WCRP latest Line Guides released

Worcestershire
Community Rail Partnership

Connecting stations to their communities

WCRP latest Line Guides released

Worcestershire
Community Rail
Partnership

Connecting stations to their communities

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Sad news for Worcestershire Community Rail Partnership

William Whiting

Worcestershire Community Rail Partnership is very sad to announce that our first Chair, William Whiting, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on Sunday 29th January 2023.
We send our deep condolences to his family.

William was the essence of partnership. He had a shared understanding with railway companies, local authorities and West Midlands Rail Executive of the challenges facing the industry in delivering the best services for passengers and communities, and he worked with them constructively, pragmatically but robustly to seek the best solutions. His influence was wide. He chaired the Stourbridge Line User Group up to his death and had previously chaired Railfuture West Midlands and been a Board member of Railfuture UK.

William will be greatly missed by all of us at WCRP. He was our first Chair, was instrumental in establishing WCRP in 2019, and led its many successful station adoption, marketing and educational initiatives. He came to the end of his 3 year service as Chair only in December 2022, and was rightly especially proud of his role in the ‘Platform Community Education Scheme’ which won the Community Rail Network’s 2022 award in its category titled ‘Influencing Positive Change & Sustainability’, words which precisely sum up William’s values and focus.

Ian Baxter, WCRP Chair 2023 said “William was a gentleman, bringing drive, energy and endless enthusiasm to WCRP. Having worked with him over many years from the industry part of the table, I was privileged to have him hand the WCRP baton to me just before Christmas. His death is a shock and a very great loss. We will work hard to continue to build on his legacy.”

WCRP welcomes new Chair

WCRP welcomes new Chair
WCRP welcomes new Chair

We are delighted to welcome Ian Baxter to WCRP.

Ian is Strategy Director at SLC Rail and has many years’ experience on both operating and community sides of the railway.

Ian has been a Chiltern Railways director, a scheme sponsor at Network Rail Western, SLC’s lead in supporting Worcestershire’s many rail schemes over the past 10 years, as well as Chair of the Cotswold Line Promotion Group in the 1990s.
He has taken over from William Whiting who stepped down as Chair at this year’s AGM. Ian thanked William for his excellent work over the past three years and looks forward to working with him on WCRP projects in the future.

WCRP 2022 Annual Report published

WCRP 2022 Annual Report published

Contents include:

Chair’s Report
Anniversary Event
Platform
WCRP Activities 2021-2022
Remembrance Day
Wheels2Rails
Try the Train
New Station adoption
Gallery
WCRP Aims & Objectives
Partner Information.
Read more…

WCRP sends wreaths to Paddington carried by GWR

WCRP sends wreaths to Paddington carried by GWR

WCRP pays tribute to the Armed Forces for their service and sacrifice on Remembrance Day.

Our Vice Chair, Colin Major, seen here with Cllr. Alex Sinton, Chair of Wychavon DC, sent wreaths to Paddington carried by GWR on Remembrance Day, 11th November 2022.
The wreaths were then laid at the station’s war memorial.
The Poppies to Paddington event, organised by The Veterans Charity and Great Western Railway, started in 2020 as memorial services had to be cancelled due to the pandemic.

Worcestershire Community Rail Partnership Annual General Meeting 2022

Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of the Worcestershire Community Rail Partnership will be held on Friday, 18th November 2022 at 10.45am at The Guildhall, High Street, Worcester WR1 2EY.
Nominations are sought for the Chair and Vice Chair of the Steering Group.
These should be sent by email together with a CV to Fiona Saxon, Community Rail Partnership Officer, Fiona.Saxon@tfwm.org.uk by no later than Thursday, 10th November 2022.
If any person wishes to attend the AGM in person or online they should also notify Fiona by the same date.
On behalf of Worcestershire Community Rail Partnership
William Whiting
Chair
Dated this 27th day of October 2022

Rail Trails

A new collaboration to help develop a set of ‘Rail Trails’ in the region has begun between the Worcestershire Community Rail Partnership, the Worcester Ramblers and a University of Worcester academic.

The trails are walking routes that link railway stations. The idea is that the public either walk a stretch of new path and come back to the start point on the train or do it the opposite way round.
The trails will be developed utilising the existing knowledge of the area’s walking routes supplied by Worcester Ramblers’ Lyndon Bracewell, the walking guide design and mapping expertise of the University’s Graphic Design Lecturer, Andy Stevenson, and the funding support of the Worcestershire Community Rail Partnership.
Left to right: Andy Stevenson, Senior Lecturer in Graphic Design at the University of Worcester, Lyndon Bracewell, a member of the Worcester Ramblers, and William Whiting, Chair of Worcestershire Community Rail Partnership.

Key figures in the Worcestershire Rail Trails project

Left to right: Andy Stevenson, Senior Lecturer in Graphic Design at the University of Worcester, Lyndon Bracewell, a member of the Worcester Ramblers, and William Whiting, Chair of Worcestershire Community Rail Partnership.

To date the team – who all work part time on the project – have been developing, assessing and testing the individual walks to be involved in the project’s first phase while also evolving a visual identity that will now percolate through all further project outputs.

William Whiting, Chair of Worcestershire Community Rail Partnership, said: “I am very excited to promote linear walks trails from stations in Worcestershire. Many other areas of the country have walks from stations as a way of encouraging use of local rail services and at the same time promoting healthy lifestyles. As a keen walker I believe the best way to see the countryside is by walking and these rail trails will provide the opportunity to explore some lovely parts of Worcestershire.”

The first phase is a 42-mile-long walking trail linking all 8 stations on the Worcestershire section of the ‘Cotswold Line’ between Great Malvern and Honeybourne. Further phases will link Worcester to all stations in the north of the County.

Lyndon Bracewell of Worcester Ramblers is developing and checking the routes with the help and local knowledge of other local members as well as the County Council’s Public Rights of Way team.
“I was keen to find a way to encourage more people to explore the County’s wonderful countryside and in a healthy and sustainable way,” he said. “Providing walking opportunities using the existing local rail network was an ideal way of achieving this. Even though I already knew the area quite well, I’ve been really surprised at how scenic and interesting the routes are.”

The team is aiming to have an initial tranche of outputs ready as downloadable pdf guide sheets and corresponding GPX files that can be used on walking apps in the New Year.

Senior Lecturer in Graphic Design at the University, Andy Stevenson, said: “This is a lovely ‘live’ collaboration between local organisations that fits with the Graphic Design course’s initiative to evolve ‘Design for community good’ where we aim to support charitable or community organisations with our various skillsets. In addition, this project’s aims, and outputs are also allied to some of my own research interests within my part-time PhD studies. As such it’s also an example of how ongoing research in the design and visual communications area at the University can provide practical help via knowledge exchange projects within the community too.”

A new development blog helping to document the project’s progress has also been developed and this can be seen at rail-trails.blogspot.com

Rail Trails – developing, assessing and testing the individual walks progresses

Left to right: Andy Stevenson, Senior Lecturer in Graphic Design at the University of Worcester, Lyndon Bracewell, a member of the Worcester Ramblers, and (the late) William Whiting, Chair of Worcestershire Community Rail Partnership.

Key figures in the Worcestershire Rail Trails project

Left to right: Andy Stevenson, Senior Lecturer in Graphic Design at the University of Worcester, Lyndon Bracewell, a member of the Worcester Ramblers, and (the late) William Whiting, Chair of Worcestershire Community Rail Partnership.

A new collaboration to help develop a set of ‘Rail Trails’ in the region has begun between the Worcestershire Community Rail Partnership, the Worcester Ramblers and a University of Worcester academic.

The trails are walking routes that link railway stations. The idea is that the public either walk a stretch of new path and come back to the start point on the train or do it the opposite way round.
The trails will be developed utilising the existing knowledge of the area’s walking routes supplied by Worcester Ramblers’ Lyndon Bracewell, the walking guide design and mapping expertise of the University’s Graphic Design Lecturer, Andy Stevenson, and the funding support of the Worcestershire Community Rail Partnership.

The team – who all work part time on the project – have been developing, assessing and testing the individual walks to be involved in the project’s first phase while also evolving a visual identity that will now percolate through all further project outputs.

William Whiting, Chair of Worcestershire Community Rail Partnership, said: “I am very excited to promote linear walks trails from stations in Worcestershire. Many other areas of the country have walks from stations as a way of encouraging use of local rail services and at the same time promoting healthy lifestyles. As a keen walker I believe the best way to see the countryside is by walking and these rail trails will provide the opportunity to explore some lovely parts of Worcestershire.”

The first phase is a 42-mile-long walking trail linking all 8 stations on the Worcestershire section of the ‘Cotswold Line’ between Great Malvern and Honeybourne. Further phases will link Worcester to all stations in the north of the County.

Lyndon Bracewell of Worcester Ramblers is developing and checking the routes with the help and local knowledge of other local members as well as the County Council’s Public Rights of Way team.
“I was keen to find a way to encourage more people to explore the County’s wonderful countryside and in a healthy and sustainable way,” he said. “Providing walking opportunities using the existing local rail network was an ideal way of achieving this. Even though I already knew the area quite well, I’ve been really surprised at how scenic and interesting the routes are.”

The team is aiming to have an initial tranche of outputs ready as downloadable pdf guide sheets and corresponding GPX files that can be used on walking apps in the New Year.

Senior Lecturer in Graphic Design at the University, Andy Stevenson, said: “This is a lovely ‘live’ collaboration between local organisations that fits with the Graphic Design course’s initiative to evolve ‘Design for community good’ where we aim to support charitable or community organisations with our various skillsets. In addition, this project’s aims, and outputs are also allied to some of my own research interests within my part-time PhD studies. As such it’s also an example of how ongoing research in the design and visual communications area at the University can provide practical help via knowledge exchange projects within the community too.”

A new development blog helping to document the project’s progress has also been developed and this can be seen at rail-trails.blogspot.com

Names and Winners announced – Name the Line competition 2021

The Wyre Valley Line

Names and Winners announced – Name the Line competition 2021

The line from Hagley to Droitwich Spa forms part of the route from Great Malvern to the West Midlands.

The Saltway Line

Names and Winners announced – Name the Line competition 2021

The line from Barnt Green to Droitwich Spa is part of the Worcester to Birmingham New Street route.

The Arrow Valley Line

Names and Winners announced – Name the Line competition 2021

The line from Barnt Green to Redditch is part of the CrossCity South commuter network.

Worcestershire Community Rail Partnership have announced the three winners from their Name the Line competition.

The line to Droitwich Spa via Bromsgrove to Barnt Green was named by Sue Lloyd and her winning suggestion was the Saltway Line. The Wyre Valley Line was named by Peter McNougher and covers the route serving the towns of Hagley, Blakedown, Kidderminster and Hartlebury. Last, but by no means least, is the line including the stations of Barnt Green, Alvechurch and Redditch which has been named the Arrow Valley Line by Margaret Evans. The winners were announced at Worcester Guildhall during the Rail Partnership’s second Anniversary event on Friday 12th November. They received a commemorative memento from Alan Amos, Worcestershire County Council Cabinet member for Transportation.

Colin Major Vice Chair Worcestershire Community Rail Partnership said, “We are delighted that all 18 stations in Worcestershire are now linked to named lines enabling the Community Rail Partnership to promote travel by rail and the stations not only to the local communities, but also to attract visitors to the businesses and places of interest served by the lines.”

The Worcestershire Community Rail Partnership are working with local communities to create Station Adoption Groups of volunteers who enhance station environments and build local pride in the facilities. One of the latest groups is the Friends of Droitwich Spa Railway Station who started in May and have already cleared and planted flowers in the flower beds and have exciting plans to make the station a more warming and friendly environment to catch a train.

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