Achievements

* 1 NCRUG publishes local timetables and other information. It distributes ATW's timetables to local public libraries and issues the timetables at local stations.

* 2 NCRUG continues to strive for the re-development of proposals for improvements to Frodsham station, This is in conjunction with Frodsham Town Council, Vale Royal Borough Council, Cheshire County Council (which will soon be split into two authorities) and other parties. Unfortunately progress has been slow due to the lack of support from Network Rail's property division, Spacia.

* 3 In 1997 NCRUG took on responsibility for the station gardens at Helsby. In 1999 the station was short listed in two of the finals categories for the Railtrack "Station of the Year Competition", but in 2000 won the "Most Passenger Friendly Unstaffed Station" award. Then in 2003 the station won the "Best Kept Station in Cheshire" Award. In 2001 a group from NCRUG started similar work at Frodsham station. In 2002, the town of Frodsham was entered in the "Northwest in Bloom" contest organised by the Tidy Britain Group. As part of this NCRUG planted over 1500 geraniums on Frodsham station, and the town won first prize in the "Small Market Town" category, and NCRUG was specially commended. Then, not to be outdone, in 2002 a group started work at Runcorn East. For further details, see below in section 7.

* 4 NCRUG has consistently won prizes in the Best Kept Cheshire stations competition, at both Helsby and Frodsham, and so has featured in Cheshire Life magazine. Again in 2007 both stations won awards presented in January 2008. Click HERE for awards we have won.

* 5 NCRUG made comments to Railtrack/ Network Rail Property (Spacia) about the situation with the Grade II listed buildings at Helsby, which were not covered by the Railtrack Station Regeneration Programme in 1999. NCRUG maintained a contact with Railtrack NW Zone about the Station Regeneration Programme, the completion of the main part coincided with NCRUG's Open Day at Helsby. Comments were fed back to Railtrack, and as a result the area of platforms 2/3 to be resurfaced with new paving was extended to the whole platform area. In April 2001 the Railway Heritage Trust came to both Helsby and Frodsham to discuss with Spacia the possibility of grants for improvements to the buildings. As a consequence in August 2001 the chimney at the south end of the building on platforms 2/3 was repaired, and then in late 2002 both the signalbox and the old waiting room on the island platform were refurbished with support of grants from the Railway Heritage Trust. This project won a prize for railway restoration projects, and work has continued since to improve the situation.

* 6 NCRUG over a long period pressed Railtrack to bring platform 1 at Helsby "within gauge". It is more than half a metre below the train steps, and accidents have happened in the past with people falling. As a result Helsby was one of 116 stations surveyed by Raltrack in order to assist in developing its future policy on improvements to station platforms. We were told that Railtrack would carry out remedial work in 2002/3, but with the demise of Railtrack, nothing came of it, but we continue to press for improvement..

* 7 We have also discussed the matter of the car park at Helsby which is frequently full. In June 2000, Railtrack stated that work would be carried out during the current financial year. Unfortunately First North Western were only prepared to pay their part of the costs by introducing a parking charge scheme administered by contractors, with all that that would entail, e.g. wheel clamping. NCRUG said that this would aggravate the situation rather than improve it. Parking continues to be a problem, and although the car park has been marked out, it would appear that an efficient plan was chosen; we continue to make representations.

* 8 As part of NCRUG's proposals for improvements to the facilities at Frodsham and Helsby stations, we proposed that the awning should be re-installed on Platform 1 at Helsby to provide a shelter. The proposal was to be jointly funded by Railtrack out of their matched funding budget, Helsby Parish Council and Cheshire County Council. After an initial completion date of September 1998 as part of Railtrack's SRP programme, the awning (canopy) was eventually completed on 3 February 1999.

* 9 On 26 September 1998, NCRUG (in association with North Western Trains) held an Open Day at Helsby station. Over 500 people came: Many local people coming to the station for the first time in years. Many were surprised at the train services on offer.

* 10 In May 2000, FNW decided to start charging the Chester - Liverpool via Warrington fare for those travelling from Helsby, rather than the one given in the fares manual. Apart from being very much more expensive, there were a lot of problems because the tickets were route specific. NCRUG held discussions with FNW, and the correct fare was re-instated.

Achievements