A plaque missing since 1998 has returned to Manchester Piccadilly station thanks to a retired train driver.
The Manchester & Birmingham Railway plaque was installed at the newly built Manchester Piccadilly station in the mid-1960s. It was a replica of the 1839 original.
The plaque was removed in 1998 during station upgrades, however it never reappeared when the work ended in 2002.
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Then in 2019, retired train driver Mel Thorley, 77, from Stockport, discovered the missing historical artifact for sale on eBay for £3,700.
Mel and his friend, retired British Transport Police (BTP) officer Dave Smith, put out a call which reached the ears of Lord Peter Hendy, then-chairman of Network Rail and current rail minister.
The plaque was then retrieved by BTP officers.
Following a restoration project, the plaque has now been reinstated in Manchester Piccadilly station, more than 25 years after its disappearance.
Passengers can see the plaque standing on platform 10.
Mr Thorley said: “I am so proud to see the plaque returned to where it should be inside the station. I couldn’t believe it when I spotted it for sale online but it’s great to see it back where it belongs.”
Phil James, Network Rail’s route director for the North West, said: “This is an incredible story that has been possible because of the hard work of our colleagues and Mel.
“It’s great to see the plaque returned to its rightful place and it shows how important the history of our stations is. Manchester Piccadilly is a vital transport hub for our passengers, and now they will see the plaque daily.”
