Blog - Friends Of Glossop Station

Glossop North End off to Wembley! FA Vase May 9th

31/3/2015

FOGS would like to offer Glossop North End hearty congratulations on their success in getting to Wembley in the FA Vase! Although defeated by a late goal on Saturday at Surrey Street against St Austell, the aggregate score of 2-1 put Glossop through to Wembley! The match was played in atrocious weather as a thunderstorm broke during the second half making conditions very difficult.
We hope to decorate the station in appropriate colours as we did in 2009 to send the many thousands of supporters on their way. We do, of course along with everyone in Glossop, wish the team success in the final at Wembley on Saturday May 9th!

For the match report and more details of Glossop North End click here

A Visit to Scotland

31/3/2015

Last Wednesday Neil, at the invitation of John Yellowlees ScotRail's External Relations Manager (and a good friend to FOGS!) attended the ScotRail Adopters' Lunch in Glasgow. This is an annual lunch bringing together all the station adopters in Scotland. Over 300 attended celebrating the remarkable success story of station adoption in Scotland. The guest speaker was Mark Wasilewski Chief Judge of Britain in Bloom. Mark gave an interesting talk outlining the evolution of Britain in Bloom and its impact throughout the country. Later in the afternoon John kindly invited Neil to join Mark and himself on an impromptu trip to Neilston to look at station gardens en route and, in particular, at Whitecraigs. The gardens were colourful and creative reflecting true community spirit! John also explained the line's history - a once through route to Stranraer, trains now terminate at Neilston. There are some panoramic views of Glasgow and its scenic Clyde hinterland to enjoy as the train climbs to Neilston. Neil would like to thank John for the invitation to this event and to Sheryl Brown of ScotRail for her help and kindnesses with arrangements. FOGS wish John, Sheryl and all at ScotRail well with their new franchise that starts with Abellio on April 1st.

Rainbow Trust to join us at Teddy Bears' Picnic

23/3/2015

We are delighted to announce that The Rainbow Trust has accepted our invitation to join us at our Teddy Bears' Picnic event on Saturday 13th June. After a successful collaboration two years ago we look forward to welcoming Bungle, Zippy and George back to our trains and stations! More details about the event soon!

Glossop North End Semi Final leg win in Cornwall!

22/3/2015

Yesterday Glossop North End won 2 0 against St. Austell in Cornwall in the first leg of the FA Vase semi final. FOGS would like to congratulate the team on this success and wish them all the best for the return semi final leg at Surrey Street this Saturday, 28th March.

Abellio presentation at Partnership meeting

22/3/2015

At last week's High Peak and Hope Valley Community Partnership meeting in Glossop it was the turn of Abellio, one of the 3 shortlisted bidders for the Northern franchise, to listen to the views of those present. Collette from Abellio listened and made extensive notes as to the wishes relating to the Hope Valley, Buxton and Glossop Lines. Neil reiterated the importance on the Glossop line of retaining the 323's - doing an excellent job! - a willingness to discuss timetabling regarding Glossop/Hadfield as termini, retention of skip stopping and no to tram trains!! Govia will make the final presentation to the partnership on April 20th - venue to be announced.

Friends of Buxton visit Glossop

22/3/2015

Visitors from the newly relaunched Friends of Buxton Station visited Glossop on Tuesday 17th March. Penny and Neil showed the visitors around and it was interesting to share ideas, experiences and plans. We wish FOBS every success with their efforts to enhance the environment of Buxton station! We thank them for their kind words of support too! Contact can be made at fobs.buxton@gmail.com

Midnight Express to Glossop

8/3/2015

At 00.18 on Saturday 7th March Glossop Station reverberated to the sound of an 8 coach Pathfinders' Charter Train ("The White Rose Kipper") with two Direct Rail Class 37's in push pull mode as it arrived on time to the station. Here the special was welcomed by members of FOGS and Theo MacLauchlan Northern Rail's Glossop Line Manager. Most of the train's 390 participants then quickly exited in search of photos! Glossop's station signs were popular as were shots of the 37 by the buffers. All went well until 00.30 when the automatic lighting cut out on the platform! A good natured collective groan greeted this but, fortunately most photos had been taken by then. The organisers thanked Theo and FOGS for their reception and as an act of appreciation invited Penny and John LeGrove from FOGS to join the tour as it left fro Hadfield at 00.38. Similar busy platform scenes were in evidence at Hadfield - lights on here! - as Joy Hallsworth, Chair of Friends of Hadfield Station and Bunty Gibson greeted the train. Joy and Bunty did a brisk trade in selling the attractive Friends of Hadfield station mugs as souvenirs. At 00.54 the train left, speeding through Dinting in a scene reminiscent of former Woodhead expresses! We thank Pathfinders for their visit and the extra attention it has brought to the line, stations and services. Also our thanks to fellow FOGS' members, friends and to Theo for supporting this late night special to Glossop and Hadfield! We hope the rest of the tour to Yorkshire went well!

Govia visit Glossop

7/3/2015

On Thursday 5th March Andy Paterson from Govia - one of the three franchise bidders for the next Northern franchise - met Neil at Glossop. After a quick tour of the station discussion began in relation to the recently published DfT's Invitation to Tender document. Andy was surprised that FOGS' wish list did not include new trains! Instead Neil emphasised, in FOGS' priorities, the importance of retaining the current popular electric 323 units, retention of booking offices and the maintenance of the current skip stopping timetable. Most importantly Neil stressed the unsuitability of the Glossop line for Tram train services. Discussions were wide ranging and interesting. Andy said Govia were keeping a watching brief on HS3 developments - an interim report by the DfT is expected soon. We will then see, of course whether the former Woodhead route is to have any role. Andy's return journey was made via Dinting where he was able to view Project Earth's attractive ceramic displays. Also in evidence - work by Northern to provide CIS screens is well advanced. We thank Andy for his interest and visit and we look forward to similar discussions with Abellio and Arriva - the other two bidders.

Teddy Bears' Picnic 2015

7/3/2015

We are delighted to announce that there will be a TEDDY BEARS' PICNIC event again on a section of the Glossop Line on SATURDAY 13TH JUNE between 10.30 and 13.30. The event will be organised by the station friends' groups at Glossop, Hattersley and Hadfield. Families travelling with children and teddies will be allowed free travel - courtesy of Northern Rail between the participating stations of Glossop, Hadfield, Dinting, Broadbottom and Hattersley during the 3 hours of the event. More details of family fun station activities will be publicised in May.

New daffodils almost in bloom!

2/3/2015

The several hundred daffodils donated by Glossop's U3A and planted with permission from Network Rail opposite the platform in the grassed areas are now almost in bloom. We are delighted that the harsh winter has seemingly not affected their growth and we look forward to seeing them flower in the next few days!