- Heritage Railway magazine "Great Central now has a branch!"
- Leicester Mercury "First train runs on restored track"
The project also featured in last week's Loughborough Echo.
The support is much appreciated.
Friday, 27 May 2011
Recent press coverage
The recent track laying, and first train on the Mountsorrel Railway, has attracted some good press coverage of the project:
Friday, 20 May 2011
Track laying diary part 3
May 7th 2011
The Great Central Railway (GCR) had very kindly agreed to lay top ballast along the branch during the week commencing May 16th. This meant that the pressure was on as we only had two weeks left to lay the final three panels. The team had a big push and managed to lay two additional panels on the 7th. Both were slewed into position, plated and keyed up. We also dragged out two more pairs of rails from the stack and set them up ready for cutting and drilling by the Tuesday group. The GCR main line had now well and truly disappeared out of sight behind us and we could look out from the branch and see the GCR viaducts stretching across Swithland reservoir.
The GCR's signalling team have also installed the arm on the branch exit signal.
May 14th 2011
Our Tuesday group of volunteers had successfully cut and drilled the rails so we were ready to lay the final panel. Sleepers were laid out and positioned ready to receive the rails which we soon had in position, slewed and ready to receive ballast trains. The head of steel (HOS) is only three panels from the end of the long curve and the farm track level crossing is only another couple of panels beyond that.
We have rail for a further 450m of track and once donations have been received to fund the sleepers to go with it, the intention is to bring the rail to the branch and unload it at the end of the laid track. From here it will be dragged out in pairs using a tractor, right along the long straight. This should greatly increase track laying speed as all the rail will be in the correct place as we come to lay it. This won't happen though until we have raised the funds for the sleepers and other fittings, so please donate to our appeal fund to help make this happen.
The team spent the rest of the day packing the full length of all our new track so that it was able to take the ballast trains, which were due onto the branch during the following week. This was an important job because if sleepers are not supported properly the weight of the train can literally snap them in two!
May 16th 2011 - history is made!
This was an important day in local history as at 1:40pm the first train in 52 years ventured tentatively out of the loop at Swithland Sidings and onto the branch line. The historical event was captured on film:
This would be the first of several trains to run over the following three days as 200 tonnes of ballast were dropped and spread over our newly laid track. By the end of Wednesday the branch was starting to look like a proper railway.
The project would like to say a big thank you to all the community volunteers who have worked on the project, the public whose donations have allowed us to get this far, and to the GCR for their assistance with material moves, loan of tools and the ballast laying.
Over the coming weeks our volunteers will be aligning the track to its final position, leaving this section of the branch ready to receive heritage trains. The initial intention is for the GCR to run demonstration freight trains using the restored replica Mountsorrel Granite Company wagons, at future galas.
Our thoughts are now turning to relaying the rest of the branch to Mountsorrel and unlocking the full potential of the branch as both a linear museum and a heritage passenger railway linking Mountsorrel to the Great Central! This can only happen with your donations so please consider donating to our appeal fund.
There are several ways to donate:
112 Balmoral Road
Mountsorrel
Loughborough
LE12 7EW
Many thanks for your support
The Great Central Railway (GCR) had very kindly agreed to lay top ballast along the branch during the week commencing May 16th. This meant that the pressure was on as we only had two weeks left to lay the final three panels. The team had a big push and managed to lay two additional panels on the 7th. Both were slewed into position, plated and keyed up. We also dragged out two more pairs of rails from the stack and set them up ready for cutting and drilling by the Tuesday group. The GCR main line had now well and truly disappeared out of sight behind us and we could look out from the branch and see the GCR viaducts stretching across Swithland reservoir.
The GCR's signalling team have also installed the arm on the branch exit signal.
May 14th 2011
Our Tuesday group of volunteers had successfully cut and drilled the rails so we were ready to lay the final panel. Sleepers were laid out and positioned ready to receive the rails which we soon had in position, slewed and ready to receive ballast trains. The head of steel (HOS) is only three panels from the end of the long curve and the farm track level crossing is only another couple of panels beyond that.
We have rail for a further 450m of track and once donations have been received to fund the sleepers to go with it, the intention is to bring the rail to the branch and unload it at the end of the laid track. From here it will be dragged out in pairs using a tractor, right along the long straight. This should greatly increase track laying speed as all the rail will be in the correct place as we come to lay it. This won't happen though until we have raised the funds for the sleepers and other fittings, so please donate to our appeal fund to help make this happen.
The team spent the rest of the day packing the full length of all our new track so that it was able to take the ballast trains, which were due onto the branch during the following week. This was an important job because if sleepers are not supported properly the weight of the train can literally snap them in two!
May 16th 2011 - history is made!
This was an important day in local history as at 1:40pm the first train in 52 years ventured tentatively out of the loop at Swithland Sidings and onto the branch line. The historical event was captured on film:
This would be the first of several trains to run over the following three days as 200 tonnes of ballast were dropped and spread over our newly laid track. By the end of Wednesday the branch was starting to look like a proper railway.
The project would like to say a big thank you to all the community volunteers who have worked on the project, the public whose donations have allowed us to get this far, and to the GCR for their assistance with material moves, loan of tools and the ballast laying.
Over the coming weeks our volunteers will be aligning the track to its final position, leaving this section of the branch ready to receive heritage trains. The initial intention is for the GCR to run demonstration freight trains using the restored replica Mountsorrel Granite Company wagons, at future galas.
Our thoughts are now turning to relaying the rest of the branch to Mountsorrel and unlocking the full potential of the branch as both a linear museum and a heritage passenger railway linking Mountsorrel to the Great Central! This can only happen with your donations so please consider donating to our appeal fund.
There are several ways to donate:
- Click here to download a standing order form
- Send your cheque, made out to "David Clarke Railway Trust" with "Mountsorrel Railway" written on the back, to:
112 Balmoral Road
Mountsorrel
Loughborough
LE12 7EW
Many thanks for your support
Monday, 16 May 2011
Track laying diary part 2
April 9th 2011
One new panel was laid. This may not sound like much compared to the previous week's four, but we had so many other tasks to undertake as well. We had to move and lay out all the sleepers for the new panel and also key up all one side of the four panels laid last week, both which took quite a lot of time and effort. We also had to move some of the ballast bed to support the new panel as the track is moving slightly off centre to where the ballast was laid. This is because since the ballast bed was laid in November 2009, we have been able to achieve a better track line to ensure that we have a constant radius for the full length of this long curve.
The head of steel (HOS) is also becoming some considerable distance from the rail stack, so the opportunity was taken to use two rail trolleys to move the rails. The trolleys would become a great asset to us over the coming weeks.
The Tuesday group had taken on the challenge of cutting and drilling rails ready for Saturday's laying sessions.
April 16th 2011
A further panel of track was laid this week leaving only four more to go during our current track laying phase. The Tuesday group spent the day laying out sleepers for the next panel.
April 23rd 2011
It was Easter weekend with many volunteers away making the best of the good weather. Our numbers weren't high enough this week to move rail but the GCR had brought a wagon to the branch with 40 more sleepers. The opportunity was taken to unload the wagon and construct a new sleeper stack near to the HOS.
April 30th 2011
With volunteer numbers restored a further panel was laid, plated up, slewed into position and keyed up. The GCR was almost out of sight in the distance behind us.
Third and final part of this diary to follow later this week.
One new panel was laid. This may not sound like much compared to the previous week's four, but we had so many other tasks to undertake as well. We had to move and lay out all the sleepers for the new panel and also key up all one side of the four panels laid last week, both which took quite a lot of time and effort. We also had to move some of the ballast bed to support the new panel as the track is moving slightly off centre to where the ballast was laid. This is because since the ballast bed was laid in November 2009, we have been able to achieve a better track line to ensure that we have a constant radius for the full length of this long curve.
The head of steel (HOS) is also becoming some considerable distance from the rail stack, so the opportunity was taken to use two rail trolleys to move the rails. The trolleys would become a great asset to us over the coming weeks.
The Tuesday group had taken on the challenge of cutting and drilling rails ready for Saturday's laying sessions.
April 16th 2011
A further panel of track was laid this week leaving only four more to go during our current track laying phase. The Tuesday group spent the day laying out sleepers for the next panel.
April 23rd 2011
It was Easter weekend with many volunteers away making the best of the good weather. Our numbers weren't high enough this week to move rail but the GCR had brought a wagon to the branch with 40 more sleepers. The opportunity was taken to unload the wagon and construct a new sleeper stack near to the HOS.
April 30th 2011
With volunteer numbers restored a further panel was laid, plated up, slewed into position and keyed up. The GCR was almost out of sight in the distance behind us.
Third and final part of this diary to follow later this week.
Thursday, 12 May 2011
BBC Radio Leicester coverage
Earlier this week BBC Radio Leicester DJ Ben Jackson came to the trackbed to interview Mountsorrel Railway volunteer John Mace.
The interview was broadcast yesterday morning and is available on the BBC website for the coming week. Please click below and fast forward to 1 hour 33 minutes into the programme:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/p00ghncr
The interview was broadcast yesterday morning and is available on the BBC website for the coming week. Please click below and fast forward to 1 hour 33 minutes into the programme:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/p00ghncr
Thursday, 7 April 2011
Bond Lane bridge restoration hit by stone theft
We are unhappy to report that our volunteer work to restore the Bond Lane bridge has been hampered because of the theft of some of the bridge stones. The bridge is at the end of the section of the Mountsorrel Railway being restored.
The end section of the bridge wall was collapsing (see previous news update). Volunteers had numbered and labelled key stones so they could be cleaned and replaced in their original positions as the wall was rebuilt. Our aim was to maintain the original appearance of the wall almost exactly how it would have been when originally constructed.
The wall was carefully disassembled with hammers and chisels, and each stone carefully cleaned, before being stored nearby ready for reconstruction to commence. What makes the stones so special is that they were all hand dressed at the quarry over a hundred years ago. Finding new hand dressed stone is very difficult today: you can only normally find rough blasted stone which is not in keeping with the original look of the bridge. So you can see it was imperative to preserve all of the original stones.
Despite being stored in what we hoped would be a safe location, we were extremely disappointed to find that a significant number of the stones had been stolen. This included almost half the carefully numbered stones, making it impossible to rebuild the wall exactly how it would have been. Our volunteers were devastated by this, which we believe was most likely carried out by one or more local people. When you give your time freely to try to bring a useful and beneficial resource to the local community it is disappointing to see your efforts undone in this way.
Fortunately we discovered the theft early, before all the stones were taken. The person appeared to be returning each evening to take more stones, so luckily we were able to move the stones away for safe storage at one of our volunteer's houses. Not an easy task in itself as there were almost five tonnes of stones to move!
Not all is lost. The rebuilding of the bridge wall is a priority while we try to find suitable stones to replace the ones that were taken. The remaining stones are being returned to site for each work party and then removed again at the end of the day. This extra handling and transportation is hindering the bridge volunteers, but it has to be done.
The photo shows the bridge wall under reconstruction. The temporary fence in front is to protect members of the public from the works, and will be removed when the wall is completed.
On a brighter note we would like to say a special thanks to project sponsors Languard Vegetation Management of Husbands Bosworth, who have been back with us again to weedkill the trackbed base. Weed control over a mile and a quarter of railway would be a mammoth task to undertake ourselves, so we are immensely grateful to Languard for providing this work at no cost to the project. We would also like to thank Lafarge Ready Mix for donating the concrete pour for the new Bond Lane bridge wall foundations. Their support represents a significant saving for the project.
If your company might be able to help the project in any way please get in touch with Steve Cramp. We are always in need of many items both large and small for tasks that involve plant or other machinery. We would very much like to hear from you if you think you can help. Thank you.
The end section of the bridge wall was collapsing (see previous news update). Volunteers had numbered and labelled key stones so they could be cleaned and replaced in their original positions as the wall was rebuilt. Our aim was to maintain the original appearance of the wall almost exactly how it would have been when originally constructed.
The wall was carefully disassembled with hammers and chisels, and each stone carefully cleaned, before being stored nearby ready for reconstruction to commence. What makes the stones so special is that they were all hand dressed at the quarry over a hundred years ago. Finding new hand dressed stone is very difficult today: you can only normally find rough blasted stone which is not in keeping with the original look of the bridge. So you can see it was imperative to preserve all of the original stones.
Despite being stored in what we hoped would be a safe location, we were extremely disappointed to find that a significant number of the stones had been stolen. This included almost half the carefully numbered stones, making it impossible to rebuild the wall exactly how it would have been. Our volunteers were devastated by this, which we believe was most likely carried out by one or more local people. When you give your time freely to try to bring a useful and beneficial resource to the local community it is disappointing to see your efforts undone in this way.
Fortunately we discovered the theft early, before all the stones were taken. The person appeared to be returning each evening to take more stones, so luckily we were able to move the stones away for safe storage at one of our volunteer's houses. Not an easy task in itself as there were almost five tonnes of stones to move!
Not all is lost. The rebuilding of the bridge wall is a priority while we try to find suitable stones to replace the ones that were taken. The remaining stones are being returned to site for each work party and then removed again at the end of the day. This extra handling and transportation is hindering the bridge volunteers, but it has to be done.
The photo shows the bridge wall under reconstruction. The temporary fence in front is to protect members of the public from the works, and will be removed when the wall is completed.
On a brighter note we would like to say a special thanks to project sponsors Languard Vegetation Management of Husbands Bosworth, who have been back with us again to weedkill the trackbed base. Weed control over a mile and a quarter of railway would be a mammoth task to undertake ourselves, so we are immensely grateful to Languard for providing this work at no cost to the project. We would also like to thank Lafarge Ready Mix for donating the concrete pour for the new Bond Lane bridge wall foundations. Their support represents a significant saving for the project.
If your company might be able to help the project in any way please get in touch with Steve Cramp. We are always in need of many items both large and small for tasks that involve plant or other machinery. We would very much like to hear from you if you think you can help. Thank you.
Friday, 4 February 2011
Mountsorrel Railway volunteers start restoration of Bond Lane bridge
Back in early 2009 we took on the restoration of the granite railway bridge at Wood Lane at the Mountsorrel end of the railway line. The bridge required sections of the parapet wall rebuilding and both road facing walls completely repointing. The distinct historical importance of the bridge made the restoration all the more difficult, with the need to reuse the original stones and to ensure that key stones all went back in exactly the right place.
The contractor quote for the work was just under £19,000, but our volunteers undertook the restoration ourselves, completing the work to a very high standard at a cost of only £120! This was made possible thanks to a donation from Mountsorrel Parish Council, Lafarge who supplied some of the materials, and several people who donated. The work took over 15 months to complete and many volunteers of all ages came from the community to help.
Last summer, vegetation clearance around the bridge at Bond Lane, at the end of the line, revealed the parapet walls to be in the same poor state of repair as the Wood Lane bridge we had just restored. It soon became clear we had another ambitious restoration on our hands! Our thanks go again to Mountsorrel Parish Council for sharing our desire to preserve Mountsorrel's heritage and making a further donation for the cost of tools. We are also grateful to Lafarge who have kindly agreed to provide the materials needed for the restoration.
Exploratory work started last October with help from Loughborough University students.
Work got underway properly in January with over 20 local volunteers descending on the bridge with hammers and chisels to remove the old mortar ready for repointing. Remarkably this extraordinary number of volunteers enabled the entire south side of the bridge to be chiselled out in only one day!
Our volunteer stonemason has already made a start on the repointing and the bridge is starting to return to its former glory.
Our next task is to take down the collapsing end wall, so that new foundations can be dug before the wall is rebuilt using the original stones.
This is an example of how community volunteers were able to come together with local industry and the council to preserve our heritage. The "Big Society" in action!
If you'd like to come and help with this work we have volunteer sessions each Tuesday and Saturday. Please get in touch with Steve Cramp for more details.
The contractor quote for the work was just under £19,000, but our volunteers undertook the restoration ourselves, completing the work to a very high standard at a cost of only £120! This was made possible thanks to a donation from Mountsorrel Parish Council, Lafarge who supplied some of the materials, and several people who donated. The work took over 15 months to complete and many volunteers of all ages came from the community to help.
Last summer, vegetation clearance around the bridge at Bond Lane, at the end of the line, revealed the parapet walls to be in the same poor state of repair as the Wood Lane bridge we had just restored. It soon became clear we had another ambitious restoration on our hands! Our thanks go again to Mountsorrel Parish Council for sharing our desire to preserve Mountsorrel's heritage and making a further donation for the cost of tools. We are also grateful to Lafarge who have kindly agreed to provide the materials needed for the restoration.
Exploratory work started last October with help from Loughborough University students.
Work got underway properly in January with over 20 local volunteers descending on the bridge with hammers and chisels to remove the old mortar ready for repointing. Remarkably this extraordinary number of volunteers enabled the entire south side of the bridge to be chiselled out in only one day!
Our volunteer stonemason has already made a start on the repointing and the bridge is starting to return to its former glory.
Our next task is to take down the collapsing end wall, so that new foundations can be dug before the wall is rebuilt using the original stones.
This is an example of how community volunteers were able to come together with local industry and the council to preserve our heritage. The "Big Society" in action!
If you'd like to come and help with this work we have volunteer sessions each Tuesday and Saturday. Please get in touch with Steve Cramp for more details.
Friday, 21 January 2011
Come and see us on the weekend of 29th January
At the forthcoming Great Central Railway winter steam gala, you'll be able to talk to Mountsorrel Railway volunteers and see photos of the project.
We'll be in the Rothley station waiting room, on the platform, on Saturday and Sunday 29-30 January. Please see the map below for directions.
Local artist John Cramp will be with us on the Saturday to talk about the limited edition watercolour painting which we are currently selling to raise funds for the tracklaying. Prints of the work will be on sale throughout the weekend, at prices to suit every pocket.
We look forward to seeing you there.
View Route of Mountsorrel Railway in a larger map
We'll be in the Rothley station waiting room, on the platform, on Saturday and Sunday 29-30 January. Please see the map below for directions.
Local artist John Cramp will be with us on the Saturday to talk about the limited edition watercolour painting which we are currently selling to raise funds for the tracklaying. Prints of the work will be on sale throughout the weekend, at prices to suit every pocket.
We look forward to seeing you there.
View Route of Mountsorrel Railway in a larger map
Wednesday, 10 November 2010
Mountsorrel Railway limited edition prints on sale
A local artist has painted a superb watercolour scene of the Mountsorrel Railway. The painting is evocatively titled "The Way Forward" and shows sole surviving Mountsorrel Railway steam loco, Peckett 0-4-0 tank engine "Elizabeth", coming through the Wood Lane bridge with a rake of Mountsorrel granite wagons.
The painting gives an exciting insight into the historical recreations the restored branch line will be able to portray.
The artist has kindly allowed us to commission a run of limited edition prints of the painting, which we are selling with all proceeds going directly to the Mountsorrel Railway track appeal.
The prints are available in two sizes:
The limited edition run is of only 150 in each size. The larger prints will be available on the week beginning 15 November 2010, with the smaller size the following week. We have already taken many advance orders, so interest is high!
If you would like to see steam trains run along the Mountsorrel Railway and onto the Great Central Railway again, then please help the track appeal by buying a print.
For more details please e-mail direct the volunteer coordinating the Mountsorrel Railway project, Steve Cramp, at: steve@mountsorrelrailway.org.uk
Thank you
The painting gives an exciting insight into the historical recreations the restored branch line will be able to portray.
The artist has kindly allowed us to commission a run of limited edition prints of the painting, which we are selling with all proceeds going directly to the Mountsorrel Railway track appeal.
The prints are available in two sizes:
- The first comes in a 20" x 16" mount for only £20. A frame can be supplied for an extra £7 if desired.
- The second size comes in a 12" x 10" mount for £15 with a frame available for an extra £5 if desired.
The limited edition run is of only 150 in each size. The larger prints will be available on the week beginning 15 November 2010, with the smaller size the following week. We have already taken many advance orders, so interest is high!
If you would like to see steam trains run along the Mountsorrel Railway and onto the Great Central Railway again, then please help the track appeal by buying a print.
For more details please e-mail direct the volunteer coordinating the Mountsorrel Railway project, Steve Cramp, at: steve@mountsorrelrailway.org.uk
Thank you
Monday, 25 October 2010
October update
We had another cracking day on Saturday with over 25 volunteers attending the work party, including three Loughborough University students. Work was done to clear the line of sight to the signal at the Great Central Railway junction, as locos will approach the junction around a curve. As well as the clearance work a survey team of volunteers was also plotting a new curve alignment.
Watercolour prints to go on sale
Below is a low resolution version of a superb watercolour painted for the project by local artist John Cramp.
Appropriately entitled The Way Forward, the painting indicates what we are working towards, and also signifies that the painting's creation might hopefully help us to raise the funds to get there!
The painting shows Peckett 0-4-0 saddle tank engine Elizabeth, bringing her rake of Mountsorrel granite wagons through the Wood Lane bridge on their way to the Great Central Railway.
Elizabeth is the only steam loco to have worked on the Mountsorrel Railway that still survives. Currently under restoration at the Rutland Railway Museum by its owner, a local resident, we hope that Elizabeth will visit the restored branch line to recreate this scene.
We don't currently have a firm price for the prints as we are investigating what costs we will incur in creating them.
However, to give you some idea, we hope to offer the prints in up to three sizes, and priced appropriately so they are affordable by everyone.
Each print will be signed by the artist, and will be numbered as part of a limited edition run of 100 or less.
Each print would come with a mount and in a cellophane sleeve. If buyers want their print sent by post we can do this at an added cost. In addition to this we may also look at providing frames for an additional cost if people want this.
To register your interest for a print please e-mail George Overton.
Media coverage
The project featured on the BBC Radio Leicester breakfast show this morning and our third anniversary was mentioned in several news bulletins.
The four minute interview between DJ Ben Jackson and project coordinator Steve Cramp can be heard by going to the following page of the BBC iPlayer; the interview is just after the 41 minute mark.
Additionally the Loughborough Echo kindly continues to give the project excellent coverage most weeks.
Short survey online until 1st November
We'd like to know your thoughts about a handful of things to do with the Mountsorrel Railway project. It shouldn't take more than a minute for you to fill in this online survey. The survey closes Monday 1st November midnight GMT.
Please remember that at any time we're grateful for your thoughts and opinions about the work. To get in touch please e-mail George Overton.
Your support is much appreciated. Thank you
Watercolour prints to go on sale
Below is a low resolution version of a superb watercolour painted for the project by local artist John Cramp.
Appropriately entitled The Way Forward, the painting indicates what we are working towards, and also signifies that the painting's creation might hopefully help us to raise the funds to get there!
The painting shows Peckett 0-4-0 saddle tank engine Elizabeth, bringing her rake of Mountsorrel granite wagons through the Wood Lane bridge on their way to the Great Central Railway.
Elizabeth is the only steam loco to have worked on the Mountsorrel Railway that still survives. Currently under restoration at the Rutland Railway Museum by its owner, a local resident, we hope that Elizabeth will visit the restored branch line to recreate this scene.
We don't currently have a firm price for the prints as we are investigating what costs we will incur in creating them.
However, to give you some idea, we hope to offer the prints in up to three sizes, and priced appropriately so they are affordable by everyone.
Each print will be signed by the artist, and will be numbered as part of a limited edition run of 100 or less.
Each print would come with a mount and in a cellophane sleeve. If buyers want their print sent by post we can do this at an added cost. In addition to this we may also look at providing frames for an additional cost if people want this.
To register your interest for a print please e-mail George Overton.
Media coverage
The project featured on the BBC Radio Leicester breakfast show this morning and our third anniversary was mentioned in several news bulletins.
The four minute interview between DJ Ben Jackson and project coordinator Steve Cramp can be heard by going to the following page of the BBC iPlayer; the interview is just after the 41 minute mark.
Additionally the Loughborough Echo kindly continues to give the project excellent coverage most weeks.
Short survey online until 1st November
We'd like to know your thoughts about a handful of things to do with the Mountsorrel Railway project. It shouldn't take more than a minute for you to fill in this online survey. The survey closes Monday 1st November midnight GMT.
Please remember that at any time we're grateful for your thoughts and opinions about the work. To get in touch please e-mail George Overton.
Your support is much appreciated. Thank you
Wednesday, 6 October 2010
70 volunteers attend the project's third anniversary work party!
The project's third anniversary was marked by a mammoth work party as we pushed forward with the many restoration tasks ahead of us. Our volunteer team was joined by 48 volunteers from Loughborough University making a record work party attendance of 70 volunteers!
This allowed us to undertake work in FIVE separate areas of the trackbed:
1. The restoration of the Bond Lane bridge was started.
2. A large group worked alongside our volunteers to tackle exploratory work on the trackbed drainage shafts near to Bond Lane.
3. Another group looked at ecology with a view to restarting the junior ecology sessions.
4. A fourth group were at work fencing our boundary near to Wood Lane.
5. The largest group, consisting of both students and our own volunteers, numbered 25 in total and tackled the annual line side clearance work near to the GCR junction.
It was fantastic to see the trackbed so alive with activity! The feedback from the students showed that they all thoroughly enjoyed the friendly atmosphere of the project and they were amazed by the progress made so far by our own volunteer team. Their help really showed just how much more can be achieved with a high number of volunteers. Our student volunteers allowed us to achieve five times as much as we would normally achieve in a single session and we would like to say a big thank you to both the students and Loughborough University for making the visit possible.
Loughborough University actively encourage their students to volunteer with local groups. Last year the university placed over 1,200 students with local community projects. The university sees voluntary work as an important personality and experience builder for their students. Volunteering says a lot about a person. Being willing to give your time freely to help others and the community around you is an important attribute when graduates are looking for work at the end of their degree. In the current limited job market employers are looking out for applicants that have that little extra. We are pleased to have been able to offer the students an interesting and enjoyable opportunity to volunteer.
Our hope now is that we can build a ongoing relationship with Loughborough University which will lead to regular help from their students.
If you would like to volunteer with the Mountsorrel Railway project please get in touch with Steve Cramp.
This allowed us to undertake work in FIVE separate areas of the trackbed:
1. The restoration of the Bond Lane bridge was started.
2. A large group worked alongside our volunteers to tackle exploratory work on the trackbed drainage shafts near to Bond Lane.
3. Another group looked at ecology with a view to restarting the junior ecology sessions.
4. A fourth group were at work fencing our boundary near to Wood Lane.
5. The largest group, consisting of both students and our own volunteers, numbered 25 in total and tackled the annual line side clearance work near to the GCR junction.
It was fantastic to see the trackbed so alive with activity! The feedback from the students showed that they all thoroughly enjoyed the friendly atmosphere of the project and they were amazed by the progress made so far by our own volunteer team. Their help really showed just how much more can be achieved with a high number of volunteers. Our student volunteers allowed us to achieve five times as much as we would normally achieve in a single session and we would like to say a big thank you to both the students and Loughborough University for making the visit possible.
Loughborough University actively encourage their students to volunteer with local groups. Last year the university placed over 1,200 students with local community projects. The university sees voluntary work as an important personality and experience builder for their students. Volunteering says a lot about a person. Being willing to give your time freely to help others and the community around you is an important attribute when graduates are looking for work at the end of their degree. In the current limited job market employers are looking out for applicants that have that little extra. We are pleased to have been able to offer the students an interesting and enjoyable opportunity to volunteer.
Our hope now is that we can build a ongoing relationship with Loughborough University which will lead to regular help from their students.
If you would like to volunteer with the Mountsorrel Railway project please get in touch with Steve Cramp.
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