An important place in Methodism

NANTWICH Methodist Church holds an important place in Methodism. Apart from being the last Methodist Church in town, its former Minister, the Rev Malcolm G. Lorimer, was the Superintendent of the Cheshire South Circuit of the Chester and Stoke-on-Trent District of the Methodist Church.

   The Hospital Street church is one of 37 in the Cheshire South Methodist Circuit.

Above: The main hall at the Methodist Centre all set for a service.

Right: The Hospital Street aspect of the centre, formerly the schoolrooms

One-third scale engine pulls the carriages

WITHOUT meaning to diminish the importance of the church centre, let's take a look at something for which the building has become known in recent years - a scale-model narrow gauge railway in the church grounds.

   The Methodist congregation now revels in the title "The Church with the Train". So much so that the name is part

of a notice on the fencing between the church and the adjoining supermarket.

   When the church centre acquired the title, it was decided that they should have their own engine and carriages. Before then, the train was one belonging to  Paul Durant.

   A new engine was purchased, powered by two 12-volt batteries, with the engine driver controlling the speed with a small hand switch.   But that was superseded in the

summer of 2013 by another train owned by Paul - a

one-third scale model of  a train made by Kerr Stuart in Stoke-on-Trent.

   The name plate on the side of the new engine was placed there with much pride by Paul. The engine is

named H.G.Pattman after his grandfather. The engine is

Paul Durant with church member, Chelsea.

Donations help charities

THERE is no charge for children to ride on the train but donations are appreciated.

   In the last 10 years, these have amounted to £15,699 for Action for Children, Hope House, Under the Mango Tree, and Railway Children. 

Train driver, the late Diana Clementson, all set to take a young passenger on a trip with the new steam, engine, named after Paul Durant's grandfather, Mr H.G.Pattman.

 powered by anthracite beads, which looks like lumps of small-scale coal, bought from a Stoke-on-Trent source.

   The free-rides railway "service" which provides fun for children of all ages - that is, adults can ride too! - began in 2007. It runs most Saturday mornings while the church centre is open for "Drop 'n' Shop" - a facility which allows parents to drop their children off for supervised activities while they go shopping.

   The train runs all year round, except for the odd week when there is snow on the line. A number of changes have taken place with regard to the train project over the years - with an ambitious one that, sadly, didn't happen.

The "station's" name on a safety barrier.

"Drop 'n' Shop" is the monthly Saturday morning facility for parents to leave their children in good hands while they go shoping.

 See what's_on-churches.htm for more details.

Group hits target - and more

A GROUP of church members, under the name of Friends of Nantwich Signal Box, launched an appeal to raise £5,000 to enable them to buy a new coach for the train which would be able to carry a wheelchair.

   In fact, they raised more than they needed and now  the excess will be shared between:

o Contingency for the project to protect against price

   fluctuations;

o Maintenace of the railway track and rolling stock;

oThe construction of a replica signal box -(the work on

   which has begun in the area where there will be an

   extention of the track); and

o Methodist Church funds.

   https://www.spacehive.com/

nantwichminiaturerailwaygroup

and what's_on-churches.htm

Volunteer train driver, John Walkington, brings the previous engine to a halt, with Paul Durant looking on in the background.