BITTERSWEET farewells will be replicated on the platform of Northwich railway station this Saturday in a theatrical and musical commemoration.

Over By Christmas will be performed at 10.30am on Saturday in a free event.

The choral commemoration features the words and songs of the First World War and captures the spirit of optimism and patriotism of soldiers leaving for the front 100 years ago.

A community choir of ‘soldiers’, ‘nurses’ and their loved ones will recreate the departure accompanied by live musicians.

Sally Buttifant, Mid Cheshire Community Rail Partnership officer, said: "It is putting the spotlight on stations as the places from where the soldiers departed 100 years ago – stations then and now, places where lives are changed and journeys begin and end."

Over By Christmas will also be performed at Plumley Station at 11.40am on Saturday.

Sally said: "It has been a really exciting project bringing together Arriva, Merseyrail, Virgin, Northern Rail, Station Friends and volunteers, rail user groups, the community and Theatre In The Quarter.

"We believe that it is leading the way in terms of the railway and remembering the First World War."

John Hulme, vice chairman of Mid Cheshire Rail Users Association, said within two weeks of war being declared 670 trains throughout the country carried 118,000 men, 37,650 horse, 314 large guns and 1,800 bicycles along with thousands of tons of baggage to Southampton to board ships to continental Europe.

"Stations like Northwich and Plumley in those days would have had porters to carry baggage, clerks in the booking office, ticket collectors, signalmen and a station master," he said.

"Many of those railwaymen, along with many other men, went to war departing from their local railway station and never returned.

"In 1916, Captain E Dickson was Commanding Officer at the Drill Hall in Darwin Street, Castle, and one can imagine those leaving for war marching down Castle Hill and onto the station to be greeted by John Griffiths, the stationmaster."

He said women volunteered at the stations, running canteens to offer tea and buns to departing and returning soldiers.

John said: "Many waved their sons, boyfriends and husbands off under the illusion that the hostilities would be over by christmas.” For more information visit theatreinthequarter.co.uk