Station adopters from across the Tyne Valley Community Rail Partnership (CRP) enjoyed a fact-finding visit to Dumfries Station to share expertise and best practice with fellow community rail volunteers. 

The visit was a result of Tyne Valley CRP officer Fiona Forsythe passing through on her own travels and noticing how well-kept and extensive the Dumfries Station gardens were. Fiona linked up with Dougie Thomson, station supervisor, and the station adopters visit was organised for early October.  

The group of sixteen station adopters from Blaydon, Prudhoe, Bardon Mill, Haltwhistle and Wetheral were warmly welcomed by Frank Jones, lead volunteer with the Dumfries Adoptive Station Gardening (DARG) group. The guests were placed into four different groups to tour the station and its gardens, highlighting elements including the watering system, Fairy Glen, and slate boards indicating where items have been planted. 

Frank explained how the planting has changed over time, with perennials giving way to bi-annuals, and plants being grown from seed rather than bought as plants. The volunteers at Dumfries have also worked with local community groups to create bug hotels and art installations, and a former coal bunker has been included as an interesting feature of the station garden.   

Before heading home, the Tyne Valley volunteers also got the chance to tour the parcels office and station museum, as well as sampling some well-earned refreshments in the station café.

Colin Moore, Tyne Valley CRP director, said: “Tyne Valley CRP much appreciate the efforts of our station adopters, and this was a way of expressing our thanks. It will certainly not be the last venture aimed at this important group. 

“We received positive feedback for providing this opportunity, and it is hoped the Dumfries gardeners will in turn visit the Tyne Valley group at Haltwhistle Station to further establish these firm ties. 

“Our thanks go to Frank Jones and his colleagues at DARG, Dougie Thomson, station supervisor at Dumfries, and Sandra Rutherford, community development executive at ScotRail and controller at ScotRail’s adopt-a-station scheme.” 

Frank Jones, lead volunteer at DARG, said: “It was a real pleasure to have the group visit our station. It’s good to have the opportunity to meet and spend time with kindred spirits. 

“Every station is different and what we are able to do as volunteers is linked by so many factors over which we don’t often have control. However, we are linked by a common bond – the desire to enhance our local station environment. Getting together on occasion makes us realise that we are a wide community with so many things in common.” 

Keep up to date with future news, projects and events from Tyne Valley CRP via their website.