Before

After

'Up line' with the first planter of three

 Some of the latest photos of the Station

Meetings - MEETINGS;- 25/01/10.  29/03/10 (A.G.M.).  24/05/10.  26/07/10. 27/09/10.  29/11/10

Working Parties -  13/02/10. 13/03/10.  10/04/10.  08/05/10. 12/06/10.  10/07/10.  14/08/10.  11/09/10.  09/10/10.  13/11/10.  11/12/10.

Welcome to our web pages hosted by Chapel-en-le-Frith Parish Council.

We are a small group of volunteers, not all of us railway enthusiasts by any means, who are keen to improve the environment at Chapel Station. For those reading this from distant parts, the station is in an isolated position about a mile from the Town Centre, which brings its own problems, but also opportunities. We hope to achieve our aims partly by doing some of the things that perhaps used to be done by Station Staff, such as creating and tending gardens, constructing planters, painting of small items, general tidying up. This work is done in conjunction with the contractors employed by the stations operators Northern Rail, and Network Rail as Landlords. We also assist with publicity distribution, and maintain three notice boards around the town. We also need to look at our own fund raising and other publicity, so there is plenty of scope for a variety of skills.

We hold meetings bi monthly, at a local pub where we enjoy a meal and discussion, and have monthly formal working parties at the station, usually on the second Saturday afternoon. Contact details are supplied on another page, and we warmly welcome anyone to come along to our meetings and working party days to see what we do.

We also appreciate that there people who cannot commit to any work, but who would like to keep in touch with what is going on, and we have an email circulation list for our minutes and other information. Please do let either myself or our Secretary know your email address to be included in this. 

As you will see from my report to our first Annual General Meeting, we are members of ACoRP, and attend the local Community Rail Partnership Meetings, from which much useful information is gained.

Please do get in touch, we look forward to hearing from you.

John H Brook, Chairman

Friends of Chapel Station

 Constitution

1. The group shall be called "Friends of Chapel Station"

2. The aims of the group are:

v    To promote practical environmental enhancement works especially by volunteers for the benefit of the community and train passengers.

v    To publicise and raise awareness of the benefits of “green transport plans”, the train and attractions of the station area and its environs to increase station “footfall” and visitor numbers.

v    To encourage community involvement and ownership, particularly by young people and schools in conservation, environment and associated education artworks, poetry, competition, etc. at the station and its environs.

v    To encourage local businesses to improve their own properties and in sponsoring environmental enhancements at the station area.

v    To campaign for improved infrastructure facilities and services.

v    To work in Partnership with ALL stakeholders to achieve these aims.

3 To fulfil these aims the group will: -

a)      Undertake practical environmental, conservation, recycling works and other activities as they see fit.

b)    Encourage partnerships with other like-minded groups to undertake such works.

c)     Raise money/funding when necessary including by means of awards, grants and sponsorship for carrying out the aims of the group.

d)    Publicise their activities and achievements.

4. The area is generally the environs of Chapel Station and the adjacent areas.

5.     The organisation shall apply for membership of The Association of Community Rail Partnerships.

6.     Membership shall be open to anyone interested in taking part in, or supporting, the works of the organisation.

7.     The organisation shall hold three meetings including an AGM each year to discuss its policy and administration. All members shall be entitled to attend and the meetings shall be fully advertised, especially at Chapel Station.

8.      A committee ( and sub committees as required) shall be appointed to conduct the administration of the organisation. The committee (which will include a Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer) will be in charge of the day to day running of the organisation, but will be answerable to meetings of members.

9.      Accounts shall be kept by the treasurer, submitted to an independent inspection and approved at a Members meeting.

10.                    The organisation shall obtain any necessary insurance (when not provided by the Train Operating Company), for volunteers on its projects, and for injuries for third persons, and damage to property.

11.                    If it should become necessary or advisable for the group to close then a general meeting will be held of all the members giving at least three weeks notice of the reason for the meeting.  If it is agreed that the group shall terminate then all outstanding debts and liabilities will be settled. Any remaining assets will be donated to Chapel Parish Council.

12.                    This Constitution shall only be altered by consent of a majority of the members of the organisation, and was  

Signed:

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FRIENDS OF CHAPEL STATION UPDATE FEB 2010

 We are looking forward to starting work again after our break over Christmas and the New   Year. We fortunately had decided on a break in January as the weather would have defeated us anyway, and our last working party of 2009 was curtailed due to the heavy rain. However, those who have been able to have continued maintaining the existing border, and generally tidied up, so the station is not looking too bad.

In the next few months we are concentrating our efforts on constructing and erecting the hanging baskets posts for which funding has largely come from the late Mayors Fund, and Federal Mogul and H D Sharman. Our gardening works at the rear of the downside (to Manchester) platform should see the start of a major improvement to that area, and there are plans afoot to erect both a ‘running in’ board there, and also a sign stating ‘Capital of the Peak’, which has been requested by the Parish Council. We potentially have a large area to deal with, so taking it in bite size pieces seems the obvious way to go with the limited physical resources available currently.

We will shortly be commencing a recruitment campaign to try to attract more people to our working parties, and we have a stand booked at the New Mills and District Model Railway show at the end of February.

Regretfully the promised new Announcing System, and the Help Line on the downside are still not working partly due we understand to having to wait until the whole line is fitted before being ‘switched on’. After initial troubles the new lighting controls seem to be working satisfactorily. We still have considerable concerns about when the promised major repair works to the station building roofline will be undertaken, and the renewal of the fencing along the upside platform seems to have been put back.

We are very grateful for all the positive comments made about our work so far, and hope that a further major improvement will be visible by the end of this year.

John H Brook, Chairman.

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT FOR 1^st ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 26/03/09

It was an unexpected honour and surprise to be nominated and accepted as your Chairman a year ago, and I trust that I have been able to repay some of that trust in the period under review.

I need to pay very grateful thanks to Keith Walker, our esteemed Secretary and Treasurer, and the rest of the team. It’s been very encouraging to have a very positive group of people with whom to discuss, and largely agree on, a course of action, which is beginning to have results.

We started with a vision, perhaps each had his own to an extent, and we have pulled together on many fronts. We have successfully lobbied Northern Rail on the long overdue repairs to the dry stone wall, and have had partial success with the lights, although not quite to the extent we had wished for yet- still working on that. Our relationship with both Northern and Network Rail is very positive; the frustrations we sometimes feel with lack of obvious immediate progress are I know also shared by the people within those organisations with whom we have contact. We have, to a large extent, to work with the system, not against it.

On our own account, we have started on the long project to visually improve the station, largely by ‘gardening’ activities, and provision of baskets, planters and similar. Our grateful thanks go to Chapel Gardening Club for their valuable help in this task, and Chapel DIY for their donation of topsoil to get us started. ISS, Maintenance Contractors to Northern Rail, have also promised help in this task.

We are members of ACoRP, and attend the bi monthly meetings of the High Peak and Hope Valley Community Rail Partnership, from which much useful information is gained. I also attend these meetings as a ‘lay’ representative of Chapel Parish Council, and report back to them.

Our immediate plans include the continuation of gardening works, particularly on the downside platform, provision of planters, re-painting the existing white wicket gates, and continuing pressure to ensure the repairs to the lights on the approach road are eventually carried out. In the longer term , Bill Barratt’s engine outline project, possible work on the land on the far side of the car park, and discussing suitable use of the land behind the downside platform, together with maintaining what we have already done, will keep us well occupied. We also hope that when Buxton has a ‘Friends’ group, the formation of an inclusive Buxton Line Rail Users Group will enable suitable pressure to be maintained on the service providers to encourage increasing use of the railway, and this line in particular.

It’s been a busy year, we have made a good start in firmly establishing ourselves, and the results are beginning to show. My very grateful thanks to all for your support.

John H Brook

Chairman.

MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD  ON MONDAY 25 JANUARY 2010

Present:                    John Brook (Chair), Ian Barley, Keith Walker, Don Coffey

                                    Cllr Guy Martin, Derek O’Brien (minutes)

Apologies:               Bryan McGee, Bill Barratt, Mary Townsend, Mark Eastwood (Station Manager)

John welcomed everyone to the first meeting of the New Year

(1) Minutes and Matters Arising

The minutes of the meeting held on 23 November 2009 were approved and signed.

(2) Matters Arising

The meeting records our gratitude to Mary Bingham and the late Mayor’s Charity Fund for the donation of £150 towards the Hanging Basket project.

The meeting further records our gratitude to H D Sharman and Federal Mogul for the donation of £50 in each case also towards the Hanging Basket project.

(3) Working Parties

·        The priority for Working Parties in the next quarter will be the area between the crossing and the Waiting shelter on Platform 2.

·        The next session is planned for 13 February and weather permitting we will level the stones which have been placed as an edging.

·        It was agreed that the Hanging Basket posts will be reduced in height by 75cms. Guy Martin has kindly offered to assist Don with making the posts.

·        John to contact Network Rail to see if they are in a position to put a date on when the fence will be replaced.

·        It was agreed that 16 inch diameter hanging baskets would be the best size for the design. John to follow this through.

·        It was agreed that it would be a good idea to establish herbs on a community garden basis which people would be welcome to pick for their own use. Don offered to create planters if required. Mary’s advice  in respect of location/sunlight etc will be important. 

(4) Station Adopter

Derek  identified a series of on-going issues which reflect what he has in his sights at present

·        The state of the roof on the Station building and the fence on Platform 1 (Network Rail  co-ordinating)

·        Delighted to have assurance that the existing litter bins will not be replaced

·        Very grateful for all the efforts made in terms of winterisation by various parties  during recent adverse weather. Road on Station Approach was kept accessible.

·        Ice heave has lifted some tarmac on platform. ISS informed.

·        Mark Eastwood has indicated that the problem with the Help Point on Platform 2 will be sorted in the context of wider problems with the Help Points. No indication to date as to when new PA system will be activated.

·        There are various problems in respect of stone walls adjacent to the Midland line on Station Approach. These have been reported to ISS.

(5) PUBLICITY/LETTERHEADS

·        The meeting approved an alternative design for the logo and letterhead produced by Don. With minor amendments the associated publicity flyer was welcomed also. Thanks to Don for all his efforts.

·        Guy agreed to enlarge to A3 and laminate copies of the flyer for use  in each of our three display cases and in each Waiting Shelter as well as two  to be available for use at events. There was a discussion about the feasibility of displaying the posters in the windows of Brief encounter on Platform 1 and facing the car park.

·        New Mills Model Railway Club show at Chapel High School 27th and 28th February. It would be good to have a stall at this event. Please confirm availability to man the staff with John.

(6) 150 year celebration 2013

·        John and Keith indicated that they have nothing further to report from the group set up to co-ordinate the events.

·        Don has spoken to a Director at Northern who has agreed in principle the idea of a class 158 or 155 running up to Buxton in the context of this celebration

·        We understand that the Friends of Whaley Bridge Station have talked about the possibility of a steam train event to co-incide with this event.

·        There has been no development in respect of setting up a Line User Group. This is something Mike Rose will oversee.

It was the view of the meeting that there would be value in representatives of the various Friends’ Groups meeting from time to time to share ideas.

(7) Engine Project

Bill Barrett is still working on this. Nothing to report at this stage.

(8) Appointment of Independent Examiner 

The meeting authorised John to approach someone who might be willing to undertake this on our behalf.

(9) AOB

·        We require 6-8 bags of additional gravel for the area leading from the car park to Platform 1. John to arrange.

·        Ian has kindly offered to do some general tidying of the flower beds etc in the next couple of weeks.

(8) Next Meeting

MONDAY 29^th March 2010 (AGM)  at the Crown and Mitre (7.00 pm). John to invite Mark Eastwood to attend.

MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON MONDAY 23^rd NOVEMBER

AT 7.00 AT CROWN AND MITRE, CHINLEY.

PRESENT. John Brook (Chairman and Minutes). Ian Barley, Keith Walker, Guy Martin, Derek O’Brien, Don Coffey. 

1) APOLOGIES.  Mary Townsend, Peter Helps, Bill Barratt.

2) MINUTES. Minutes of the meeting on 30^th September were agreed and signed.

3) MATTERS ARISING. Hanging Baskets. Prototype erected, and looking good. Many thanks to Don for all his hard work in design and construction. Agreement from Network Rail and Northern Rail received. Baskets to be provided by Northern. Fundraising- Guy /John have produced a letter for local specific distribution to request help towards costs of posts. 

4) WORK PARTIES.  Last working party curtailed due to very poor weather, but a lot achieved nevertheless. Future work now to be concentrated on hanging basket posts, and downside platform border between crossing and waiting shelter. Roughly 4 foot wide border to be planted and maintained. Withies behind edge to be left but kept under control. Possible extension later from shelter towards Signalbox, as is possible creation of fourth planter.  Running in board a possibility, as is low wicket fence to create a back border.  Due to safety/audit requirements, a monthly record of working parties to be created, also showing inspections of items we are responsible for. Record to be kept by Secretary. (POST MEETING NOTE;- Now in place). NOTE; - This inspection is not to affect the current role of Station Adopter, whose line of reporting remains direct to Northern Rail.

Concern expressed about upside waiting shelter still in red paint. Whilst we had indicated we might be able to assist in painting blue, closer inspection had revealed the need to totally strip existing down, and probably remove/replace existing clear panels to ensure a proper job done. This we felt was outside of current resource availability in view of need to complete the job quickly, and matter to be referred back to Northern Rail. Suggested we approach Mark Barker (Northern Rail) at next CRP meeting.

5) MAINTENANCE/STATION ADOPTER.  Derek advised details of his monthly report to Northern Rail. Very concerned at lack of any apparent action to issues raised. Help Point on Downside still OOU, and recently found out that this had been closed off by ISS before rectification. Matter Re opened, but still no sign of action. New lighting controls don’t seem to have made much difference, as lights still on at times during day, and have been off at night. If preserved railways can manage to turn platform lights on/off by remote action, why can’t Northern/Network Rail? Meeting expressed extreme concern about state of timberwork on main station building, and hope that original timescale by Network Rail for getting this sorted (Jan 1010) is still being kept to.

6) PUBLICITY Now we are properly established, and have proved our ability to achieve results, the meeting felt it was essential that we increase the membership and interest, so that others may be encouraged to come along to help out. This does not necessarily mean attendance at working parties, although this work is vital, but money raising, publicity, and general assistance all have a part to play. Even just being knowledgeable about what we are doing is a help. The meeting decided that colourful publicity posters, perhaps updating the ‘heading’ with some colour etc would help. (Don/Guy will look at this) We also need more frequent press coverage/releases etc. (John to produce). Whilst things like Coffee Mornings/Table Top sales can raise some money, they have the added advantage of also providing publicity, and this to be looked at as a possibility.  

7) FRIENDS OF BUXTON STATION.  Meeting noted with pleasure the formation of a Friends group there. An invitation has been extended to them to attend one of our meetings, possibly next one when we hope to have attendance of the new Station Manager. It is hoped that it will now be possible to consider the formation of a line user group. Discussion centred on clarifying difference between Friends groups-(main responsibility their station) and Line user group, (mainly pressure group to improve services). It was vital that in both cases groups were able to work with the Rail industry, whilst obviously being able to bring pressure to bear as required to achieve their aims.

8) SPECIAL TRAIN. It has become apparent that the risks associated with running a special train of Northern Rail diesel units over the old ‘Midland’ line via Peak Forest, are excessive. The meeting considered that it would be better to now focus on celebrations for the 150^th Anniversary of the lines opening, in May 2013. Suggestions include;- unusual traction- but gauging and route knowledge may be an issue, special livery train, tie in with Railway walks to Bakewell, (suggest special vintage? Bus to Blackwell from Buxton), involve local people with reminiscences, schools with special projects etc. East Midlands Tourist Board may be a useful resource. Noted that John and Keith are potentially involved in sub group from CRP to discuss and arrange overall line celebrations.

9) A.O.B. Nothing was raised under this heading.

10) DATES OF NEXT MEETINGS. To assist with diary dates it was agreed to specify 2010 meeting and working party dates for the whole of the year.

Meetings to continue on last Monday every other Month. Working Parties monthly, second Saturday each month, excluding January.

MEETINGS - 25/01/10.  29/03/10 (A.G.M.).  24/05/10.  26/07/10. 27/09/10.  29/11/10.  

WORKING PARTIES - 13/02/10. 13/03/10.  10/04/10.  08/05/10. 12/06/10.  10/07/10.  14/08/10.  11/09/10.  09/10/10.  13/11/10.  11/12/10.