Station mural for Olympic hero from Tameside

With support from Northern, the artwork was commissioned by the South East Manchester Community Rail Partnership, in collaboration with Hill’s family and local partners.

Hill put Hyde on the world map with his running achievements. He won gold medals in the marathon at the 1969 European Championships in Athens and the 1970 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh.

He also founded his own running clothing brand in Hyde in 1970, the headquarters of which remains in the town to this day.

Since his death in 2021 at the age of 82, there has been a strong local desire to pay tribute in the form of a mural or statue.

Artist, Lionel Stanhope, has also created murals for a number of stations in south London and his style of work was particularly suited to the space, with many of his murals being painted directly onto brickwork in his distinctive railway heritage style.

Cllr Peter Robinson, vice chair of South East Manchester Community Rail Partnership, said, “I found it fascinating watching the artists, Lionel Stanhope and his daughter Ruby, working on the Hyde Central mural. From laying the base coat, the mapping out of where the lettering was going, it looked more like a scientific experiment to the actual painting.

“I was very pleased that Steve Hill, Ron's son, came along and spent time speaking with Lionel. I have had such positive feedback on the finished mural which is the largest in Greater Manchester”.

Craig Harrop, regional director for Northern, said: “This fantastic mural is a fitting tribute to a man who will always be remembered as a local hero in Hyde. We’re proud to work closely with partners such as South East Manchester Community Rail Partnership, who are committed to improving stations for our customers.”

Hyde Central station is adopted by a group of volunteers, the Hyde Loop group, which has supported the project. The group has also installed artworks on the platforms and carries out regular litter picks. They also hope to add planters to the station approach and create a community space within the station building.

If you are interested in getting involved with the work on the Hyde Loop group which supports Hyde North, Hyde Central and Woodley stations, please email: friendsofhydeloop@gmail.com.

The South East Manchester Community Rail Partnership works across 30 stations supporting station volunteer groups and working with the train operators to promote rail travel. For more information, visit: semcorp.org.uk.

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.