GREATER ANGLIA: INGATESTONE STATION ADOPTER REPORT: YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2019
INGATESTONE175 1
2
I have been the GA Station Adopter at Ingatestone Station since May 2015. After all that has taken place here since then it is difficult to look back and consider that a mainline station that then had only one half restored platform and buildings and no extended platforms, has been transformed so substantially. The platform 1 buildings have been brilliantly brought back into use with help from the Railway Heritage Trust. Both platforms have been widened at parts to make them safer, particularly for the 400/500 Anglo European School Ingatestone school pupils who use this station to come in from East London and places in-between and elsewhere each term day, and regular commuters to both London and north to Chelmsford and beyond. The old bridge has been sand-blasted and restored and both car parks have been either repaired or, in the case of the main area by the ticket office, completely resurfaced, which included replacing all the main drainage, dating back to when the station was constructed in the 1840s. Both waiting rooms are used for displays of local and tourist information and there are notice boards for use by clubs and societies. All this has made my life as station adopter much easier and more rewarding. We have still however, up to earlier this year, had to deal with regular rail replacement between Liverpool Street and Norwich. Whilst this has been a pain at times, it has, as I have often joked to village residents, drawn the station and this area to the attention of rail travellers who may have never thought of Ingatestone as a destination before. It is now not unusual in the summer to see parties of walkers and cyclists coming through our station to see if we do live up to the motto of:
THE GATEWAY TO MID-ESSEX In this year, 2019, we have celebrated the 150th anniversary of a station on this site. We are looking forward to bringing the historic 1846 Station Master’s House back into use as a commercial unit and there is also the ongoing project with Ingatestone & Fryerning Parish Council to turn the Crossing Keeper’s Cottage into a local museum. In 2020 we hope to develop the courtyard garden onto a more formal memorial to the late Bish Simpson with a new plaque and seat and renewal of the old hanging basket brackets. Gardening takes into account the local wildlife and the “Wild Garden” continues to be developed on Platform 1, where “Station Brook” flows under the track towards Hall Lane, Ingatestone Hall and the River Wid. Maybe a bid for a water fountain for station users will succeed? Together with the new trains on the horizon for our line, these are exciting and still busy times. Overleaf is a summary of the main developments here during the year ended 31 July 2019. Robert Fletcher GA Station Adopter Ingatestone 05 September 2019 1
1
All the photographs and posters included in this document are the author’s other than the front page photo of myself and Steve Wills holding the Stadler cake at the INGATESTONE175 event which was taken by Mick Hone. My broken upper, right arm in late July 2018 obviously didn’t stop me snapping even if it did make watering and weeding difficult at times!!
3
DATE
WHAT HAPPENED Car park drains on P2 done and re-surfaced. New extended disabled parking bays created and marked. New petrol interceptor located in the top of car park on P2 to protect water course leading to the Wid. Rail replacement continues. Fencing on P1 replaced which controls litter. (Thanks Mark) Weekends with fine weather see groups of cyclists coming into the station for rides and walkers too. Whole car park on P2 is re-surfaced over a weekend now the drains are complete. A great improvement! 100 years since the 1918 Armistice and the station records the Station Master’s sons killed in 1915 and 1917. The Wild Garden behind the fence on P1 is continually weeded and kept clear. Local Rotary once again play Christmas music and collect for charity by the TO. Later, a wonderful evening carol singing from Ingatestone & Margaretting Junior Schools. Rail replacement over Christmas & the New Year again. Frosty days show up the beautiful colours in the Wild Garden. Looking forward to Spring! Hopeful news that the Station Master’s House may be finally let for commercial purposes. Holocaust Memorial Day marked with displays. The new ANPR car park machines have arrived and look a bit stark at first. Some confusion about the old machines. Network Rail contractors re-paint the fencing at the crossing. Dog walking goodies provided by Brentwood BC in the Waiting rooms soon snaffled up. On a busy rail replacement day I clear the wild garden and discover several roses and investigate the stream and tunnel. Litter pick in Hall Lane. ANPR machines installed with new bollards and gradually seem more in place. We start advertising and organising the INNGATESTONE175 event to mark the first station on this site in 1844. th INGATESTONE175 event on 12 is a great success with 200+ people, AES music, exhibition, Stadler sponge cake, presentations, guests and cafe refreshments. Later there is the cycle ride and a walk to Billericay Station as part of the celebrations. New plants, baskets and bracket. At last, the old payphone box is removed from the TO porch (only taken about 10 years!). The INGATESTONE175 exhibition moves into the local library for a long run and is very popular. Bike Week 2019 events advertised at the station. Finally the old car parking machines have been taken away. Courtyard Garden good. Roses out in the Wild Garden. Some trees trimmed by neighbours in a property next to P1 which improves the “Simon Jenkins” countryside views.
2018 AUGUST SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
2019 JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
ROBERT W FLETCHER GA STATION ADOPTER INGATESTONE
10 CHERRY TREES THE MEADS INGATESTONE ESSEX CM4 0AP
01277 354431 / 07910 679379 rfletcher189@gmail.com
13