Celebrating Heritage, Community and Sustainable Travel
North Cheshire Community Rail Partnership and the Daniel Adamson Preservation Society joined forces in July to deliver two inspiring days of activities across Ellesmere Port. Together, they celebrated local heritage, encouraged sustainable travel and strengthened community connections.
Held on 13 and 14 July 2026, Discovery Days welcomed community groups, volunteers, railway partners and local organisations. Activities took place at Ellesmere Port Railway Station and aboard the historic steam ship Daniel Adamson (the Danny), moored alongside the National Waterways Museum.
The programme showed how collaboration can create lasting benefits for local communities. At the same time, it brought North Cheshire Community Rail Partnership’s vision of Everyone Proud of Our Railways to life. Through volunteering, education, heritage and sustainable travel, Discovery Days demonstrated that the railway can make a positive difference far beyond the station platform.
A Partnership for the Community
North Cheshire Community Rail Partnership worked closely with the Daniel Adamson Preservation Society, Merseyrail, Cheshire West and Chester Council, Community Rail Network, the National Waterways Museum, volunteers and many other organisations to deliver Discovery Days.
The celebrations began with a special cruise aboard the Danny from Sutton Weaver to Ellesmere Port. Invited guests included the Mayor and Mayoress of Ellesmere Port, Councillor John Stockton and Beverley Stockton, together with Cheshire West and Chester councillors Lisa Denson and Lucy Sumner.
Following the first full day of activities, the Mayor and Mayoress hosted a Civic Reception. The reception recognised the contribution of volunteers, partners and organisations who helped make Discovery Days a success. It also celebrated the value of working together to support local communities.
Stations in Their Place
Creating welcoming stations that reflect the communities they serve is one of the Partnership’s four strategic themes. Discovery Days demonstrated this by transforming Ellesmere Port Railway Station into a vibrant community space.
Visitors enjoyed a variety of creative activities throughout the event. They designed colourful discs that captured what Ellesmere Port means to them and coloured pictures of the Danny and the railway station. As a result, the station became a place where people could meet, learn and spend time together.
Discovery Days also built on the launch of the Friends of Ellesmere Port Station volunteer group. Their growing involvement reflects the Partnership’s ambition to create stations that are welcoming, vibrant and closely connected to local communities.
Affordable Access and Promotion
Discovery Days encouraged people to discover the benefits of travelling by rail. It also helped build confidence in using public transport.
Students from Archers Brook School travelled by train from Ellesmere Port to Port Sunlight with North Cheshire Community Rail Partnership volunteers and Merseyrail colleagues. They then explored the Port Sunlight Museum and discovered more about one of the region’s best-known heritage destinations.
On the second day, another group travelled to Liverpool. There, Merseyrail staff introduced them to the wide range of careers available across the railway. Visitors also enjoyed a behind-the-scenes tour of Liverpool Central station.
These experiences showed how affordable and accessible rail travel can connect people with education, employment, culture and leisure. Furthermore, they encouraged more sustainable travel choices while highlighting the wider value of the railway.
Health, Well-being and Inclusion
Community rail is about people as much as trains. Therefore, Discovery Days placed wellbeing and inclusion at the centre of its programme.
A community wellbeing walk linked the Civic Hall, Ellesmere Port Railway Station and the Danny using the canal towpath. Along the route, participants enjoyed active travel while discovering the area’s rich railway and waterways heritage.
Before the Danny departed for Sutton Weaver, volunteers welcomed veterans, Sea Cadets and participants from the wellbeing walk aboard for refreshments and conversation.
Across both days, creative activities encouraged people of all ages and backgrounds to get involved. Participants built confidence, made new connections and enjoyed shared experiences in welcoming community spaces. Consequently, the programme demonstrated how community rail can improve wellbeing while reducing social isolation.
Research, Education and Heritage
Discovery Days celebrated Ellesmere Port’s rich industrial heritage while inspiring future generations.
Young visitors explored the Danny with volunteer guides. Along the way, they discovered the remarkable story of the 1903 steam ship and its continuing importance today. Moored alongside the National Waterways Museum, the vessel provided the perfect setting to explore how railways and waterways helped shape Ellesmere Port.
Education also played an important role throughout the programme. Students travelled by rail to Liverpool to learn about careers with Merseyrail. Meanwhile, visits to Port Sunlight demonstrated how rail travel can connect people with local history, culture and learning opportunities.
Together, these activities reflected the Partnership’s commitment to inspiring learning, preserving railway stories and encouraging young people to explore future education and career opportunities.
Looking Ahead
Discovery Days was far more than a two-day event. Instead, it demonstrated how community rail can bring together organisations, volunteers and local communities to create lasting social value.
The success of the programme will help shape future projects that encourage sustainable travel, celebrate local heritage, support wellbeing and create more volunteering opportunities across the North Cheshire Community Rail Partnership area.
As the Partnership continues to work with communities and partners, Discovery Days provides an excellent example of what collaboration can achieve. It shows how shared ambition can strengthen communities, celebrate heritage and inspire future opportunities.
Together, we are helping create stations that communities value, opening new opportunities through rail, preserving local heritage and ensuring that more people can be Everyone Proud of Our Railways.
