In recent weeks in the Waiting Room at Glossop Station a display has been created in the Waiting Room in memory of the late Sheila and Peter Glover. Sheila was one of the 600 evacuees who came as children from Lowestoft to Glossop on 2nd June 1940. Five of her siblings also made this journey. Peter was born in Glossop and attended local schools and it was at West End Secondary School where Sheila and Peter first met. On leaving school they both started work at Dinting Printworks. It was here that their friendship blossomed. In 1953 they married at St. James Church Whitfield. They remained living in Glossop for 44 years.  Every year Sheila and Peter returned to Lowestoft to visit family and friends. Their daughter Shirley was born in Glossop. From 1978 onwards Sheila and Peter began fostering and, during a 15 year period, they fostered 37 children. Many of these children remain close to the family. In 1997 Sheila and Peter moved to live in Southport.
 Peter and Sheila became keen supporters of the Lowestoft Evacuee Society set up by its secretary Chris Brooks in the 1990s. This brought former evacuees together for reunions and arranged trips to the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire towns and villages where they had been evacuated. Peter and Sheila enjoyed these reunions often arranging holidays in Lowestoft so they could attend them.
 On June 2nd 2017 a plaque was unveiled at Glossop station marking the close links between Glossop and Lowestoft. Due to Sheila's ill health Shirley accompanied her father to this happy event which was attended by former evacuees and their families and friends. Peter and Sheila gave generous donations to both the Lowestoft Evacuation Society and Friends of Glossop Station.
 Sadly Sheila died in September 2019 and Peter passed away due to Covid in November 2020. They are fondly remembered by friends in Glossop, Lowestoft and Southport.
 On Saturday 20th November at 11am in the Waiting Room at Glossop Station Shirley has invited friends and family to meet together. Because of pandemic restrictions people were unable to gather for the funerals and Shirley hopes this gathering might be an opportunity to bring friends together in memory of her parents. Anyone who knew Sheila and Peter is most welcome to come along.
 Friends of Glossop Station would like to thank Shirley for her generous donation of paintings for the display and to Rebecca Styles Community and Sustainability Manager at Northern for her permission to hold the event at the station.

We are delighted to welcome Roger Gibson as our latest artist in the Station Waiting Room Art Gallery. Roger is the husband of Bunty one of the founder members of FoGS.
Roger has 18 paintings on display many of them inspired by a visit to New Zealand where he experienced the unusual phenomenon of Green Flash lighting when visiting a local beach late one evening. Roger enjoys painting still life, landscapes, abstracts and occasionally figure drawing. During his working career Roger painted to relax attending many art classes at Glossop Adult Education Centre.
We hope you enjoy seeing his work! Most of Roger's paintings are for sale. He can be contacted on 07711 366007 or 01457 859171
Email gibsonrh@aol.com

Any other artists/photographers wishing to display their work are most welcome! Please contact John Kimpton 01457 859128 for details.

October 18th marked the start of the first Community Rail Week organised by Community Rail Network and sponsored by the Rail Delivery Group. The message is Go Green By Train. The timing of the week is part of the build up to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) taking place in Glasgow on November 1st. Since restrictions eased over the summer leisure use of trains has increased and it is hoped this promotion will encourage more travellers to try train travel. Especially on our three local High Peak and Hope Valley railway lines!
Here in Glossop we gathered together at Glossop Station to pledge our commitment to green travel by train. Organised by Helen Wright, one of our two partnership officers at the High Peak and Hope Valley Community Rail Partnership, our guests included Robert Largan MP for High Peak, Paul Hardy Mayor of High Peak, Jean Wharmby Derbyshire County Council Civic Chair (and Chair Elect of HPHVCRP) and HPBC Councillor George Wharmby. Together with members of FOGS the pledge to GO GREEN BY TRAIN was made! It was a happy occasion and we thank our guests for their time and support.
Mondays to Saturdays there is currently a 30 minute electric train service on the Glossop Line from early morning to late evening - Sundays an hourly service.
Coming soon online and in print a new tourist leaflet VISIT THE GLOSSOP LINE BY TRAIN. Designed to attract out of area visitors to sample the towns, countryside and attractions of the Glossop Line we hope it will promote train travel all along the route. Heritage information boards can be found at each station (the remaining five to be installed next month) outlining local history and attractions. Similar leaflets for the Buxton Line and Hope Valley line are also due to be published shortly.
For more information on the events of Community Rail Week go to
 communityrail.org.uk

We are delighted to welcome Glossop Artist Brenda Peck back to the Waiting Room Art Gallery for a second showing of her work.  Brenda is well known in Glossop having performed with Glossop Operatic and Dramatic Society and  Partington Theatre. Brenda currently sings with Glossop Choral Society. Brenda has, in her career, acquired qualifications in art, calligraphy, ceramics, pottery and stained glass. Working at Glossop Adult Centre stimulated Brenda's wide ranging interests and allowed her to gain a diverse range of qualifications. Brenda paints using different mediums. Her wildlife paintings proved a real talking point in her first show. Many of Brenda's paintings are available to buy. Her contact details:
01457 865710 or 07796 101493  /  Email: martinpeck06@aol.com

The Waiting Room Art Gallery is open daily at Glossop Station. We are grateful for the support given to us by Northern. Other artists/photographers interested in having their work on display should contact John Kimpton on 01457 859128.

ON THE morning of Tuesday 24 August, Friends of Glossop Station and Friends of Hadfield Station for the first time offered a Bumblebee safari as part of the collaborative Buzzing Stations project coordinated by High Peak and Hope Valley Community Rail Partnership.
The tour began outside Hadfield station at 11.30 and participants were welcomed and given a safety brief by Joy Hallsworth Chair of FoHS. Neil Williams from FOGS then added his welcome speaking about the origins of the Buzzing Stations project and its star element - the iconic bilberry bumblebee! Using flowers, a tomato and an apple Neil was able to demonstrate the importance of pollination. The group then set off to explore the nearby station gardens where a yellow flowering buddleia was drawing in lots of bumblebees! Time for photos and chat! Moving on to nearby Bankswood Park the group explored habitat surrounding the Bee Wild Glossopdale project where ground has been made ready for a large wild flower meadow. Already wild flowers including clover are in evidence. Bee Wild hope to develop the plot fully next year. ( see Facebook for more details/how to get involved ) Brambles, thistles and rose bay willow herb abound the site so ideal territory for a bumblebee hunt. After an hour the group returned to Hadfield station where Neil gave out Activity Packs generously donated by The Bumblebee Conservation Trust. A most enjoyable occasion! Riordan and Finnan two of the children present impressed everyone with their enthusiasm and conservation knowledge. With help from FoHS they are now planning to create a new wild flower planter for Hadfield Station to attract more bumblebees!
 We hope there will be further bumblebee safaris to these locations when possible - dates will be publicised. 
 We gratefully acknowledge the help and support given to us by the Bumblebee Conservation Trust and its Volunteer Coordinator Rhodri Green who inspires everyone with his enthusiasm and knowledge!

Friends of Glossop Station and Friends of Hadfield Station will be offering a one hour Bumblebee Safari from outside Hadfield Station next Tuesday 24th August from 11.30 to 12.30. This is part of a collaborative project - Buzzing Stations - involving The Bumblebee Conservation Trust, Station Friends Groups on the Buxton, Glossop and Hope Valley railway lines in conjunction with the High Peak and Hope Valley Community Rail Partnership. The aim is to explore an area close to a station, find some bumblebees! and discuss what more could be done to attract them. The walk from Hadfield will look at the gardens of Hadfield station then continue to an area in the adjoining Bankswood Park. As this Safari could be affected by poor weather conditions an alternative date Thursday 26th August at 2.30 is being held as a reserve option. Anyone interested in joining this Safari is strongly recommended to contact neil.williams53@btinternet.com (Friends of Glossop Station) in advance of intended participation so that they can be advised of any alterations due to weather.

An £870,000 Great North Rail Project investment is currently underway at Dinting Station.

We would like to commend the quality of work so far achieved! The curved track in Platform 2 has been replaced with new rails, concrete sleepers and pristine new ballast. A quality transformation!

We would also like to thank Network Rail and its contractors for this work much of which has taken place in inclement weather!

​There will be a further Sunday of engineering work this Sunday 22nd August to complete the work. Buses will replace trains on this date.

We welcome Jane Crosbie to Glossop Station Waiting Room Art Gallery. Jane's photographic art display is entitled - " An Exploration of Light and Colour " Jane explores in her work her love of light and colour and many ordinary everyday objects such as guitar picks and dashboard lights are transformed into colourful abstract shapes. So keen is Jane to encourage others to follow that she is offering free prints to anyone who gets in touch! Jane is also happy to collaborate with others.

Jane can be contacted on crosbiejane@gmail.com
Instagram: @jane crosbie

The Waiting Room Art Gallery is open daily during Booking Office opening hours. Bookings for space/exhibitions in the Waiting Room Art Gallery can be made by contacting John Kimpton 01457 859171

ON SATURDAY 31st July around 40 former Lowestoft evacuees along with friends and family gathered at Lowestoft station for their first reunion in two years. It marked a remarkable 81 years since the evacuees left Lowestoft on June 2nd 1940 for safe towns and villages in Derbyshire including Glossop.
​The event, jointly organised by Chris Brooks Secretary of the Lowestoft Evacuation Society and Martin Halliday Community Rail Officer for Norfolk, offered a photographic display and refreshments in the superbly restored Parcels Office at the station now in use as a Community Hub. Speeches were made by Chris, Martin, Neil Williams from Friends of Glossop Station and Alan Neville Community Engagement Officer for Greater Anglia Trains.
Two new wall panels at the station with content and designs by Martin Halliday were also formally unveiled on the day. These panels have already been praised by both evacuees and visitors for the story they tell and their visual impact. Martin has used within the design a photo of the poignant Evacuee Memorial at the National Arboretum. 
During the three hour event Martin kindly offering the use of the Community Room for use by the evacuees on every June 2nd in years to come.

Chris from Kent recently traced his father's evacuee journey from Manchester to Glossop in 1939. Following on from that he made the same journey and a blog recounting that trip gives an interesting sight into what he found. Chris gratefully acknowledges help given by Glossop Heritage Trust. 
CLICK HERE to read Chris' blog post