West Hill, along with handmade keyrings featuring positive messages and plenty of chocolate treats. Throughout the day, the group spoke with passengers about everything they have achieved through Tameside Tracks and proudly showcased their work. They also collected generous donations for Willow Wood Hospice. It was a brilliant day of brightening people’s journeys, spreading kindness, and celebrating the impact of the Tameside Tracks project. The group have worked brilliantly as a team, developing their leadership, communication and project management skills throughout the project. Their achievements clearly show the effort and pride they have put into their work. It has been a pleasure to work with them and the staff from West Hill.

A huge thank you to Transpennine Route Upgrade for making this project possible.