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Minutes of meeting 30 May 2007

Minutes of meeting 12 September 2007

Minutes of meeting 13 February 2008

Minutes of meeting 19 March 2008

Minutes of meeting 16 April 2008

Minutes of meeting 11 June 2008

Minutes of Public Open Meeting 26 June 2008

Minutes of meeting 14 January 2009

Minutes of meeting 11 February 2009

GMPTE plans for station

Platform, photo of garden before tidying & planting

TRAINS FROM HINDLEY

From 14th December 2008
to 16th May 2009
click here

(Timetables for trains on other lines
including some inter-city services, click here).

CONTACT US:

Chairman:  Jim Ellis  01942 523338
    E-mail: sjellis@talktalk.net

Hon.Secretary:  Preva Crossley  01204 63578
    E-mail: prevacrossley@talktalk.net

Hon.Treasurer:    

FRIENDS OF ECCLES STATION were awarded £1,000 towards their Sustainable Garden planting project from the It’s Your Community fund sponsored by O2.  Is this something FoHS could pursue?
 

To find out more visit http://www.freccles.org.uk/news.asp, also

visit the fund site http://www.itsyourcommunity.co.uk/Default2.aspx

PUBLIC OPEN MEETING, 26th June 2008

was well attended despite torrential rain and floods in west Lancashire.  The evening’s raffle raised £31.  Sheila Davidson is seen here receiving from Secretary Preva Crossley the star prize of a family day ticket for 4 people kindly donated by Northern Rail.

One member returning from the meeting on the Atherton line took this photograph between Daisy Hill and Hag Fold.  The weather had been appalling that day.

NORTHERN RAIL STAKEHOLDER SPECIAL TRAIN to Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, Sunday 13th July

Weren’t we lucky to get the only real summer’s day in an otherwise wet and miserable July?  The photos say it all.  Click on the thumbnails to view full screen size.

Apart from the satisfaction of finding and clearing part of the path, all the physical exertion did us good too.  It must have lowered our blood pressure and increased circulation.  We were all hungry after the effort;  apart from the odd aching muscle next day, we’re sure everyone slept soundly that night and look forward to tackling the path again soon.

CLEAN-UP DAY 2nd November:  Valuable path discovered
It’s unlikely anyone under 40 will remember a long path which ran up the embankment from the Manchester-bound platform to the main road.  We were told the old original cobbled path was re-laid in the early 1970s as part of a work experience course.  Over the years the whole embankment had become so densely overgrown it was impossible to know if it was there.  Our enquiries to Network Rail and Northern as to its existence proved fruitless; no plans could be found.  The only way, we decided, was to become the ‘heavy gang’ and get stuck in ourselves with saws, spades, a portable generator and a lot of manual effort.

It paid off!  Underneath the tree branches, roots and accumulated rotted vegetation it’s still there and the small section we uncovered is in good condition.  However, this was only the bit near the platform.  If it is all intact, it’s a hell of a long way up to the main road but may eventually provide disabled access if fitted with a guard rail.  It will also save a lot of expense.

Unlike many small stations whose “garden” consists of a few easily maintained flower beds, Hindley’s is more like a small park.  We’ve a mammoth task in front of us but the nature of the site offers us the opportunity of turning it into a floral showpiece the like of which neither Wigan, Bolton nor even  Manchester Piccadilly could match.  Click on the thumbnails below  to view  full screen.

THE OTHER PATH — Latest ( the footpath between the Station and Hindley Mill Lane).

An article has recently appeared in the local press giving the impression the footpath is to open shortly. This is not correct.

Some time ago Friends of Hindley Station discovered that the householder who has created the problem had extended the curtilage of his property.

This was challenged and he was forced to apply for retrospective planning permission which was refused in the face of the large number of objectors.  Currently he is appealing against the decision.

However Wigan MBC officials have indicated that Network Rail are minded to enforce the covenant and open the path provided that Wigan will accept responsibility for the maintenance of the footpath.

Wigan MBC have written indicating they are prepared to accept this responsibility and are currently awaiting a reply.

CLEAN-UP DAY 7th December
Further work was carried out on the path found at the last clean-up day.  Fortunately it was fine but very cold.  There had been a keen frost not only the previous night but several nights before.  It’s a hard task but very rewarding as the path is slowly uncovered.  Our efforts were surveyed by interested waiting passengers.  It was surprising just how many were travelling into Manchester from Hindley considering it was a Sunday.  At one stage a member of our workforce who had brought a camera took a shot of the passengers from the footbridge.  One train which left around mid-day was packed to the doors — it looked more like a commuter train on a weekday — see last photo on right.

MAKING PROGRESS ON THE PATH

WAITING PASSENGERS

CLEAN-UP DAY 29th June

FOHS volunteers with their discovery.