Published on: Thursday, 3 October 2013
Last updated: Wednesday, 5 October 2016
Reedham rail station is looking brighter and more welcoming thanks to a partnership between local people and train operator Greater Anglia.
The station, on the Norwich – Great Yarmouth Wherry Lines railway, now boasts three bright station murals on the disused station buildings thanks to the creative ideas of station adopters Mike Warner, Ann Thompson and Mike Stoker.
The three murals, painted onto plyboard using acrylics, were created by Mike Stoker’s wife, Anne, and depict scenes of coast and countryside, reflecting the diverse landscape that the line runs through.
The bright murals, along with flower tubs, landscaping of the station garden areas and the decorating of boarding to look like station windows, create the feeling of a thriving and well-kept station and a pleasant atmosphere for passengers as they wait for trains.
Adopter, Mike Warner, has landscaped the gardens, stocked the leaflet racks with information, kept the station clean and tidy and tended the flowers for the past seven years. He has been assisted by Mike Stoker, who has connections with the station since childhood, for the past three years.
The adopters plan to improve the station gardens even further with bulb planting and additional hedging this Autumn.
Mike Warner commented, “We are really grateful to everyone who has donated plants which has helped us to create our extensive station gardens. We have a lot of plans for the station and will continue to work with Greater Anglia to bring about further improvements in the future.”
Plants and hedging have been donated by Broadland District Council, the Humpty Dumpty Brewery, Pettits Animal Adventure Park and NENTA Train Tours.
Greater Anglia Media Officer, Kerri Worrall, said, “The station adopters at Reedham have worked so hard and the station looks lovely as a result. We would like to thank them for their continued support and enthusiasm for the Adopt A Station initiative which is helping to restore Reedham station to its former glory.”
Greater Anglia’s Adopt-A-Station initiative has resulted in over 100 volunteers around the network adopting their local stations and reporting to the train operator about the standard of facilities at the station.
Many adopters have also worked hard to bring their own schemes to fruition – such as acquiring a new bench for the platform, planting gardens and filling flower tubs, and helping to keep the platforms free from litter.
The Adopt-A-Station initiative is aimed at improving lines of communication between the train operator and railway station users, promoting and encouraging feedback about the station buildings and facilities to help ensure that they meet the high standards expected by those who use them.