Friends of Hebden Bridge Station

The Friends of Hebden Bridge Station would like to give a big “thank you” to the commuters for raising £117.86 for The Railway Children Charity. The charity helps street children at risk especially those who are found near railways in the UK, India and East Africa.

The current Mayor of Hebden Royd Town Council, Tony Hodgins, with the ex-mayor from 2000, Paul Monahan, who is a Friend of Hebden Bridge Station.

2016 update on the Lift, Access and Car Parking

As well as environmental work, the Friends are currently working with the railway organisations on plans for extending the car park and for making the station fully accessible. Contractors have been on site and carried out preliminary work on the lifts. The first stage was to dismantle parts of the existing goods lifts so that Network Rail’s contractors could carry out an assessment of the shafts, ready for passenger lifts. A full Rail Heritage report is being carried out and the best options for the conservation of the machinery considered. Plans for all the work necessary to make Hebden Bridge station fully step-free under the Access for All programme are expected to take another step forward in 2017 and Network Rail will be liaising with the Friends to take that forward.

The Friends said, “It is encouraging that work on making Hebden Bridge station fully accessible has now started. It has to be handled sensitively as our station is Grade II Listed and a much loved part of the town. The Friends of Hebden Bridge Station are liaising closely with Network Rail to ensure that the work is done sensitively whilst making our station fit for the 21st century.”

Cycle Lockers

On 1 November 2016, just before the damp, cold weather came, three Friends spent several hours cleaning out the moss and leaves from the cycle lockers, wire-brushing them and finally painting the doors in silver hammerite and the back and sides in black hammerite. Sadly, due to the temperature dropping and the light failing the painting job wasn't completed and may have to wait until warmer, drier weather now.

The Trials and Tribulations
of the Railway Pioneers

On 19th October 2016, The Friends of Hebden Bridge Station held what is hoped to be the first in a series of lectures on railway topics, in Hope Baptist chapel. For our inaugural talk, we heard from Peter Jeffrey, whose interest in railways has spanned many years. His enthusiasm is such that he is building his own working model steam locomotive! Peter’s talk, “The Trials and Tribulations of the Railway Pioneers”, was well-presented and included information to interest both the enthusiast and the newcomer alike.

Peter led us from the early difficulties faced by Richard Trevithick, who Peter regards as the true ‘father of railways’, through the byways of rack railways to the Stephensons, father and son, and then to Brunel and his ‘Battle of the Gauges’. Peter showed how the difficulties ranged from public and private opposition especially some uncooperative landowners, to broken rails, and to the need for more steam power.

The Manchester & Leeds Railway and Summit Tunnel 175th Anniversary 1st March 2016

12 August 2014.

UPPER CALDER VALLEY RENAISSANCE SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT GROUP

Response to the DfT and Rail North Consultation on the Northern Rail and Trans Pennine Express Franchises.

Signal Box listed

In 2012, Friends of Hebden Bridge Station supported the proposed listing providing information to English Heritage. The listing can be found at Hebden Bridge Signal Box

New franchise submission

The Upper Calder Valley Renaissance Sustainable Transport Group has submitted a document to the Department for Transport: New Franchise(s) to Replace Current Northern Rail and First TPE Franchises. A Word version is available here.

FRIENDS OF

HEBDEN BRIDGE

STATION

News

2016 Carols for Commuters raised £117.86 for charity