News from other lines...

The Friends of Reddish South Station (FoRSS) and the Friends of Denton Station have recently been successful in getting endorsement for their campaign to re-instate a regular service from Reddish South and Denton stations (and Guide Bridge?) into Manchester Victoria. The national rail campaigning organisation, Railfuture and Manchester Travelwatch have both commented supporting these proposals in response to the recent Network Rail Northern Route Utilisation Strategy. Significantly these groups claim that the diversion of existing services could be carried out in a short timescale and at low cost to provide the service.

FoRSS have now formally adopted their station and the clearing and planting that took place around the station area last year is now begining to produce a much improved environment. A community art project is due to swing into action later in the spring, producing some temporary artwork for the station and more importantly improving community engagement.

In another coup FoRSS have persuaded the operator of a charter train from Chester to Newcastle to stop to pick up and set down passengers at Reddish South on May 7th. This will be the first time fare paying passengers have been able to catch a train from and to Reddish South on the same day since 1991!

See: http://s.coop/drr for more details.

The next folk train event is due to take place on Good Friday (22nd April) when those journeying on the train from Stockport to Stalybridge will be joined by folk musicians. The intention being, as usual on these occasions, to run the conductor off his feet - a railway form of Supermarket Dash as he tries to collect as many fares as possible in 20-odd minutes from two full carriages of passengers joining from the unstaffed stations of Reddish South and Denton! A hearty breakfast at Stalybridge Station Buffet will follow. Anyone is free to join in, just catch the train on the day!

We hope to have a presentation from FoRSS at one of our meetings later this year, so watch this space.

STOP PRESS: Looks like pressure from Andrew Gwynne has paid off and Northern Rail are to repair the platform at Denton. I guess that their responsibilities in regards to public safety don't really leave them any options, but nevertheless this is good news and maybe hints at the fact that a more regular service may not be too far away.