. Community Rail in the City

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1 . Community Rail in the City The Sussex Community Rail team was out in force during Community Rail in the City to tell commuters about the wonderful destinations in Sussex, Kent and Surrey that they can travel to by rail. For the first time ever, Sussex CRP was represented at two London stations, London Bridge and Waterloo. On 16 th May, we had a very early start to get to London in time for the first wave of commuters at 7am. Tables, banners and boxes of leaflets had been delivered to London Bridge the day before and kindly stored by Network Rail in their offices at the station. SCRP Directors and staff all helped and we were joined by volunteers from South Downs National Park, Bluebell Railway, Edenbridge, East Grinstead and Ashdown Forest Tourism, who helped engage with commuters and hand out leaflets. The Association of Community Rail Partnerships came to help out and brought a beautiful new banner showing CRP activity across the UK, and some Scenic Rail maps which were quickly snapped up by commuters. The North Downs Line was represented at Waterloo Station at a joint stand with CRPs from SouthWestern Rail, as Waterloo is the closest London terminus for Surrey stations. Passengers were invited to Guess the Weight of the Cheese a handsome Dirty Vicar soft cheese from Norbury Park Cheese Farm - and showed interest particularly in Rail & Trail walks in the beautiful Surrey Hills. Among those who came to talk to us on the stands were senior staff from Southern, Network Rail and the Department for Transport s Community Rail team. We were filmed by DfT for a video which will be part of the launch of the forthcoming Community Rail Strategy. It was a long day, continuing into the evening rush hour, and we handed out hundreds of leaflets and spoke to dozens of train passengers who we look forward to welcoming to Sussex, Kent and Surrey over the summer.

2 Our guest contributor this edition is Railfuture they are great supporters of Community Rail so we thought you might like the opportunity to learn a bit more about the organisation and their work. Railfuture is the UK's leading independent organisation campaigning for better rail services for passengers and freight. We are a voluntary group representing rail users, with 20,000 affiliated and individual members. Railfuture is a one-member one-vote democracy which is not funded by train companies, political parties or trade unions. See our Annual Review for stories of our successes and campaigns. Our members include the well-known transport writer and broadcaster Chris Wolmar, former rail chief executives, railway experts, several MPs, Lords and MEPs. Elections are held annually among Railfuture members to choose the Board which governs Railfuture. Individual members form the national groups which determine policy and manage the activities of the society. Railfuture has 12 branches in England, Wales and Scotland who meet locally and campaign on local issues. Our aim is a bigger and better railway that people are proud and pleased to use and recommend. Railfuture campaigns for: more seats value for money fares quicker journeys an enjoyable journey experience new services and lines to increase journey opportunities shifting freight from road to rail. Railfuture keeps in touch with important transport issues nationally and locally, through our branches and affiliated rail user groups. We take every opportunity to develop a relationship with national and local politicians and government officials to press for better rail services. If you want to find out more about Railfuture please contact Roger Blake roger.blake@railfuture.org.uk Our updated 2018 edition of award winning line guides are now available both at stations and various other locations and can be downloaded from our website. Each of our lines are described in detail with a map, places of interest to visit, suggestions for walks and cycle rides and much more.

3 Latest news from along the Lines Marshlink Line Train treat for young adults with learning disabilities Sussex Community Rail Partnership and Southern arranged for a group of young adults from Canterbury Oast Trust with learning disabilities to experience travelling by train from Ham Street to Brighton. The initiative encourages vulnerable people, senior citizens or groups of school children to use the train and feel safe. Canterbury Oast Trust have been working closely with SCRP and Southern for some time on a number of projects, but Try The Train was a whole new experience for their service users. For most travelling by train presents no challenges, but for many people it takes a lot of planning in advance of the journey, and they want to know they will be helped and feel safe. Kate Richards, Southern s station manager for the Marshlink line, was onboard to explain to the group what they needed to know to relax and enjoy their journey. They also met the guards who reassured them that if they needed any help they could ask. When they arrived in Brighton, Jim Cummings, Brighton station manager, met the group and laid on a light lunch in the station waiting room. Alan Davies, lifestyle manager for Canterbury Oast Trust said For individuals who may not get the opportunity to travel on the train or had not had the experience of this due their circumstances and learning disability, this project was excellent. The railway staff were excellent, warm and helpful putting us and ease and feeling relaxed If you would like to be involved with the SCRP, either as a volunteer or as a group then contact kevin@sussexcrp.org or caroline@sussexcrp.org

4 Coastway West Line The Friends of Angmering Station were recently pleased to receive their working permits from Southern, enabling them to crack on with their brand new Sidetracked project. Project Leader and art teacher at Georgian Community Primary School Gardens, Deirdre Carolin, said: Barely had the ink dried on the permit than we were in action at the station! The organisation Men in Sheds which is part of our team, keeping in line with our ethos of using recycled materials, constructed bird boxes, a butterfly box and trees made from wooden pallets which, now installed in the designated Sidetracked area, are decorated in their first seasonal display of craft, which was created by another team group...young artists from Georgian Gardens School. The gardening team of the group are preparing the area for planting as a wildlife area. Posters explaining the Sidetracked project are up on the platform at Angmering, with a list of all the sponsors and helpers, and YOU? to encourage more people to get involved. The project team are delighted to already have on board their first volunteers recruited in response to the posters... just leave your details at the Booking Office Seaford to Brighton Line Independent Train Travel Training In conjunction with partners Sustrans and Living Streets, Sussex Community Rail have been working in several schools as part of the Active Access for Growth Programme to deliver Independent Train Travel Training. Aimed at year olds the project aims to promote independence, healthy living and sustainable travel. We have aimed our training at young people who may experience some barriers to travelling alone because of an additional need. Workshops cover how to plan your journey and travel safely. A group from Hazelcourt FE College, Eastbourne travelled from Eastbourne to Bexhill on possibly the wettest day of the year! Our spirits were not dampened, although we did have to swap fish n chips on the seafront for Wetherspoons! More recently Headstart School travelled from Polegate to Lewes for lunch at the Riverside Café. Both schools have invited us back for further trips in the future. The GTR sponsored Try a Train trips have allowed what has been learnt in the classroom workshops to be put into practice in real life. Some students had never taken a train journey before but hopefully this has opened up new horizons for future study and work. If you would like to be involved with the SCRP, either as a volunteer or as a group then contact rowena@sussexcrp.org or catherine@sussexcrp.org

5 Tonbridge to Redhill & Reigate Line REIGATE STATION County Care have recently signed up as station partners for Reigate station they are planning to install custom made planters, made in their own workshops, on the platforms which will be planted with butterfly and bee friendly plants. Both Southern and the Association of Community Rail Partnerships (ACoRP) have supported this venture with generous grants. County Care already look after Horley station and partner with the YMCA at Redhill station with their planting projects. TONBRIDGE STATION Sussex CRP and Therese Hammond of Kent CRP joined forces on 27 June to hold a joint pop-up information event at Tonbridge station (Kent). Tonbridge is where two community rail lines meet, the Medway Valley line for which Kent CRP have responsibility and the Tonbridge to Redhill & Reigate line which is looked after by Sussex CRP. Also offering their help and support on the day were Matt Fraser of Southeastern and Megan Standen who is on an work experience course with Southeastern. We were able to speak to both local train users and tourists to promote visiting various attractions by train. Many asked for information on walking and cycling routes and were surprised that there is so much to offer in the local area all within easy reach of one of the smaller stations. Also popular were the Jane Austen walks leaflets, the Tonbridge WWI walk, things to see in Tunbridge Wells, attractions in Maidstone including the museum and of course our heritage railways. The GWR North Downs line connection at Redhill was also of interest. Equally important though was the chance to spend time with another CRP and to swap ideas and experiences. This event was made possible by kind permission of the Tonbridge station manager, Southeastern. If you would like to be involved with the SCRP, either as a volunteer or as a group then contact sharon@sussexcrp.org.

6 Uckfield & East Grinstead Lines Uckfield The 20th of June saw hundreds of local primary school children descend upon the Town Hall and Luxford Field in Uckfield, looking for a fun day out but also to learn how to keep themselves safe on road, rail and even the county's coastline. Sussex Community Rail Partnership attended and played a true or false game of railway facts, ably assisted by the town's Mayor who also happens to be a Southern train driver trainer. This annual event is a fantastic effort by the town council in the hope of keeping their younger residents safe and well, and needs be supported to ensure that it continues for many years to come. to Hurst Green station Holland Junior School in Hurst Green provided the station with some fabulous artwork which was installed by our station partner Creative Community. This ever refreshing display is continually updated by various groups and clubs from within the local community all pulled together by the station partners. As a result of this collaboration the school has now signed up for the Go-Learn project. East Grinstead station In partnership with ourselves and Southern, East Grinstead Tourist Office has installed this welcoming sign above the entrance to the station. Uckfield Station Bridge Arts have renewed their display of artworks in various mediums by local artists at Uckfield station. The station lends itself perfectly to the display of artwork - our very own Jerwood in the heart of Uckfield If you would like to be involved with the SCRP, either as a volunteer or as a group then contact sharon@sussexcrp.org.

7 Kate Richards, Station Manager All change at Oxted As you are all no doubt aware Southern have had a change around of their managers this resulted in us losing Kate Richards as the manager of the East Grinstead line and the Tonbridge to Redhill line. Kate has worked with us and supported our work for many years so we were sad to see her go. However, we welcome Laura Abbatangelo as Kate s replacement. And look forward to working with her. Andy Leister, the Area Manager has also moved to another area and is replaced by Nkulu Phiri - welcome back Nkulu! Tim Barkley and John Phillips of our management team, present Kate with a farewell bouquet and welcome the new station manager Laura Kate had this message:- It s important that we are active in the communities in which we operate, helping customers and supporting those who live in the areas around our stations and work locations. I have been proud to work with Sussex Community Rail Partnerships (CRP) for a long time. The Sussex CRP was brought in to strengthen community relationships, as well as help to increase off -peak use of trains going through less-populated areas by encouraging people to travel by train and take an interest in their local railway. For 10 years I ve worked closely with CRP stakeholders along a number of our lines, including the Marshlink and Seaford, Uckfield and East Grinstead, and Tonbridge to Reigate lines, to bring local artwork into stations and organise community events. I ve also been fortunate enough to be involved in several new station partnerships set up with the Sussex CRP. Recently I relocated from Oxted to Eastbourne and I have great memories of my time at Oxted. I will really miss working with everyone there and I m very much looking forward to building relationships with my new team.

8 North Downs Line Sussex Community Rail Partnership have been invited by Great Western Railway to extend the North Downs Line community rail partnership to cover the whole extent of the service, from Reigate through Guildford to Reading, involving an additional 11 stations, five that are managed and operated by GWR, the remaining six by SWR. David Daniels, the SCRP Line Officer for the North Downs Line, has agreed to augment his work hours to four days per week to allow him to expand the CRP and he s looking forward to the challenge. The first NDL Line Guide is due to enter final production in the next week and is expected to be ready in plenty of time for the Community Rail in the City event at Waterloo on May 16 th. David expects to be supported by Surrey Hills AONB on the day. North Downs Way Rail & Trail posters are close to readiness for print and should be in situ in time for the launch of the enlarged CRP early in the summer. On June 14 th and 15th Great Western Railway (GWR) held its annual Community Rail Conference at the STEAM museum in Swindon, a splendid event attended by over 100 people from GWR and Community Rail. Sussex Community Rail Partnership sent several delegates to showcase the North Downs Line which runs from Reading to Gatwick Airport, manning our own stand in the marketplace. It was a great opportunity to see and hear GWR s Managing Director, Mark Hopwood, demonstrating his huge support for Community Rail and to hear Kulvinder Bassi of the Department for Transport talking about his department s recognition of the value of Community Rail. We were also treated to presentations by Okerail in North Devon, which is a heritage line looking to extend its links to connect to main line services, and on Cornish transport integration between trains and buses. If you would like to be involved with the SCRP, either as a volunteer or as a group then contact david@sussexcrp.org

9 News From Go Learn After four years of working for Sussex Community Rail Partnership Angie Lowen, Education Officer is leaving to spend more time with her family and friends and to enjoy her new garden. It has been a busy few years which started with the completion of the West Sussex Local Sustainable Transport Fund project when Horsham and Chichester schools encouraged Year 6 students to think about traveling independently, planning journeys and learning to read time tables This was then followed by the Visit by Rail project in partnership with the South Downs National Park, encouraging schools using the South Downs National park for educational visits to use the train. For the last three years Angie has been working very successfully on Go Learn with GTR Southern Railway. This saw the Safety in Action events with the Southern REOs expand with into West Sussex, and then earned the programme the Rail Industry Innovation Award for Safety in As well as the workshops promoting safe and independent travel Angie has increased the number of pupils who have had a station visit and train ride, bringing together all that they have learnt from the Safety in Action and classroom workshops. Sometimes this was used for children to experience what it was like to be evacuated during WW2, with Angie not averse to the odd bit of dressing up! In the 4 years that Angie has worked with the SCRP she has come into contact either by workshop or station visit with over 4200 children and enjoyed every minute if it! If you would like more information on the Go-Learn project then contact angie@sussexcrp.org

10 Trevor Field Our new finance officer, writes to introduce himself: My background is finance, across a wide variety of industries from manufacturing, retail, leisure and more recently the supply of services for NHS contracts. I have lots of outdoor interests including cycling, walking and horse riding on the South Downs. I am part way through setting up the SCRP finance system on a Quickbooks software package. In addition, I have prepared a comprehensive review of funding resources which we may be able to access for specific projects, or operational costs. This review will be ongoing as fund providers change criteria, and of course, I will be directly involved in any applications for funds. Looking for somewhere new to visit this summer? Our updated 2018 edition of award winning line guides are now available both at stations and various other locations and can be downloaded from our website. Each of our lines are described in detail with a map, places of interest to visit, suggestions for walks and cycle rides and much more. The SCRP Annual Review is now available both on-line and in print download your copy now from our website for news about the work we do in and around your community Do you want to know more about the work we do? Sharon@sussexcrp.org