New blue plaque at Greater Manchester station honours railway historian and journalist

Paul Abell, who sadly passed away in 2021, was a member of the Friends of Glossop station group and was an integral part of the railway community. 

He was a key player in a project to install a heritage board on each station along the Glossop line, writing the information for Gorton and Ashburys himself, having grown up in the area.  

Paul was also editor of Today's Railways UK magazine and vice president of advocacy group Railfuture.  

Chris Jackson, regional director at Northern said: “This plaque is a wonderful memorial to Paul, who was an important member of our community and is a reminder of his passion for the heritage and history of the railway.” 

The installation of the blue plaque was organised by Neil Williams from Friends of Glossop station and funded by the group as well as other community partners.  

Northern has also published a map showing the locations of the other historical sites across its 470-station network – perfect for passengers looking to explore more of the train operator’s network in the new year.  

Often hidden in plain sight among the hustle and bustle of the station environment, some blue plaques celebrate railway heritage while others commemorate historical figures and unsung heroes – and there is even one honouring a fictional sleuth.  

The blue plaque scheme originated in London in 1866 and has since gone on to inspire blue commemorative plaques up and down the country. 

Northern’s new timetable came into effect in December, and they are advising customers to use the new ‘Check My Timetable’ feature on its website to see the changes specific to their local station.   

Northern is the second largest train operator in the UK, with nearly 2,500 services a day to more than 500 stations across the North of England.