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Community Rail News – 24 June 2026

Hello everyone.

Before we get into the bulletin, we want to take a moment to acknowledge the tragic events near Bedford last week. Our thoughts are with all those affected, and we extend our gratitude to the emergency services and railway staff in the East Midlands for their swift response and support.

This edition of the bulletin marks both an ending and a beginning for Community Rail Network. 

Firstly, we want to take the opportunity to thank Jools Townsend, who left the organisation yesterday after nine and a half years as chief executive. During her time with Community Rail Network, Jools has been an outstanding advocate for community rail, helping to grow the movement’s reach, impact and influence across the rail industry, government and wider transport sector. Her commitment, passion and leadership have helped shape the strong position community rail enjoys today, and we know our members and partners will want to join us in thanking her for everything she has done and wishing her every success for the future. 

At the same time, we are delighted to welcome Bill Freeman back to Community Rail Network as our new chief executive. Bill will officially join us on 3 August, and we know many of you will already be familiar with his longstanding commitment to community rail and sustainable transport. 

Until then, it’s very much business as usual. Our senior leadership team will continue to lead the organisation’s work and support members across the network, with oversight from the Board, ensuring continuity throughout the transition period. We remain focused on delivering for our members, partners and stakeholders, and on supporting community rail at what is a hugely important time for the railway. 

Looking ahead, we are excited about the opportunities in front of us. Rail reform, devolution and greater integration across transport are creating a new landscape in which community rail has an increasingly important role to play. As ever, Community Rail Network exists to support, champion and connect the people and organisations making a difference in their communities, and we look forward to working with all of you as we begin this next chapter together. 

Thank you, as always, for your continued support, energy and commitment to community rail. 

Best wishes
Jeremy

Team changes

We are delighted that Ian Savage has joined the team as fundraising and partnerships manager. Ian brings with him extensive experience across the third sector, having held fundraising management positions in various charities over the last 25 years. Please join us in wishing Ian a very warm welcome.

We also have a message from Sam Agnew, director of member support and development:

“After a hugely rewarding period with Community Rail Network, I’ll be leaving mid-August to take up a chief operating officer role with an organisation I have long supported as a volunteer. It’s a role I simply couldn’t turn down, and one that reflects a long-standing personal commitment.

“I want to be very clear that this change does not affect the strength, stability, or direction of the organisation. We have strong leadership in place, experienced teams across the organisation, and clear plans already underway to ensure continuity throughout the transition and beyond. Day-to-day delivery, member support, and ongoing programmes will continue as normal. 

“I’m incredibly proud of what we have achieved together, and deeply grateful for the warmth and support shown to me from across the community rail movement.”

We wish Sam all the best for her exciting new chapter. Recruitment for a new director will begin shortly, and we will keep you up to date.

Community Rail Conference 2026

Our annual Community Rail Conference, hosted in partnership with the Department for Transport, will take place in Derby on Monday 19 and Tuesday 20 October. Please note this event is specifically for community rail partnerships and rail industry partners. Invitations and booking details were sent directly to eligible colleagues on Friday 19 June.

Upcoming sessions

Over the coming months, we have an exciting range of online sessions for members covering: a showcase of Community Rail Development Funded-projects, education and youth engagement, sharpening your outcomes and impact, and networking opportunities for community rail officers. Visit our online calendar for details and registration links.

Awards sponsorship opportunities

We still have a variety of sponsorship opportunities available for the 2027 Community Rail Awards, ranging from awards categories to the drinks reception and photography package. With an expected 500+ attendees and visibility across digital channels and national media, sponsoring an aspect of our Awards is a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate your commitment to community-led action. Check out our sponsorship pack here and contact the Events team for a chat.

Several of our community rail partnership members have been busy supporting Better Transport Week, as the Campaign for Better Transport team made it their mission last week to visit new and reopened railway stations across the country. This included travelling to Newcastle to experience the highly successful Northumberland Line, which has welcomed close to a million journeys in its first year; taking a trip along one of the world’s most scenic rail journeys, the Settle to Carlisle Line, which turns 150 this year; and seeing the brand-new electric tram-trains operating on the South Wales Metro between Treherbert and Cardiff.

As Campaign for Better Transport says: “What stood out throughout the tour was the transformative power of a railway station. When a station opens, places begin to change. People gain easier access to jobs, education and healthcare. Businesses see new opportunities to grow. Journeys become simpler and more reliable, and communities feel more connected.”
Tyne Valley CRP, Friends of Blaydon Station, Northern and ISS have worked together to install a reproduction ceramic tiled map at Blaydon Station, honouring the history of the North Eastern Railway (NER). The original map was created in 1900, detailing the entire NER system stretching from Berwick to Rotherham and Carlisle to Withernsea. As well as the passenger lines, included were nearby features such as lakes, country houses, battlefields, castles, abbeys, and cathedrals.

Joseph Codling, Blaydon Station Adopter, said: “Blaydon’s beautiful reproduction NER map celebrates the station’s importance to the railway story and builds on our efforts to create a welcoming station with a clear sense of place, which we hope the community can be proud of. The new map looks fantastic next to our popular Blaydon Races mural too!”
The Friends of Crewkerne Station have been busy coming up with new ways to encourage passengers to explore the Blackmore Vale Line this summer. The volunteers are currently preparing a leaflet of walks from the station, and recently embarked on a fact-finding trip to Exeter to discover the range of visitor attractions that are easily accessible by rail. These included the Cathedral, Prince Albert Memorial Museum, underground passages, historic hostelries, as well as the Catacombs and Roman Walls.

Discover more in Blackmore Vale CRP’s Salisbury to Exeter line guide.