Harborough rail users
Improving the quality of Market Harborough's rail service
The restoration of the two old platform trolleys for use by Market Harborough in Bloom has been completed. Local retired engineer Phil Clark undertook the work, with the timber for the decks generously donated by Glenmere Timber on Gores Lane. The trolleys are to be installed at the station as part of a decorative planting scheme by Market Harborough in Bloom, who are the 'adopters' of the station. The aim is to provide a colourful 'Welcome to Market Harborough' feature at this important gateway to the town.
The exact location for the trolleys is still to be decided, but the hope is to place them near the top of the ramp from the booking office to platform 1, on the site of the 1970s waiting room building once that has been demolished and replaced by new facilities. Until that is done and the station is ready to receive them, the trolleys are now in secure storage. The pictures below show the two trolleys in the workshop awaiting transfer to temporary storage, and in the proud possession of Market Harborough in Bloom. To see the state the trolleys were in prior to restoration, scroll down to the item dated 23/10/2020 below. (Photos: Steve Jones) Before the old platforms at Market Harborough were demolished, two old British Railways platform trolleys served as bases for decorative planting by Market Harborough in Bloom (MHiB, who are the approved 'adopters' of Market Harborough station). They made an attractive display but disappeared prior to the rebuilding of the station. However, they were not taken away, but were dumped in the long grass by the access road to the old car park. There they quietly deteriorated.
However, Network Rail kindly agreed that local volunteers from HRU and MHiB could remove them for repair, with a view to reinstatement somewhere on the rebuilt station as a base for a new planting scheme. The current plan is to place them, once fully restored, on the gravelled area near the steps from the new car park to the southbound platform. Complete with a floral display, they would add a splash of colour to welcome passengers arriving at the station. The pictures below show the trolleys on 23rd October 2020, just prior to being removed for repair. |
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