The latest improvement at Goostrey railway station is the installation of two display cabinets….

Nature Sign Design placed them in the waiting area on the Manchester to Crewe platform because this is where artwork created by pupils at Goostrey Community Primary School is exhibited. The cabinets are sealed and lockable so they will protect the exhibitions from vandalism and from adverse weather conditions.  Chair of FOGS, Dave Roberts was enthusiastic and said ‘They look really impressive’.

Funding for the purchase and installation of the cabinets has come from Sibelco, Community Rail and Northern Rail.  Currently Sibelco is excavating high quality sand in Goostrey. The company is always keen to play a positive role in the community and they provided a significant proportion of the cost. Community Rail regularly provides money for volunteer groups who are improving their local stations. Our Community Rail officer said that ‘the long standing relationship between FOGS and the local Primary School is outstanding’ and it has been ‘the basis of several awards, both regionally and nationally’.  Through their donation, Northern Rail is continuing their support for Goostrey station.  FOGS members plan to have small plaques near the cabinets which will acknowledge the generosity of all three donors.

For the last nine years there have been a series of displays of artwork at Goostrey station.  Soon after FOGS was formed in 2012, Cyril Caulkin suggested the project to deputy headteacher Becky Cowell and she has always been the driving force behind the exhibitions. FOGS members are delighted that the displays encourage residents, particularly parents, to visit the station.  And everyone celebrated when the creativity helped the primary school to achieve Artsmark Gold.

Themes for the displays have ranged from Going Places to the Queen’s 90th birthday.  In 2014, our annual Arts festival Goosfest included the display called Rainbows in an Art Trail.  Two years later, Jodrell Bank telescope featured in Star Gazing.  A nativity play called Holly from the Bongs by local author Alan Garner was celebrated in another exhibition. In 2017, when pupils and teachers from Elizabethfontein school in South Africa visited Goostrey, children from different backgrounds worked together to decorate a float for the Rose Day procession; and afterwards the creations were displayed at the station. One of the best displays in 2018 was inspired by Edward Lear’s poem The owl and the pussy cat. A few months later, a more serious creation called Remembrance commemorated the centenary of the end of World War 1.

Comments from passengers include :

–   Lovely to read whilst waiting for the train
–   Top marks for display and presentation
–   I wish our school did this
–   Really enjoyed the positive messages and the beautiful pictures! Well done students and staff!
–   Just what the community needs during such trying times. This cheered me up

The Friends of Goostrey Station send the following news …

Debbie and Sian are in the building!

To explain – artist Debbie Goldsmith and leather worker Sian Tudor Jones now have the key to the restored station building at Goostrey Station.  Debbie and Sian have a vision : ‘We hope to build an exciting creative space where we can not only house our working studios but also hold workshops, exhibitions and educational activities.’  At present the contracts are being finalised and there are negotiations with Northern about matters such as electricity meters.

On 25th May, during the presentation to FoGS of a sixth award from the Cheshire Best Kept Stations (CBKS) competition, Debbie and Sian were able to allow members to enter for the first time since the refurbishment was completed in 2019.  The outside of the windows had been spring cleaned beforehand and inside, as well as paintings and leather goods, there was a display of photos showing the stages of the refurbishment. Everyone was impressed!

Mike Jarvis, former chair of FoGS, accepted the CBKS Special Award on behalf of the whole team.  Members had been asked to nominate the project that they were most proud of.  In his speech Mike said ‘Our main aim when FOGS was formed some 7 or 8 years ago was to persuade the railway companies to renovate our Victorian former ticket office, of which there are few examples left in the whole country. We also wanted it to be brought back into use in some form. We have achieved that goal and it’s fitting that we have with us today Debbie Goldsmith and Sian Tudor Jones who plan be the first occupants of the building for many years. Their aim is to form working Art and Leather Studios with Education Workshops for adults and children.’

Mike went on to explain that ‘This was made possible thanks to Network Rail and The Railway Heritage Trust (RHT) who together funded the £150K renovation project.  It is also highly appropriate that we have with us Mark Barker from CBKS who introduced us to Andy Savage at the RHT, and Rebecca Styles from Northern Rail with whom the letting contract has been arranged.’

During the FoGS working party on 13th June, the new totem was attached to the wall of the road bridge. At the same time, members admired the recently planted tubs of flowering plants and the new exhibition of art work in the platform shelter. Year 4 at Goostrey Community Primary School have a display inspired by Carol Ann Duffy’s book called The Lost Happy Endings.  The children have written poems and stories with twisted endings to traditional tales. The title of one is ‘Goldilocks and the Side Order of Potatoes’ – intriguing!  It’s well worth a look whether you’re a passenger or just out for a walk or cycle ride. Chair of FOGS, Dave Roberts emailed members after the working party saying ‘It was really good to see everyone’s enthusiasm with the various activities. The mounting of the recent CBKS award adjacent to the five previous awards really highlights FOGS achievements at the station.’

As the Design Stage progresses for the provision of lifts at Handforth Train Station, plans continue for making the station more inclusive in other areas. The Friends of Handforth Station are hoping to welcome new rail users who have previously found rail travel from the station difficult.

Jenny Barnes, the Chair and the Arts Coordinator of FoHS, said, “Most of us welcome the return of the noise and bustle of life as the pandemic restrictions ease, but we must remember that some of our community find life’s excitement challenging. We want to make our station more friendly for them.”

The FoHS have partnered with the Seashell Trust, who support students with complex learning difficulties, disabilities and additional communication needs.

Jenny added, “The Seashell Trust have been wonderful advocates of our campaign for step-free access. They have also helped us understand what inclusivity means for their students.”

The Seashell Trust (headquartered near the border between Handforth and Cheadle Hulme) asked the fibreglass sculptor Kristian Movahed to create a soothing and reassuring seat for their students. The curvaceous and welcoming Avoseat was born.

The FoHS are now proposing to install a similar Avoseat on the Handforth Station concourse outside the ticket office.

Kristian Movahed, a fiberglass specialist who has contributed to Manchester’s Bee in the City,  will be visiting Handforth Station with his Avoseat  on Wednesday 26^th May between 10.30am and 1.30pm. “Please come along, have a look and tell us what you think,” he said.