real time web analytics
Report - - All in one Garden Centre & Miniture Railway - Allostock - July 2021 | Other Sites | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - All in one Garden Centre & Miniture Railway - Allostock - July 2021

Hide this ad by donating or subscribing !

Wally_urbex

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
History

All-In-One bought the 7 acre Hills Garden Centre in April 2011. The site is located in Allostock, just south of Knutsford and was well known for its miniature railway.


The Family run business closed its doors to the public on Sunday, July 31 2016 after it became financially ‘unviable’ due to a drop in footfall.

Jason Stafford, chairman of All-In-One, which also has a store in Middleton told the Guardian that he is ‘desperately disappointed’ about the closure.
“It didn’t make any money,” he said. “A retail business in a rural location always struggles to get the footfall. Unfortunately there wasn’t enough regular visitors to make it viable.

“It was struggling for the last two or three years. The losses were unsustainable.”

There were not enough people supporting local business and too many supporting Google and Ebay. Retailers cannot be show rooms for Amazon and others to sell online.”


The Explore


Usually Garden centres wouldnt intrest me in the slightest whether they be derelict or not but this place i'd wanted to see for a while because it had the nice little added feature of a miniture railway.
It seems to be holding up rather nicely, but of course after looking back over older reports it seems things have gone missing but nothing had been extremely vandalised and nature seems to be reclaiming most of the site.
Of course it wouldnt be a garden centre without a santas grotto which was also nice but sadly some evildoer has decided to smash up santa and his reindeers!









927246


927247


927248


927249


927250


927251


927252


927253


927260


927261


927262


927263


927264


927265


927266


927267


927268


927269


927270


927273


927274


927275


927276
 

westernsultan

Banned
Banned
Nice pictures and as the miniature railway particularly interests me here's my comment from an earlier report

The construction of Allostock Miniature Railway at All-In-One Garden Centre Knutsford, began in 2002 and was built by miniature railway enthusiast Chris Halsall.
Initially, a short circuit of approximately 300 yards was laid and work commenced on the engine and carriage sheds, tunnel and turntable. Shortly afterwards came the addition of the station house (named Allostock Junction), platform canopy and signal box. It wasn't until 2005 that the track was extended to a third of a mile, running all around the plant area in a second loop.
In 2009, Allostock Junction Railway Station was awarded the title of 'Cheshire's Best Garden Railway Station'.
Another miniature railway lost for good - The gauge was 7.25 in.
 

Wally_urbex

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Nice pictures and as the miniature railway particularly interests me here's my comment from an earlier report

The construction of Allostock Miniature Railway at All-In-One Garden Centre Knutsford, began in 2002 and was built by miniature railway enthusiast Chris Halsall.
Initially, a short circuit of approximately 300 yards was laid and work commenced on the engine and carriage sheds, tunnel and turntable. Shortly afterwards came the addition of the station house (named Allostock Junction), platform canopy and signal box. It wasn't until 2005 that the track was extended to a third of a mile, running all around the plant area in a second loop.
In 2009, Allostock Junction Railway Station was awarded the title of 'Cheshire's Best Garden Railway Station'.
Another miniature railway lost for good - The gauge was 7.25 in.
It's a shame they couldn't keep the mini railway running really. No doubt ital all be ripped up for houses
 

Wally_urbex

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Really nicely done. I always fancied seeing this just for the miniature railway.
Cheers mate. Yea it's definitely worth a visit for the mini railway. Nice easy relaxed place to wonder around. Few cameras around the main building but I just gave them a wave lol
 
Top