News

Enjoy looking at the beautiful flowers when you are next waiting for your train at Walton.

Julia admiring the daffodils and tulips at Wrabness station

National Reflection Day was on the 23rd March 2022, a day where we reflected on the last two years, supported each other, reached out for help and got involved.

As life returns to normal for many of us, lots of us are still grieving from losing a friend, neighbour or loved one. Remember to check in with your friends and reach out for help if needed, you are not alone! A massive thank you to Marie Curie for organising National Reflection Day.

Meet Sherry one of the station adopters at Colchester Town. Here she is planting up an additional 4 tubs at the station!

18/03/2022, 32 pictures and one poster was put up at Chelmsford station of The Chappel Viaduct. The artwork was produced by Wladyslaw Mirecki of the arches, the Chappel was built in 1847 and has over 7 million bricks and is still used to this day as it links Marks Tey and Sudbury.

On Saturday the 19th March ESSCRP held a guided walk from Bures railway station, it was a great success the sun was shining and around 30 people joined us. We had an added bonus when we arrived at Smallbridge Hall the house owner was in his garden and was really happy to give us a talk about the history and show the group around the garden.

Welcome to David and Rita Gibson who have recently adopted Cressing and Braintree Freeport stations. They have really hit the ground running. Braintree Freeport now has nine beautifully planted planters along the platform. The benefits of having volunteers around is already obvious, with their sharp eye for detail and willingness to highlight issues to both the CRP and then to Greater Anglia. Less litter and cleaner ticket machines are already apparent. They have developed good relations with the Facilities Management Company who look after Braintree Village shopping centre and who supplied the compost for the planters. The sculpture in the enclosed sculpture area has been cleaned and there are plans to clear the embankment it stands on, which will really improve the look of the station.
Cressing is also benefitting from their hard work and enthusiasm. It has an area cleared ready for a dry garden and 200 (yes, you read that right) snowdrops in the green planted along the platform which will look amazing in future years. And, thanks to Greater Anglia, there is now access to a storage area at Cressing as well as a water supply.
The work they do is amazing, we are in awe and very grateful.
If you would like to volunteer to look after a local station and join our volunteer community please email info@esscrp.org.uk

Check out the new Artwork at Weeley Station, welcoming our train travels. Thanks to the artist at Acorn Village, their talent is amazing!

ESSCRP are pleased to be working in partnership with Refugee, Asylum seeker & Migrant Action – RAMA. There are various projects we have discussed including rail safety with young people and families, Try a Train Day followed by train trips to the Walton On The Naze and Harwich.
In February half term we were able to link with another of our partners Essex Path to Prosperity who offered two days of funded art classes at the Jaywick Martello Tower for up to 12 people who attend RAC. Families were delighted to have the opportunity and four families were able to attend over the 2 days. They learnt how to draw coastline themes including sea shells, the sea, the sand and on the second day the theme was Essex Elephants including how to draw elephants, how elephants are an important part of Colchester history, they used to arrive by train for the circus and walk up North Hill from the station.
They were able to look at the sea, draw in the sand and run along the beach over lunch as well as look around the Martello Tower.
Everyone has an amazing time and looking forward to future train events and learning how to travel safely.