
Hello everyone. We hope, as always, that this bulletin finds you well.
Rail reform
We continue to ensure the voice of community rail is heard as rail reform and the establishment of Great British Railways (GBR) progresses. Whilst we meet regularly with the Department for Transport, it is always good to be broadening the interest in these developments, hence our recent work with parliamentarians in Westminster.
Following a meeting with Elsie Blundell, MP for Heywood and Middleton and member of the Transport Select Committee, she submitted several parliamentary questions regarding the role of community rail in the context of rail reform. You can view them here: Question 1, Question 2 and Question 3. Similarly, following the Parliamentary Reception, Baroness Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Transport in the House of Lords, also submitted questions – Question 1 and Question 2. The responses to these questions include positive ministerial statements that are now on record. We will follow up with the relevant ministers at the Department for Transport and maintain an ongoing dialogue with Elsie as we continue to build a network of supportive MPs. As always, if you would like any advice or support, please get in touch with Sarah Chilton.
Get involved in Days Out by Rail
Our flagship tourism and leisure campaign, Days Out by Rail, returns this summer from 1–31 August, and we’re inviting everyone involved in community rail to take part. We’re calling on members to share their local knowledge and hidden tourism gems that are easily accessible by train, focused around four themes:
- Family adventures loved by locals
- Unlock the past by train
- Memorable moments for less
- From rails to reels
These community-sourced highlights will form the heart of the campaign, which will be promoted through the Scenic Rail Britain website and social media channels. See our website for more details about these themes and how to get involved or get in touch with Alice.
Travelling with Confidence grant funds
As part of our Travelling with Confidence programme – aimed at empowering hundreds of disabled people to travel more confidently by rail and connecting modes – we will soon be in a position to provide a small number of grants (and support) to accredited CRPs to set up similar, smaller-scale initiatives in their local areas, and be part of our wider project. We will be holding an online information session on Tuesday 16 September, 12-1pm. If you are interested in attending, or would like more information, please contact Sally.
Transport for Greater Manchester small grants fund
A reminder to our members in the Greater Manchester region that we administer the Small Grants Fund on behalf of Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM). CRPs and community stations can apply for up to £1,500, and station friends groups can apply for up to £500 to support community-benefiting projects. Find the full funding criteria and application form here.
Send your stories to news@communityrail.org.uk and see our guidance on submitting stories.
Your next bulletin is on 6 August. Keep up-to-date in between on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, Bluesky and X.
Best wishes,
Jeremy and Bill


- Get your nominations ready for Railway 200-inspired World Cup of Stations
- Northern asks amateur artists to reinvent British Railway posters for competition
- Building transport equity: Motability Foundation publishes 2025-30 strategy
- Sustrans and Transport for All launch ‘Transforming Mobility’ report
- IPPR publishes report exploring transport challenges for low-income households

- Try the train trip helps bring Colchester’s Bangladeshi community together
- Winners of national rail safety ‘Backtrack’ competition announced
- Settle Carlisle RDC promotes car-free summer travel to North Yorkshire Dales
- Kents Bank Station exhibition celebrates golden age of train travel to seaside
- Schoolchildren take their first train journey thanks to Friends of Handforth Station
- Popular summer rail-bus link from Great Yarmouth Station will run for another year
- Memorial to MP Jo Cox unveiled at her hometown railway station of Batley
- Host a railway history and heritage talk ‘as told by posters’ at your station event
- Essex & South Suffolk CRP and volunteers plant new garden at Battlesbridge Station
- New River Line CRP creates colouring book to entertain children on train trips
- Explore the free and interactive adventure trail at stations along Darent Valley Line
- BBC radio star unveils heritage plaques at Morecambe Promenade Station


The Exhibition Train celebrations didn’t stop there – the CRP also revealed the winners of their art competition, which encouraged young people to get creative and design their own Railway 200-inspired train wrap. Three winners were crowned from an incredible 120 entries, including Florence from Earlsdon Primary School, whose design (pictured above) won the 8-11 years category. The winners received book tokens and will also be featured at Coventry Transport Museum as part of the Railway 200 ‘200 Journeys’ project exhibition later this year.

