Good News Friday: A weekly roundup of positive rail news!
Posted: 23 February 2024 | Emily Budgen | No comments yet
Read below to find out more about the positive rail news that has happened this week and all the extra work rail people do.
Date announced for Railway Family Week 2024
Charity the Railway Benefit Fund (RBF) have announced the dates for their fourth annual Railway Family Week event. This year, the event will take place between 22 – 28 April.
Founded in 2021 as a result of the pandemic, Railway Family Week is a celebration of the railway industry and all those who are part of it. From passenger, freight, infrastructure, supply chain and ancillary services; the 240,000 people working in the industry are part of the ‘railway family’ and keep the country moving day in, day out.
The aim of Railway Family Week is to raise £50,000 for the RBF; a charity that provides financial support to current, former and retired railway staff and their dependents across the UK. Founded in 1858, the charity’s vision is for a brighter future for railway people across the nation. To achieve this goal, RBF are asking people to get involved and make a difference this Railway Family Week.
This year, teams from across the industry, including Porterbrook, Freightliner, RIA and Avanti West Coast will be taking on 2,000 mile virtual walk around Great Britain, calling at 23 iconic stations along the way. Team members track their real-world activity along a virtual route in a step challenge app, which sees them move along the map of the UK, calling at key station milestones along the way.
To enter a team, visit: www.railwaybenefitfund.org.uk/station-to-station-challenge
RBF are looking for volunteers to get involved and help them reach their target of £50,000. The charity’s aim is to accrue 50,000 volunteer minutes across the week. Whether you can give 30 minutes, a few hours, an afternoon, or a full day, you can make a real impact. RBF will provide you with a digital volunteering pack with all you need to start fundraising and get your friends and colleagues involved.
The Railway Family Raffle is back. This year there are three incredible prizes up for grabs: a Hornby Bundle, a Desktop Departure Board and tickets to ‘Here & Now’, the Steps Musical.
Enter the raffle here: https://go.eventgroovefundraising.com/railwayfamily
World renowned landscape photographer to attend exhibition at Edinburgh Waverley
Edinburgh Waverley will host the Landscape Photographer of the Year exhibition from today (Monday 19 February) until 4 March.
One of the world’s leading landscape photographers, and exhibition founder, Charlie Waite, was in the Network Rail managed station this week between 9am and 1pm to give his expert insight into the items on display.
Amateur and professional photographers, as well as interested members of the public, were able to speak with Charlie, who’s hoping to inspire this year’s winning entry.
Scott Fisher, head of property marketing and insight, Network Rail, said: “We’re looking forward to hosting the exhibition at Edinburgh Waverley and welcoming Charlie to the station this week.
“We’re encouraging passengers and photographers alike to stop by, speak to Charlie and take a look at some of the amazing photographs on display.”
The Landscape Photographer of the Year competition was launched by Charlie in 2007.
It sees entries compete for a top prize of £10,000, with the photographer judged to have entered the single best image from the main adult categories awarded Landscape Photographer of the Year.
Over the last 35 years, Charlie has lectured throughout the UK, Europe and the US, holding solo exhibitions in London, Tokyo, Sydney, Brisbane, Melborne, New York and California.
From rail to trail: Some of the best cycle routes from Northern stations
Whether you’re looking for a two-wheeled challenge or a chilled-out pedal through some spectacular scenery, there is plenty of cycle routes from Northern’s stations.
It is free to take your bike on a Northern train, and you don’t need to book in advance, although we do operate on a first-come, first-served basis.
Bradford Forster Square: Pick up National Cycle Network route 66 at Bradford Forster Square to head south towards Dewsbury and the Spen Valley Greenway. The route north becomes the Canal Road Greenway which is car-free most of the way to Shipley.
Dent:A challenging but rewarding cycle. This is the highest main line station in England. From Dent Village (about 4 miles, at first steeply downhill from Dent Station) turn left towards Ingleton and follow the Pennine Cycleway to Settle Market Place.
Dronfield: A great place to access the Peak District, via bridleways at Unstone. There is also the option to link up to the Sheffield cycle route to Derby by taking the Lea Road over the bridge at the north end of the station, then turn right onto Cross Lane, then right onto Gomersal Lane, and left onto Gosforth Lane. This takes you to a bridge over the A61 bypass and suddenly you’re in the countryside.
Edale: The heart of the Peak District, Mountain bikers can head up Jacob’s ladder and emerge at Hayfield, where there’s a railway path down to New Mills. For road cyclists, Edale provides access to Mam Nick – a classic climb – and a popular route is via Peak Forest to return to Sheffield via Tideswell & Eyam or Millers Dale and Great Longstone.
Garsdale:Not for the faint-hearted, but you can try out part of the Tour De France route from Garsdale Station. Take the A684 through Hawes and Aysgarth, then turn right for the B6160 through Buckden and Kettlewell. Alternatively, for a quieter tour of the Dales, turn right at Hawes for Gayle, passing the Creamery and take Beggarmans Road across the top to Buckden and Kettlewell.
Hebden Bridge: As you leave the station you will come across signs for National Cycle Network route 66. Turn Right for Sowerby Bridge or left for Rochdale. NCN68, the Pennine Cycleway, also passes through Hebden.
Meadowhall:Despite its highly urbanised location, Meadowhall is at the crossroads of a number of important cycle routes, many of which are on the NCN. Routes 6 & 67, including the Chapeltown Greenway for routes to Penistone, Manchester, Barnsley, Leeds, York & Hull. You can use the scenic Five Weirs Walk leading back into Sheffield City Centre, and the canal towpath for Rotherham and the canal network beyond.
Kirkstall Forge:From this station there is access to the National Cycle Network route 66 leading to a lovely route on the Leeds – Liverpool towpath.
Low Moor: From here there is access to the Spen Valley Greenway from the station – turning left will bring you down into Bradford, turning right will take you down to Dewsbury and the Calder Valley.
Many Northern stations also have bike storage facilities, allowing you to cycle to the station and leave your bike securely locked until you return from your train journey. So whether you use the train to commute, for day-to-day travel or to explore the north, including a bike on your journey is easy.
Related organisations
Avanti West Coast, Freightliner, Network Rail, Porterbrook, RIA, The Railway Benefit Fund