IT IS WITH SADNESS that Friends of Glossop Station learned of the death of Bryan Howard on May 8th in Lowestoft. Bryan was one of the 600 child evacuees who came to Glossop on June 2nd 1940 aged 7.
He was a stalwart on the reunion trips to Glossop. A real gentleman who so enjoyed seeing former homes and familiar places in Glossop and, in 2017, was part of the group from Lowestoft who unveiled the commemorative plaque at the station. (see the picture on the Lowestoft page).
Read a full tribute to Bryan here.

THE NEW POETRY PLATFORM display has been published today. Celebrating 'The Year of the English Coast' it acknowledges the opening this year of England's Coastal Path.
As well as verses to appreciate stunning coastlines it also features a poem by the celebrated poet, Dr John Cooper Clarke. Published on our display with the kind permission of the National Trust who commissioned the work to promote all that's special about the sea and its coastline. With the help of the Trust's supporters and the general public who also shared their own memories and love of the coast, it is a special poem by Dr Clarke for the nation and we thank the Trust for allowing its use on our Poetry Platform.
For more details on the National Trust please see their website

There is a new photographic display by FOGS' own John Kimpton in the Station Waiting Room Art Gallery!
John has put together some interesting images featuring primarily animals and plants taken around his home in Glossop. He has also featured some pictures of the steam engine he once owned (and its history) along with two photos of the Ferro Alloys' chimney being demolished. As a keen model railway owner John has also included some photos of his layout. All these photos will catch the eye!
John can be contacted on 01457 859128 and is happy to take further bookings from local artists and photographers for space in the Station Waiting Room Art Gallery.

 A defibrillator was installed on the front of the station by Northern in the week before Christmas. Unfortunately planning permission had not been obtained. Glossop Station as a Grade 2 Listed building is subject to strict conservation rules. High Peak Borough Council then became involved. Its Conservation Officer gave Northern two months temporary planning permission and then, after that expired, it had to be relocated. All parties involved, including FOGS, were willing to find a suitable alternative site. 
 Two days ago the defibrillator was taken down. Northern has now made the decision to donate it to High Peak Council for a suitable town centre position. This could be for example be one of the BT payphone boxes in Norfolk Square.
 We would like to thank County Councillor Jean Wharmby for her help with this issue and Gillian Bayliss Conservation Officer for High Peak Borough Council. And of course Becky Styles Community and Sustainability Manager at Northern for all her practical advice and assistance.

 We are pleased to announce that Northern has permitted voluntary work to resume subject to understandable restrictions. We have since Monday installed a new Community Art Display by John Kimpton in the Waiting Room. New updated posters have been ordered as has a new Poetry Platform Display. These should be in place by Easter. Arrangements also in hand to change indoor flower displays to reflect Spring!
 We are also pleased to announce that our Safety Case for working on the Embankment Garden in 2021 has been accepted by Network Rail. We have a new safety licence for Sunday gardening sessions. We thank John LeGrove for his meticulous work on this and the support received from Devon Wall and Russell Pike at Network Rail. Our first session, subject of course to restrictions, is planned for next month. 

 There are two new websites:

 For the High Peak and Hope Valley Community Rail Partnership visit
www.peakdistrictbytrain.org


 For information on the Glossop Line for travellers visit
facebook.com/theglossopline

Our Waiting Room Art Gallery has been a big hit with local artists and photographers since 2015. Over 30 displays have taken place and we are very happy to offer this space courtesy of Northern. THE DIARY FOR 2021 IS NOW OPEN! If you are interested in having a display please contact John Kimpton on 01457 859128 for more details and bookings. We will help with the putting up (and the taking down) of displays. There is no charge for displays. Work may be offered for sale at the discretion of Northern by direct contact with the artist. It is customary to put up a CV with contact details. Many artists have been delighted to receive messages from travellers using the station! We warmly welcome new artists/photographers in Glossop and area to get in touch. Those who have had previous displays are also very welcome to return!

 Since 18th January Northern has reduced train frequencies across its network in response to lower numbers of passengers travelling due to Lockdown restrictions. On the Glossop Line Monday to Saturday services to Manchester Piccadilly are every 30 minutes starting at 6.11 6.44 7.14 to 22.14 then last train at 22.45. PLEASE NOTE ALL TRAINS TRAVEL VIA HADFIELD. Journey times around 40 minutes. Return times are at 03 and 33 from Piccadilly. Last train leaves at 22.00. Again all trains travel via Hadfield.
 On SUNDAYS there is an hourly service from Glossop starting at 9.55 then 10.53 to last train at 21.51. Return times from Piccadilly are from 10.03 to 20.03. Last train at 21.01. Trains travel via Dinting in both directions.
 If travelling from DINTING STATION MONDAYS TO SATURDAYS PLEASE NOTE THAT TRAINS ARRIVE AND DEPART FROM PLATFORM ONE IN FRONT OF THE SIGNALBOX. 
 If you are travelling further afield check train times:
 northernrailway.co.uk/timetables
03457 48 49 50 for National Rail Enquiries

 On this first day of January may we wish everyone a Happy and Healthy New Year?
 We are very grateful of ongoing support in these challenging times. We would like to say a sincere thank you to our friends at Northern - in particular to Becky Styles our Community and Sustainability Manager for her kindnesses and consistent support of all that we do.
  We would also like to thank Andrew Walker Partnership Officer in his six years at the High Peak and Hope Valley Community Partnership for all that he has done in this post! Andrew has been so supportive of all the groups on the Buxton, Glossop and Hope Valley lines. His calm demeanour and professional attention to detail have been assets which have benefited us all. We thank him too for visiting a number of our Community events at Glossop. Andrew is taking on another post full time for DCC and we wish him continued success!
 I would also like to thank Steve Forde Rail Officer for SEMCRP for all his work on getting the remaining five historic Glossop line information boards created in 2020. We look forward to seeing these installed in 2021.
 Our plans for this year also include the development of the Buzzing Stations project, the tourist promotion leaflet Take a Trip on The Glossop Line and the resumption of community events - all subject, of course, to the lessening of restrictions in the coming months.

We are very pleased to announce that Rizwan Haider and Saeed Mohamed two of our very professional and friendly gating staff team here at Glossop were awarded a 1st prize in a recently held Customer Care Awards evening organised by Northern. We offer them our CONGRATULATIONS! The event was held on line due to restrictions but on a recent visit to the station by Nick Donovan MD for Northern, Rizwan received personal thanks for his efforts.
FOGS too gained a PLATINUM Award for the second year running in the It's Your Station category in the recently held Community Rail Network Awards. Our thanks to all at CRN for this award and all those who have given us support in a very challenging year! Friends of Buxton took the lead award in this category and we offer Dave and our friends at Buxton our congratulations.