Flower Bed Planted at Walkden Station

FOWS volunteers have planted up the disused platform on the Wigan platform at Walkden station with shrubs, winter flowers, and bulbs for the spring and summer.FOWS gratefully aknowledge the support of Salford City Council who provided funding for the project, and Northern Rail who have given support and assistance to the FOWS. We hope to also renovate the bed on the Manchester platform before the end of this year, and will seek to include more garden features on the main platform if we are successful in getting the wooden barrier moved further back along the platform. For more pictures of the gardening project, please click here.

FOWS secure Gardening Grant

FOWS are delighted to have successfully applied for a Salford Council Community grant to fund gardening works on the platform. The first piece of work will see the planting of flowerbeds on both platforms alongside the retaining wall of the stairway (a disused flower bed is already present on the Wigan platform). If anyone has plants they would like to donate to the works, please email us at friends@walkdenstation.org.uk or leave your details with Marian in the ticket office – thanks !

Broken Rail and Engineering Works cause disruption

There are bus replacements between Wigan and Southport this week (20-28th October) while Network Rail carry out engineering works at Wigan.

Meanwhile all services between Walkden and Wigan were cancelled yesterday due to a broken rail between Walkden and Atherton.

In the news again

FOWS are featured again in this week’s Salford Advertiser – watch out for further articles in the next few weeks.

56 Passengers Stranded

A new low was recorded yesterday when 56 passengers were left stranded on the platform due to overcrowding on the 08.01. To add insult to injury, the driver of the following ”Atherton express” refused a request to stop additionally at Walkden, so the marooned passengers had to put up with the sight of a half-empty train cruising through the station while they waited.

FOWS continue to press Northern Rail to re-open the disused section of platform so that the 4-carriage Atherton express services can call here every day.

If you have a story of delay and inconvenience caused by rush-hour overcrowding, please write to us at friends@walkdenstation.org.uk so we can compile a dossier to present to Northern Rail showing just how chronic the situation is.

Press Coverage for FOWS

We’ve recently been featured in a couple of regional newspapers – last week’s Salford Advertiser and this Tuesday’s Bolton Evening News both carried articles about the improvements we’re campaigning for at Walkden. We’re also hoping to have some follow up stories in the Salford Advertiser over the next few weeks.

Surprise Visit by Ruth Kelly and Barbara Keeley

As those present at last week’s public meeting heard, local MP Barbara Keeley takes a keen interest in the improvement of Walkden station: she spoke earnestly to the meeting about its problems, and promised to speak to Secretary of State for Transport and MP for Bolton West Ruth Kelly.

FOWS were delighted to learn this week that the two MPs have visited the station.  Naturally we hope that its poor state will have made an impression on the Secretary of State, and that the visit will help secure some much needed investment. 

There is a full report on the MPs visit on Barbara Keeley’s weblog.  

The FOWS are grateful to both MPs for their interest in Walkden station, and for taking the time to visit the site.

Autumn Timetable Starts This Week

The short-lived “autumn” timetable, lasting from Monday 8th Oct to Saturday 8th December, comes into effect this week. It shows the same number of trains running as before (except for the daily Summer-only Blackpool direct service which finished in September).

However, passengers should note there are lots of minor adjustments to departure times from Walkden: in particular, most Manchester-bound trains now depart 2 to 5 minutes earlier than before (we believe this is to allow extra time for the seasonal hazard of wet leaves on the line).

The new timetable can be picked up from the station, but isn’t available for download from Northern’s website yet.

Barbara Keeley MP, Northern Rail, and GM Police speak at FOWS Public Meeting

FOWS held a public meeting yesterday evening to review progress in the first 6 months of campaigning.

Special guests Barbara Keeley MP, Chris Ingham of Northern Rail, and Community Beat Officer Mark Campbell gave excellent, brief addresses to an enthusiastic audience, who then had the opportunity to quiz the FOWS and guests on the issues concerning them. Station access, the high platform step, car parking, and through services to Manchester Piccadilly and the Airport were just a few of the topics discussed.

Salford Councillors Iain Lindley, Les Turner and Robin Garrido were also present, demonstrating their support for the group’s aims.

FOWS are very grateful to all our guests for giving their time to make such an interesting and productive meeting, and to the British Legion for once again allowing us to use their premises.

To everyone who attended the meeting, we would like to thank you for your support and we hope you found it informative and enjoyable.

The Bins Are Back !

After the first litter bin was vandalised last month, Northern have been quick to supply not one but two replacements.

They’re clearly popular with passengers as they’ve been filled up very quickly – let’s just hope these last a bit longer than the previous one !