Following an unusually mild winter Bunty and Chris Harris decided to change all the flower boxes to cheerful spring displays on Friday! Several hours of hard work have resulted in a very cheering atmosphere at the station! Neil then helped Bunty to create Spring displays in the baskets under the Canopy. These now overflow with daffodils and tulips!!
  The embankment Garden is a mass of colour too - the primulas are outstanding! Bulbs just coming into flower. Many many passengers are passing on their appreciation! Some took the time to chat with us as we did the work. One or two have offered to help which would be great! Eric also gave time to creating the new Art display. Bunty and Neil left the station early afternoon to then hear questions they had asked in a January recording of the popular Radio 4 Programme, Gardeners' Question Time, being transmitted! They are still smiling!!

 On Thursday 6th March Neil took part in a workshop at the Manchester Convention Centre as part of the 4 day ICUH Manchester International Health Conference.THE conference had been organised by Glossop's own Dr Richard Fitton. It sought to address health issues such as rising obesity, diabetes as well as looking at what makes people heathy. Neil was invited to speak about the work FOGS within the community of Glossop along with David Jones, Editor of the Glossop Chronicle. It was a most interesting session! Neil would like to thank Chris Strogen for supplying excellent images of FOGS' many successful projects and events. Neil stressed the importance of collaborative working within a community and emphasised the relationships that had built up with the Rail Industry, local councils and users of the station. David spoke of the Glossop Chronicle's role in reporting events within Glossop. FOGS has much to thank David for!
  These presentations were followed by Steve and Neil from Sunderland FC who spoke inspiringly about the Programme of Light, the outreach programme employing 153 people in training, workshops, health campaigns, children's visits....... in an area still considerably affected by economic adversity. These programmes reach out to people in need of them. The commitment and dedication to this work was impressive. FOGS would like to wish the Stadium of Light continued success with these many and varied schemes! Two other fans of football, one for Sunderland and one for Manchester United spoke of the health benefits of being passionate supporters!
   FOGS thanks Richard for this platform to speak and to share community experiences. A full report and photos should appear in the Glossop Chronicle!

 

  Leaving Glossop and FOGS for a new post in Northumberland is our own Emma Young! Emma has been a hugely valued and respected member of FOGS who has found her own niche within the group. This has focused on the much acclaimed Poetry Platform.  OVER the last few years Emma has created some truly outstanding and meticulously presented poetry displays which have given a lot of pleasure to passengers using Glossop station. Themes have include the weather, animals, romantic poets and the current display inspired by the Olympic Games - Poems about The Industrial Revolution.
  Emma was a given a plant and a personalised FOGS' card at our last meeting, created by Paul Marsh who added a very special touch with a rhyme of his own inside!!
  We hope to continue to the poetry displays and work is in hand for a display to commemorate the centenary of the First World War.
  FOGS'wishes Emma everysucceess in her new job and happiness in her new home



  

 On Friday 28thn February Penny and Neil attended a do in Manchester to say farewell to Dwayne Wells of Northern who has left to take up a position with First Buses. FOGS would like to thank Dwayne for all his support and interest in the projects carried out at the station in particular the displays in the Waiting Rooms.We wish Dwayne well in his new job and hope he will keep in touch. Dwayne was given a personalisdeFOGS'card created by Paul marsh

 FOGS would like to offer a warm welcome to Artists Doreen Bell and Norma Creed from Hadfield whose work is now on display in Glossop Station's Art Gallery. Both Doreen and Norma are long standing members of Glossop Art Society. Doreen enjoys painting in watercolour and flowers are a favourite topic. Norma, known to many people in Glossop for her work with children with special needs, paints a a hobby using watercolour, mixed media, acrylic and pastel. Doreen exhibits her paintings locally at Bradbury House and Hadfield Hall. We hope travellers enjoy their pictures!!
   The paintings can be purchased and Doreen can be contacted on 07906360903 and Norma at 01457854398.
    Our thanks to Northern Rail for their support of this Art Gallery.

 On Wednesday 5th February, Friday 7th February and Monday 10th February reception and Year One classes along with their teachers and parent helpers from the Duke of Norfolk Primary school visited Glossop Station for a little tour of the historic features followed by a train trip from Glossop to Hadfield and back. Neil met the teachers at the school and then walked with them to the station. Despite some dreadful weather forecasts all 3 visits took place in good condtions! The classes involved were those of Ms Wall. Miss Sweatmore and Miss Harvey. Keith at the station kindly explained his job to the childen with skill, humour and patience and Dave and Steve at the Booking office patiently offered up the correct number of platform tickets! This year's agreed souvenir! The children are working on transport project and it was hoped that these tickets would add a degree of authenticity! Ms Walls' class seranaded everybody at the station with a rendition of the Glossop station song!! Neil would especially like to thankk Liz Marsden, a star TA from the school who explained, using her local knowledge and background the significance of some of the historical pictures.Outside Neil regaled the history of the iconic lion and bell linking the building of Glossop station  by a former  Duke of Norfolk to the name of the children's school! The children agreed that were the Duke to visit in current times the bell should be rung again! Neil would also like to thank Ms Wall for her flexibility in changing the train trip to Dinting and back when a signalling fault prevented the train from going to Hadfield. A bit of unexpected excitement! Keith and Michelle the guard to the rescue with information! Michelle's patience at Dinting as children exited carefully over the gap between platform edge and train was also much appreciated. On the other trips the children were able to admire the mosaic murals on the walls at Hadfield station created by local Hadfield pupils in a project involving Friends of Hadfield station led by Joy Hallsworth and Glossop Ceramic Artist, Adrian Holt. Miss Harvey's class as they left the train at Glossop were treated to a special blowing of the horn by the train driver in their honour! They loved this! It is hoped some pictures of our trips will appear in the FOGS' display board at the station along with an article on the visits in the Glossop Chronicle. Neil and the School would like to say huge thanks to Northern's THEO McLAUCHLAN  - Glossop Line Manager - for giving his permission for these visits to take place and for arranging the train travel. For many of the children it was their first time on a train. We hope they will come back for more!!

 On Thursday 13th February six members of FOGS were kindly invited to visit the Alstom Train Care Centre at Longsight, Manchester. The visit had come about from Neil congratulating Alstom in a letter on winning a deserved Silver Spanner award in the annual Modern Railways' Competition for their improved reliability of the popular Class 323 trains - the electric units used on the Glossop line. Taking part were Penny, Eric, Chris, John K, John LeG and Neil. Chris Mennie, Commercial Manager for Alstom, had kindly arranged the visit and FOGS' personnel were much looking forward to an insight into the world of maintenance! A presentation was given by Chris along with Pete - Alstom
and Jeff from Northern. The history of the class was given from its inception in the 90's, one of the first products of rail privatisation. Accidents that had befallen the 17 strong fleet over the years were described along with the steps taken to restore them to full use. Graphs showing the increase in reliability especially following the recent C6 overhauls were presented. A real tribute to the hard work and dedication of the Alstom team who have looked after them all their lives to date! Following a question and answer session - John LeG in his element here! - Chris and Pete took us on an outside tour to view a 323 underging a C4 Overhaul and to have the extensive track and depot layout explained ie where the Pendolinos came in..... It was strange to see such a quiet 323 not at a platform! Again there were lots of opportunities to ask questions which Chris and Pete answered with skill and good humour! We all gained huge insights as to how these trains are maintained on a daily basis. Also evident the passon and pride in Chris and Pete as they explained what went on at Alstom. The visit, a first for FOGS was a real privilege and we thank Alstom and Chris, in particular, for allowing us to visit.

 Following a recent article in Paul Salveson's entertaining Salvo newsletter Neil got in touch with FOGS' good friend John Yellowlees,Scotrail's External Relations' Manager to find out more about the intriguing Conversations' project on the Fife Circle line. 22 posters have been created faturing imaginary conversations taking place between former famous local figures/folk lore and people of today. The results are highly imaginative, often very amusing and the designs unique to each location. For example at Aberdour St Fillan from the 8th Century seeks help from a local looking for the Church! The colourful posters are a delight! It is hoped to have all the posters on display at Inverkeithing station. An attractive booklet featuring all the posters and conversations can be bought from Scotrail for £5.00. FOGS congratulate Margaret Sangster, Sheena Beery and John Yellowlees on this inspired project. If you are in the area seek them out!!

 A new cafe is proposed for the old booking office at Glossop Station. A lease has been agreed by Network Rail and Northern and work to renovate the site will begin shortly. Images of the design can be found by accessing High Peak Borough Council's Planning application website. The cafe is likely to open in

A Happy New Year from FOGS! The year has got off to a good start with the renewal of our safety licence from Network Rail to continue our work on the Embankment. Our thanks to Mike Franklin, Russell Pike and Pete Gaskell for their help and support. We are also working closely with Northern to try and replace the two remaining boarded up windows at Glossop station. Theo gave us permission to remove one of the boards at the Christmas event so that he and the rest of us could ascertain exactly what work is required. Surprisingly the frames are in much better condition than we anticipated and with the prospect of a Railway Heritage Trust grant we are keen to move this project forward. Also in preparation, a new tourist map of Glossop for the station which is being designed by Val of Derbyshire County Council in Matlock. The design is interesting featuring some attractive hand drawn images of the town's best known features. Penny and Neil are to create the text for it in the coming weeks. The storyboard project for Glossop, Hadfield and Dinting stations is moving along too with significant help from Joy, Chair of Friends of Hadfield Station. And we are keeping up the pressure on Network Rail to renew the external railings which border the track and embankment which are now 101 years old and in a deteriorating condition. They are causing us some concern - not just from an aesthetic point of view and we are doing all we can to get these renewed. We are keeping a very close eye on TfGM's tram train proposals - see previous account Nov 2013 for our resistance to these. We are looking forward to seeing the new booking office open at Guide Bridge in the Spring and it is pleasing to witness the renaissance going on here! And of course associated work for electrification of the route Guide Bridge to Stalybridge and Victoria to Stalybridge. Parsons Brinckerhoff consultancy has been awarded the design engineering contract for the first phase of the North Trans Pennine Manchester to Leeds electrification work. This includes a resilience study of the Glossop Line route between Ashburys and Newton. Plenty going on!!