FITNESS EVENTS FOR EVERYONE
THE STORY OF RAINHILL
Rainhill was born inside the walls of TRAIN Manchester, one of the longest-established CrossFit affiliates in the UK and a place built on community, graft, and a shared love of fitness.
Back then, we had a big space and an even bigger appetite for bringing people together. After running a few friendly throwdowns with other CrossFit gyms, it became clear there was a huge hunger within the community for competitive workouts - not just to test fitness, but to connect people. These early events brought current members, new friends, and neighbouring gyms together, all bonded by the same fire.
We started small, hosting local throwdowns, and soon began experimenting with themes. War of the Roses pitted teams of 30 from Yorkshire against Lancashire. Masters at War invited mixed pairs over 40 to battle it out. The demand was enormous, far greater than even our large facility could handle.
At the same time, the fitness competition scene was evolving fast, but mainly for advanced and elite athletes. What was missing was a true community event - something for everyone, not just the top 1%. And that aligned perfectly with who we were at TRAIN.
TRAIN’s brand has always been grounded in the idea of Engine - steady, powerful, built to work. Rooted in Manchester, a Northern city forged in the grit and fire of the Industrial Revolution, TRAIN carried the spirit of a place that had once powered the world.
Manchester’s story isn’t just one of industry, but of toughness, humour, resilience - unmistakably Mancunian traits.
Even the name TRAIN was never accidental. It was a deliberate nod to Manchester’s industrial heritage. Our members embraced this identity, proudly calling themselves Iron Horses. Our original gym in Castlefield even carried a CrossFit affiliate name - Black Five, after the steam locomotive first manufactured in 1934.
And from this world - this blend of engines, iron horses, Manchester grit, and community spirit - the concept of a new fitness event was born: The Rainhill Trials.
A Name With History
The original Rainhill Trials were held in October 1829 by the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, designed to find the best locomotive engine for the new railway line. George Stephenson’s Rocket became legendary by completing the course and proving steam locomotives far superior to the horse-drawn or static alternatives.
Engineers John Urpeth Rastrick, Nicholas Wood, and Manchester cotton-spinner John Kennedy served as judges - names that would eventually become woven into our own competition structure.
The 1829 trials were about innovation and progress. The fitness version would be about inclusivity and opportunity.
Fitness for Everyone — A New Concept
From day one, creating a competition for all abilities was non-negotiable. We introduced four ability categories - Wood, Rastrick, Kennedy, Rocket - and required every athlete to complete seeding workouts in their own gym before the event.
These scores allowed us to split all athletes into four even divisions, ensuring everyone competed against others of similar ability. Every division earned its own podium - every division mattered.
The First Rainhill Trials
In 2012, we held the very first Rainhill Trials at Sportscity - a one-day event for 120 athletes. The response was electric. Immediately, we saw demand for more events, bigger venues, and more opportunities for the everyday athlete to experience the big-arena atmosphere.
Back then, almost every major arena event catered only to advanced athletes. Rainhill was one of the first to flip that script - proudly creating an arena experience for everyone, not just the top performers.
Growing Into a Movement
Over the years, Rainhill grew from that single day to a calendar of seven events a year, spanning individuals, pairs, teams, and masters competitions - many of which are now long-established fixtures in the UK fitness scene.
More than 100,000 athletes have stepped onto the Rainhill floor over the last 13 years - each of them bringing their own story, their own engine, and their own piece of the legacy.
Rainhill is now far more than an event.
It’s a community gathering. A proving ground.
A celebration of people from every background, every ability, showing up to test themselves - just like the engines at Rainhill did in 1829.
It started with Train Manchester. It became a movement. And the story is still being written.
COME BE A PART OF IT
