A bench at Oldfield Park Station has been dedicated to John Irvine, a volunteer gardener and stalwart of the On-Board Community Group who devoted much of his time to brightening up the station.
John was an active volunteer at the station, who continued gardening with gusto long after his 90th birthday and shortly before he passed away in 2022.
During the hundreds of hours he spent tending the flowers on Platform 1, John would take great pleasure in chatting to fellow volunteers and passengers, and he is fondly remembered for his annual floral feature display in the shape of a train.
His gardening skills were of such legendary status that John was even featured in a Radio Bristol interview in 2021 to celebrate his 15 years of service. You can listen to the piece here.
To commemorate John’s memory, members of the On-Board Community Group gathered at the station in June 2024 along with John’s friends, neighbours, and members of the Severnside Community Rail Partnership (CRP) and Great Western Railway for a special unveiling ceremony of the memorial plaque.
Heather Cullimore of Severnside CRP, said: “John had a strong sense of community, and along with fellow members of the On-Board Community Group, set about improving Oldfield Park Station by planting flowers and making sure they were tended to and watered throughout the year. He was a great character and is much missed.”
Keep up to date with future news, projects and events from Severnside CRP via their website.
