The Best Kept Stations Awards evening, the highlight of the Community Rail year in Cheshire, took place at the Grange School in Northwich on Thursday 16 March.  Four Friends of Goostrey Station attended and were delighted to be presented with the award for the Best Unstaffed Station. This is the eighth award that FoGS has won in this competition in just 10 years – a  remarkable achievement.

As a welcome sign of Spring, the daffodils and other flowering bulbs planted by local cubs and FoGS members are brightening the station entrances and platforms. Recently Craig Sidebotham added more nest boxes in the gardens around the station and he completed the latest survey of bird species, recording the results on a GIS map as usual.

Click here for details of the Bird Survey

FoGS volunteers continue to meet each month at Goostrey station. There’s a car park, but you could choose greener transport by walking or cycling (there’s a new rack for bikes).  You may have noticed a smart new noticeboard at the entrance to platform one.  It’s there to help us to publicise FoGS and Goostrey Art Studio more effectively.  Recently Gavin Hollinshead and Debbie Goldsmith installed a new poster, which highlights our latest award from the Cheshire Best Kept Station Competition, the engineer William Baker and the free creative workshop planned for the Big Help Out on Monday 8th May. For more information about FoGS, please have a look at our website or phone Craig Sidebotham on 01477 544111.

The Friends of Handforth Station (FoHS) have continued their association with Barnies Community Hub in Crewe, by commissioning and installing some bird boxes made by the Barnies volunteers.

Barnies Community Hub provides activities for people with many types of disability within the local community.  It was the charity nominated by Barry Burkhill RIP, a FoHS committee member who died in November 2022 and who is sadly missed.

Barnies have provided to FoHS some bird boxes and other animal homes, made by in a workshop in the Barnies Community Hub garden (next to the Crewe locomotive works).

To celebrate the installation of the new animal homes, FoHS invited some members of Barnies to Handforth for a tour of the station and its many art-works (ably assisted by local Northern Trains community officer Becky Styles). The party then enjoyed tea/coffee and cakes in The Railway pub next to Handforth Station; these were provided free of charge by the landlady of The Railway as “a service for the local community”.

Lesley Christiansen from Barnies Community Garden woodcraft team said “We were very pleased to be able to support the work of Friends of Handforth Station. We have provided a number of bird boxes, hedgehog homes and bat boxes, to encourage and protect the wildlife that lives around Handforth Station.”

Ian Ball, Treasurer of FoHS who accompanied the Barnies visitors, said “People often forget that the large number of trees and bushes around a small station like Handforth attracts not only birds but other wildlife. We hope that the constructs provided by Barnies will encourage their proliferation.

“Our FoHS Easter quiz remains open; entries can be submitted up until the end of Monday 17^th April. See our website, or visit the station, for more information,” Ian added.

Altrincham Interchange were proud to be named Cheshire’s Best Kept Station 2022 ….

Here are some images of the Friends of Altrincham Interchange and staff celebrating at the Interchange ….

Baker’s Bridge – where’s that?  This was the response when a member of FoGS read the name in a book about the history of the railway line from Manchester to Crewe.  Our volunteers have never heard local people refer to the road bridge near Goostrey Station as Baker’s Bridge.

A quick internet search revealed that a man called William Baker had a signifiant role in the development of Victorian railways.  In 1859, following the death of Robert Stephenson, he became chief engineer for the London and North Western Railway Company.  As well as leading operations in London, he worked on stations around the country including in Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and Crewe. He also designed railway bridges such as that at Runcorn, and he was involved in the construction of a new harbour at Holyhead.

So why was the bridge at Goostrey called Baker’s Bridge?  It turns out that, between 1834 and 1839, William Baker was articled to George Buck and worked with him on the Manchester and Birmingham Railway.  FoGS discovered that the keystone on the north side of the original bridge at Goostrey was carved William Baker, 1841, resident engineer, M and B R. Unfortunately this keystone was broken when the bridge was replaced during the electrification of the line in the 1960s. But luckily, the one on the south side with George Buck’s name was saved. At first this keystone was mounted on platform two, but now it is displayed, together with other memorabilia and recent awards, on platform one.

So the mystery was solved!  In October, this information will be included in the exhibition about local transport that is being prepared by Goostrey Parish Archive for Goosfest. If you have photos or stories relating to the history of Goostrey railway station that you could share with FoGS, please get in touch with Chris Burgess on 07976 894737.

FoGS volunteers continue to meet each month at Goostrey station. There’s a car park, but you could choose greener transport by walking or cycling (there’s a new rack for your bike).  You may have noticed a smart new noticeboard at the entrance to platform one.  It’s there to help us to publicise FoGS and Goostrey Art Studio more effectively.  You could also have a look at our website or email Craig Sidebotham on 29craimar@talktalk.net

Last Autumn, Friends of Goostrey Station were delighted that Goostrey Beavers held another meeting at our railway station.  All the children were keen to sweep up fallen leaves, to plant daffodil bulbs in tubs and to investigate the bug hotels.  They also enjoyed a craft activity in the Art Studio. Everyone worked hard and by the time they went home, the sun had set.  As their parents collected them, a casual comment about being able to see stars and planets in the night sky, led to plans for another joint meeting.

Thus, early in February, FOGS treasurer and vice chair Craig Sidebotham, himself a a keen amateur astronomer, led an astronomy session at Goostrey Scout Hut. The aim was to help the Beavers achieve a Space Activity Badge.

To be successful each had to complete four challenges :

• Point out some of the things you can see in the night sky.  It could be stars, the moon or planets.
• Point out and name at least one constellation you can see.
• Name the eight planets in our solar system and draw or make a model of one of the planets.
• Find out about a space mission, an astronaut or a planet in our solar system.

First Craig connected his lap top to a large TV screen and used a planetarium program to show the constellations and planets.  He also demonstrated how the stars move across the sky during the night.   Then the Beavers were given pictures of the sun and planets and they were asked to work out their order. After a lot of running around, the correct arrangement was established!

Next Craig used pictures to explain some of the missions into space including the Apollo Saturn 5 rocket, the moon landings and the International Space Station.  At the end of the session, all the Beavers were excited to see two astronomical telescopes. Craig explained how they worked, but unfortunately the sky was cloudy and so the children were unable to use them outside.  Perhaps this could be the focus of a second evening of astronomy!

Currently FoGS are planning another joint activity, this time with Goostrey Parish Archive.  If you have photos or stories relating to the history of Goostrey railway station that you could share with FoGS, please get in touch with Chris Burgess on 07976 894737.

FoGS volunteers continue to meet each month at Goostrey station. There’s a car park, but you could choose greener transport by walking or cycling (there’s a new rack for your bike).  You may have noticed a smart new noticeboard at the entrance to platform one.  It’s there to help us to publicise FoGS and Goostrey Art Studio more effectively.  You could also have a look at our website or email Craig Sidebotham on 29craimar@talktalk.net