Friends of Hunmanby Railway Station newsletter September 2020
Restoration of the railway bench:
During lockdown, John & Monica at the Station House, have used the time to do a full restoration of the old wooden bench that was in the old bus shelter on the Hull platform, sanded down to bare wood, treated, new wood spliced to replace rot in the legs, several layers of undercoat and top coat, the bench has now been installed back on the Hull platform, in time for the improved train service on Monday 14th September. Friends of Hunmanby Railway Station would welcome more information on the history of the bench, full details:
Hunmanby Station shortlisted for National Rail Awards:
Also, during lockdown with over 200 foot of long flower borders, the station became a place to enjoy with many villagers taking their exercise walks along the platform. With support from the local rail manager. Friends of Hunmanby Railway Station submitted an entry into the National Rail Awards, for a project costing under £500 entitled 'attracting passengers to Hunmanby's new hourly train service' and is in a short list of 8, come the presentation event in Southampton on 9th December 2020, more info:
Restoration of hourly train service at Hunmanby:
From Monday 14th September 2020, the train service will be restored to an hourly train service Monday to Saturday, on Sundays trains will remain every two hours in each direction. Most trains will be through trains to or from Sheffield.
Full details northern railway timetables website
Monday 14th September 2020 at Hunmanby Railway Station, from 6.20am to 9.40pm, Free Fruit and Vegetables:
To mark the return of the hourly train service to the village, you are invited to take what you can use, from the tables at the entrance to each platform.
The tables topped up throughout the day
All left over fruit and vegetables will be taken to the Spring Cafe, a Community Cafe, run by All Saints Church, Hunmanby Free Fridge Project, and Eastfield Westway Open Arms Project
The produce has been kindly donated by Hunmanby Garden Produce Association, Hunmanby Allotment holders, and local villagers.
Further details from Friends of Hunmanby Railway Station
John & Monica 892426 or Nick 07895 981483
Covid and its impact on the local railway:
March 2020, on the eve of lockdown, in late March the Rail Franchise System was suspended by the Government.
Further details from article in Rail Staff March 2020 government suspends rail franchise agreements web page
Throughout the lockdown, Hunmanby retained its train service with the timetable reduced and amended to reflect the travel needs of key workers. The service ran at a high level of reliability ensuring those key workers who needed to use public transport could do so.
As with all businesses many changes have been made to reduce transmission risk of the virus to staff and passengers. This webpage is to Parliamentary Questions on 20th May 2020 regarding the Northern Rail cleaning process
The link below gives full details of Northern Rail work in this area
Northern Rail webpage regarding customers can have confidence in cleanliness of the railway
As lockdown was eased in early July, so the message from the Government was modified, to look at other forms of transport, bike, cycling, motor bike and private car first, This was due to limited capacity on public transport due to social distancing requirements.
With the need to re-open the economy, September 14th will see train services across the north improved, but this will not see the full resumption of the rail service that existed Pre Covid.
Why are not all rail services running?
There are many reasons. Starting point will be running trains to a timetable when there are staff, able to run it. But also with sufficient cover in these uncertain times for the need of staff to self-isolate if required at short notice. For those who plan the timetable, September 14th has been set as a date for a stable timetable for the next 3 months. During the Covid pandemic, passenger timetables have been modified on a week by week
basis. The National Rail system is designed around 2 timetable changes a year (May and December). Weekly wholesale changes produced by staff, mostly home working has put timetable planners under a lot of pressure. To their credit, train services have been very reliable, and the nations railways provided an important service for both key workers and the movement of goods by rail during the pandemic. The link below is to the punctuality of Northern Rail trains at all recorded stops for the last month, up to 22nd August 2020
Challenges for all businesses in the ‘new normal’
When using any service, be it a shop or a train take time to think about the staff providing the service, be patient, don’t get stressed. On railway stations and trains coverings now need to be worn. (Unless you are exempt)
Railway Companies like Northern Rail face many challenges operating within Government guidelines, that effect all businesses where staff are not working from home. One challenge is finding additional space in buildings to ensure the 2-metre rule. But more pressing for providing a train service is having staff trained to run the train service. The Covid situation is now over 5 months old, and all companies lose trained staff due to
retirement or moving jobs. For the nation’s railways, where safety is paramount, most training has been suspended for this period. It is not, for example, possible to train new drivers in the cab of a train. Many other industries will face similar problems ensuring they keep their employees and customers safe. Northern Rail faces big challenges, with the largest rail network, number of stations to look after and wide range of trains. This coupled with the some of the country's most challenging routes in economic and social terms. One strength Northern Rail has is the community involvement it has pioneered.
CCTV at Hunmanby Railway Station:
One impact of the current situation is that the finishing of the CCTV system at Hunmanby station is on hold. The new waiting shelters, ticket machine, real time information screens, new station sign have all been
installed and are working well.
Friends of Hunmanby Railway Station website:
During the Covid situation, the website was updated to reflect the efforts being put in to keep people safe and show the wide range of support and help available. New pages were added including local walks and an updated list of village events and what Hunmanby has to offer. The website gets about 1,000 visits a week and new residents and visitors particularly have found it helpful to find out a bit more about the local area.
Any other ideas, errors please get in touch!
Would you like to receive more information about rail services and community involvement?
Friends of Hunmanby Railway Station Newsletter is put together usually twice a year, in advance of a timetable change, to report back on progress, and promote the new rail timetable and any changes. It goes to a local groups, traders and interested residents, by email, with a paper copy to those without a computer. Friends of Hunmanby railway station increasingly receive information from a variety of sources. This ranges from being tipped of about special priced train tickets. (Last year Trans-Pennine Express offered journeys for £1 and Northern rail 10p!) Northern Rail and the Community Rail Network giving positive stories of other station groups across the north from challenging inner-city stations to remote rural locations and their achievements. Then there are campaigning groups like Rail Future and Campaign for Better Transport. If you would like more information passed on to you, please just reply in an email.
Access for All Funding Raised Platform from Hull Platform:
The application for funding to the Department for Transport last year for a ‘Harrington Hump’ to raise the platform on the Hull bound platform and make the whole journey from road to train have level access, was not
successful.
Full details from the Government Website giving details of the £20 million funding boost for accessibility improvements
However, the local area did well, there are only 4 stations in the Parliamentary Constituency of Thirsk and Malton. There were three applications and both Thirsk and Malton railway stations were successful, 2 local railway stations out of 124, and over 2,500 railway stations in the country. One requirement was for the £20 million to be spread geographically, so it is understandably, not all local bids could be winners this time.
Staff at the Department for Transport were impressed an application had been sent in by a community group,
(a first) and the number of supporting letters. The Department for Transport have assured Friends of Hunmanby railway Station that the work put in will be kept on file and help when a future round of funds are released by the Government. Thanks are due to all our local Councillors and Hunmanby, Scarborough and North Yorkshire Councils, our Member of Parliament, The Community Rail Partnership, Local Disability Groups and rail users for their personal supporting letters explaining how the large step on and off the train which causes problems for access.
North Eastern Railway Tile Map for Hunmanby Railway Station:
To finish on a positive note. On the Hull bound platform, for several years there has been the Tour de France Sheep from Leyburn on the Station House wall. This has deteriorated over the last 12 months and being plyboard would be hard to repair. John & Monica at the Station House are aiming to have it repaired and repainted and put somewhere out of the weather. But what to put in the space. The Friends of Hunmanby Railway Station have had a very kind offer from a person who wants to remain anonymous to both pay for and install a North Eastern Railway Tile Map. (They come in 3 sizes and the one they would like is the full-size version, 6 foot by 6 foot 4inch)
Further details from the North Eastern Tile Company Website
The high cost reflects the craftsmanship of the product, and the heritage of its production at original works at Jackfield, in Ironbridge.
Further details from the Craven Dunnill website
There are just three of these full-size replica maps on public display
Beamish Museum, Pickering Station on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and Barter Books at Alnwick.
According to the North Eastern Tile Company, the one at Hunmanby would be the first time in 100 years that a new North Eastern Railway Tile Map has been put up at a main line station! If you are visiting Beverley or Scarborough, these two local stations retain their original North Eastern Railway Tile Map, well worth a visit.
Updated 22.10.2021