North England Mayfield Station, Manchester. Legal Urbex!!!

mickledore

mickledore

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A few of us (sorry can't remember who - old age!) were talking about trying to get inside this station. It is a big deserted railway station in the middle of Manchester. The Urbex boys have been in, but we couldn't see how we could. Lots of new and high fences. The place is used a lot for film and TV work. Prime Suspect etc. were filmed in here.
There are some tours now arranged. OK you have to pay, but it's only £10. Got to be worth it.

Anyone up for it? These tours seem popular so if we are to get a meet up we'll have to move soon.
I'll be going, deffo. I've booked for Saturday 3 March at 10.30AM. Anyone else?

https://www.jonathanschofieldtours.com/exclusive-mayfield-station-tours.html
 
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Will keep an eye on this Frank, looks interesting although not much info on numbers and timings there. Hope your keeping well.
 
Hi Paul. Yes, keeping well. You OK?
I've booked as above. I've no idea how long it will take, but I assume 2 hours max. We've been round the outside but have no idea what is inside. Architecturally intriguing.

The urbex shots I've seen just seem to show deserted platforms and empty offices. It's a long way for you to come but you are more than welcome to join however many can get their passes stamped!

I'll be on the train with a cheap day return so will go home when I've had enough. Will have to work out some sort of plan for the afternoon.
 
@mickledore

Booked the same date as you, and subscribed to the newsletter.

The Museum of Science and Industry is only 5 minutes walk from Piccadilly station so it may be a good filler for the day.
 
@ChrisH Have you ever been to either the Transport Museum or the Jewish Museum? Both are close together and look worth a visit.
 
@mickledore

Done a bit of looking and I'm definitely up for the Motor museum. I never even knew it was there.

I'm going to take my car to Manchester and park it in that cheapo carpark next to Piccadilly station so we'll just jump in it and scoot up to the Motor Museum, it's only 2 miles from the town centre but I'm getting lazy.

The Jewish museum might be for another day :D
 
No probs @Chris H.
Just as long as you run me back to Piccadilly for my train!

Jewish Museum looks all set for a weekday; just need to find something else to go with it.
 
You're more than welcome to join us.
I'm not sure how even the most dedicated Urbex boys would get in now. At least not without risking life and limb on a walkway that looks ready to fall off any time now.
£10 would seem a small price to pay to see tomorrow!
 
There's some pretty good looking tours on that list in the Manchester area. Some real photographic opportunities.

Apologies for jumping on this thread, but does anyone know of similar 'experiences' in London or South East?
 
mickledore said:
You're more than welcome to join us.
I'm not sure how even the most dedicated Urbex boys would get in now. At least not without risking life and limb on a walkway that looks ready to fall off any time now.
£10 would seem a small price to pay to see tomorrow!
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There’s almost always a way in, it depends on your athleticism and where your risk threshold is. There were some rather good climbers in the urbex scene as well as a few who were prepared to use some, shall we say,
‘unorthodox methods of entry’. Not me though!

Anyway I’ve booked in on the 3rd March, not sure if the trains are running from Chorley that day, might have to drive which would be annoying.
 
Yes. We found a couple of ways in. One needed a 20 foot ladder and the other was across the walkway. Like you, we are too old for that stuff!!!
 
Just a quick question - the first shot on the tour website page - the large space with columns running down - is that accessible for vehicles?
 
kman said:
Just a quick question - the first shot on the tour website page - the large space with columns running down - is that accessible for vehicles?
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I'm not sure how we can answer that. Why not ask the organiser? He'll have been before and as has been stated we have never been inside.
 
Follow up.....I suspect you are wanting it for a car shoot. In that case I can answer your question. No!
 
Ah thats a shame. Maybe can get still shoot for some backplates though
 
Who on earth are the " Urbex boys"? are they a pop group? never heard of them.
 
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realspeed said:
Who on earth are the " Urbex boys"? are they a pop group? never heard of them.
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They are a virtual group managed by Simon Cowell. You will hear a lot about them and you can see what they do but you will never get invited to one of their gigs.

Only the "in" crowd gets an invite but unfortunately you are one of the "out" crowd.
 
viewfromthenorth said:
Anyway I’ve booked in on the 3rd March, not sure if the trains are running from Chorley that day, might have to drive which would be annoying.
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@viewfromthenorth the pinko Corbyn supporting Union wreckers on Northern Rail are on strike on 3 March. Presumably You will be caught in that, as am I. They are running a limited service so i might be able to travel, otherwise it's a journey into Manchester by car. That strikes terror into me!
Anyone else caught up in this politically motivated strike?
 
mickledore said:
@viewfromthenorth the pinko Corbyn supporting Union wreckers on Northern Rail are on strike on 3 March. Presumably You will be caught in that, as am I. They are running a limited service so i might be able to travel, otherwise it's a journey into Manchester by car. That strikes terror into me!
Anyone else caught up in this politically motivated strike?
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FFS, that just complicates things even more. I was already faced with either driving up to Leyland, getting a train and then swapping at Wigan only to arrive an hour earlier, or a rail replacement bus service. Quite frankly I'd rather insert rusty nails into my eyes, slowly, than the latter option.

Car it is then :grumpy:
 
I've just been talking to @ChrisH If I can't use the limited service (as and when the timetables come out) he's said I can drive to him and he'll drive in as he knows the area. Might be worth asking him???
 
Folks if you can arrange a chain of driving I live near Manchester airport and I'm willing to sort out 3 people meeting up at my gaff in Wythenshawe and then I'll drive into town. As @mickledore can tell you I know Manchester well as its my engineering patch.
I know of a dirt cheap car park very close to the venue near Piccadily station do only a few minutes walk.
 
Grub do events at Mayfield in the summer so you’ll have to wait till then to get in for free. It was on all summer of 2017.

http://www.grubmcr.com/images/

They do have an archway up the road on temperance street which is worth a look. They relocated due to weather.

You can park for free on Temperance Street if you don’t mind being propositioned by the local prostitutes.
 
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But this isn't an event. This is a tour/photoshoot.

The prostitutes couldn't afford me!!!
 
mickledore said:
But this isn't an event. This is a tour/photoshoot.

The prostitutes couldn't afford me!!!
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Haha,

Yeah I just meant it has been opened in the past for events, so if no one can make it this time round it’ll be open to the public this summer too.

There’s the old London road fire station too, not sure if you can get in there.
Also The Principle is an amazing building and well worth a look inside. There’s a small courtyard there in the Refuge bar.
 
Peach said:
There’s the old London road fire station too, not sure if you can get in.
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You are a bit (12 months) behind the times. We were looking at the Fire Station but missed out and now it's being redeveloped so no chance any more.
 
mickledore said:
You are a bit (12 months) behind the times. We were looking at the Fire Station but missed out and now it's being redeveloped so no chance any more.
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Ah, I did the food at a festival in there last year, didn't find a fireman's pole though. Turned into an ice rink the christmas before last too.

Sounds gross but I'd like to go down the sewers, is someone still doing those tours?
 
ChrisH said:
Folks if you can arrange a chain of driving I live near Manchester airport and I'm willing to sort out 3 people meeting up at my gaff in Wythenshawe and then I'll drive into town. As @mickledore can tell you I know Manchester well as its my engineering patch.
I know of a dirt cheap car park very close to the venue near Piccadily station do only a few minutes walk.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the offer, I’m coming from the north, so Wythenshawe is somewhat out of the way for me. I’d be interested in the location of that car park though?
 
I can't find out what the reduced train timetables are until Monday at least. I may be able to travel by train.

If not it's a car journey. Here's an offer if I have to drive in @viewfromthenorth ....I could drive in down M58, it's not much further than M57. Then it's only 5 mins or so up the M6 to Charnock services. If you are happy to leave your car on the bridge, as many do Mon - Fri, I'll use the access road and pick you up. That way there's just one car journey etc. If you are interested and my trains don't work then that's an option.

Also, I'm a member of the Branch Line Society. It is a society dedicated to all things tied in with railways. Some of it is a bit arcane and some of it is interesting, but their latest newsletter has a report of a trip round the station. Looks good. I'm asking for pemission to reproduce/link to the article. Let's see if they let me.
 
OK Here are copies of the newsletter of the Branch line Society with a report of a recent trip into the station.
Apologies for the poor quality - the newsletter comes through in a way that is almost impossible to copy. I've had to be creative.
For the snowflakes on here - don't worry, I have permission to publish these.
For those who are interested in all things railway here is a link to the society. You might find something interesting - it covers the whole country, and more. £12 per annum is soon recouped on just one trip top a normally inaccessible location
https://www.branchline.uk/home.php
may1.JPG May2.JPG may3.JPG may4.JPG may5.JPG
 
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Yes,

Been on one of Jonathon Schofields Tours of this place recently. You are not able to access everything as some parts are fire damaged and fenced off, but you can get to see most of the huge undercroft. Get on one of these tours quick. They are selling out and then the redevelopment of 1200 homes, offices, hotel, Park, etc will start in earnest and this will change forever.
 
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Just found some strike timetables. Looks like Northern Rail are not running to Manchester from over here at all. East Midland Trains are unaffected and are running from Lime Street. I can get there on the reduced Merseyrail timetable, I'll just have to have two cups of coffee while waiting. £8.85 return seems too good to pass up.
 
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