Friends Of Glossop Station

News from Wemyss Bay

 Our lovely twin station Wemyss Bay, the terminal station on the line from Glasgow is also having some work carried out during the winter months. The Friends there are overseeing repairs to their bookshop and gallery before it reopens later this month. Fortunately the severe gales experienced in this part of Scotland on the 3rd of January did not damage the fabric of the station which has signifcant areas of glass canopies, nor did it affect the newly established polytunnel in the horticultural section. Nancy (Chair) and her husband recently had a meal with Paul Salveson a good friend to FOGS. Paul and Hester won a prize voucher in our Christmas Raffle for Mettricks' Butchers which they are looking forward to redeeming! Nancy and Neil are also exploring the possiblity of exchanging local Art work between the two Station galleries. Wemyss and work carried out by the Friends in conjunction with the Railway Heritage Trust is deservedly commended in the current Winter issue of ACoRP's Train Times magazine

The Glossop Station Song!!

This was the song sung by Ms. Wall and her reception Class from the Duke of Norfolk Primary School on their recent visit to Glossop Station. We thank Ms. Wall for letting us have the words!

       Down at Glossop Station
       Early in the morning
       See all the engines
       All in a row
       See the engine driver
       Pull a little lever
       Oo oo oo
       And off we go

Graham, at the Booking Office, has now been given a copy By Keith and he is under strict instuctions to learn the words for future visits! 

Paint does not always dry!!

The painters at Glossop Station showed considerable skill as they battled to paint the Canopy and railings in temperatures often only just above freezing in the first two weeks of February. So far they have managed to complete the undercoating and glossing of the Canopy. The metal supports remain in undercoat as do the railings on the Co-op side. The entrance doors were taken away for staining and they have returnred looking resplendent with new golden door handles! With temperatures dropping well below freezing towards the end of last week the painters have understandably admitted a temporary defeat and we look forward to their return when the weather is kinder!

Playtime at Glossop Station?

Well not quite!! On Monday 23rd Neil, with Theo's help, hosted a visit by an Infant Class from the Duke of Norfolk School in Glossop. Emma Harvey, Year One teacher had asked whether a visit and a little trip by train might be possible - transport is a current theme - and thus it was arranged! A crocodile of 29 yellow jacketed 5 year olds, plus Adults - Emma, Marian, Beccy, Oliver's Dad, Madame Harvey and Neil set out for the station at 9.30 from the school. Happy excited children!! And Adults too!! Arriving at the station the children waved to Dave and Keith in the booking office before posing for a Chronicle photo with Editor, David Jones. Boarding the 9.52 to Hadfield and back Emma and Marian made the most of what could be viewed from the windows as well as taking in action photos! The children also had their apples as a healthy snack en route and good habits were inculcated by Emma insisting all cores were put in a bag! On returning to the station the children gathered in the waiting rooms where Neil pointed out some of the relevant historical  pictures. Questions were asked..... Who? Where? Why? and answered and some of the children spotted other faces that they knew in the FOGS' montage - particularly from last year's storytelling train shots. The visit concluded with a look at the famous bell outside the station and, of course, our iconic lion. What do you think we should call him? Neil asked.  "Louise!"  was one answer - as bit different to the expected Leo! Lots of appreciated comments about the attractive look of the station. We think it was a success because by 11.00 that day 2 more teachers had asked for the same trip the following week!! Theo has kindly agreed to this and Neil is to assist along with Matthew. Our thanks to Theo for setting this up and to Dave and Keith's  practical help/support on the day

GLOSSOP STATION BY NIGHT - A NEW FEATURE!

The dramatic night shots of work at Glossop Station reflect the hours of work that Storyrail/ Network Rail personnel  have been putting in over the last couple of months between the hours of 00.30 and 05.30. Our lovely new grey hexagonal blocked paved platform can be seen clearly - there have been many compliments about the quality of workmanship and it seems to be quite a unique surface! Neil is mentally noting platform surfaces now as he travels around - sad!! The final sealing took place last week. New platform edging stones have been laid the length of the platform as has a tactile strip. New lighting has made the canopy a lot brighter. Can we have the same illumination inside asks Bunty?! Painting underneath the Canopy is underway. All metal surafces have been stripped of former paint ready for new. The replacement of the glass panels in the roof is however, apparently proving more problematic and, according to Karen and Chris, additional expertise will be needed to replace these. So we must be patient to see new glass panels and the subsequent improvement in daylight! Our thanks to Karen Davidson at Network Rail and Chris Stirling at Storyrail for keeping us in the picture - to Karen for sending us the photos and to Simon for displaying them.

Recent photos of Glossop station by night showing the work taking place by Storyrail/Network rail personnel - note new platform surface! Pictures kindly supplied by Karen Davidson of Network Rail. More details in accompanying story.

BASKETS!!
No not Foggies! Yesterday Monday Bunty and Neil spent a good chunk of the morning preparing 2 new Winter Hanging Baskets for the Station entrance to sit on the lovely but forlornly ornate brackets. Bunty, "Skimmias, grasses, ivies and bulbs - no pansies!" And thus it was - plants kindly provided by Glossop Garden Centre, wrought iron baskets by FOGS. On a beautiful sunny day we finally landed at the station around lunchtime to put these up. Neil seizing the chance to use a borrowed lightweight Network Rail ladder as opposed to our two ton wooden one quickly got into position to put them onto the brackets with Bunty as always saying only use reef knots!! There are more?? By sheer coincidence a little four person tour was being led around the station by Karen Davidson of Network Rail with Storyrail and High Peak Council reps to view progress on the renovations. It was nice to pass on compliments and hear updates on progress. Karen spent time doing this which was appreciated. Neil then called by on Cezara at the Chronicle with a view to this story about the baskets being featured. Simon's thoughts on this? Non news Neil - now if you were to fall off the ladder this would be news!! Despite this upbeat assessment Cezara was interested and notes were made! Today Tuesday Neil was somewhat surprised to be phoned to say the story was to be made bigger. Could  Neil make a photo session at 12.00 with Richard? This turned out to ge a half hour Hollywood style production involving Richard 12 feet up a ladder looking down on Neil gazing up at said baskets! We may as well take some waiting room shots adds Richard. Poor Cezara - now faced with innumerable shots of baskets, Neil and waiting rooms. Not that big a story she thinks!!

Some nice blokes turned up today from Consignia or Consortia or somewhere, to rip out the plastic windows and replace them with old fashioned sash windows.  Most people would be happy to replace draughty sash windows with newfangled double glazing, but here in Glossop we're proud of being a bit backward.  Actually it's because the station is listed and  the upvc should never have gone in in the first place.

The chap on the right didn't fancy having his photo taken but I bribed him with the promise it wouldn't end up on the internet.  This is them doing their best efforts to "look like you're doing something".

Poetry Platform
                         Just before Christmas Rob Stevens, Tutor, and a group of local poets from the Writers'group WRITE FROM THE HEART visited the station to see their poems which had been attractively displayed by FOGS' Emma Young. Also present was County Councillor Jean Wharmby who presented Neil with a cheque for £200 towards further work by FOGS. A photo of the group was taken by David Jones, Editor of the Glossop Chronicle, and a nice write up appeared in the Chronicle just before Christmas. FOGS thanks Jean for her ongoing support. Emma intends doing a second display of their poems shortly. This will be followed by a return to a theme which will be poems linked to animals. All contributions welcome - please send in to FOGS!