Another milestone!

The fifth phase of the Rail to Trail (R2T) project at North Camp Station has been completed. BVCT and its partners have turned what once was a derelict piece of land on Platform 2 into something not only more aesthetically pleasing but also more environmentally friendly.

Following the adoption of North Camp Station by BVCT under the GWR Station adoption scheme attention soon turned to how the station could be made to look more attractive and passenger friendly. One of many ideas was a proposal to build a wildflower garden. After negotiations between BVCT and Southeast Community Rail Partnership (SCRP), GWR and Network Rail were approached and permissions soon were gained to proceed.

Working with North Camp Matters Community Association (NCMCA), we contacted local landscape company Hortus Paradisi who designed and priced a scheme. Funding was found bringing together a syndicate of sponsors. With the optimal planting season in mind plants and shrubs were ordered.

As excavation on a working platform was not permitted due to the presence of underground services, the project required us to build a raised bed. A detailed survey of services was carried out before we started. All cutting and preparation had to be carried out off site as no power tools were allowed in the vicinity of a live railway track. With the kind permission of the Old Ford public house, materials were delivered to the pub, and assembled in situ. Before this specific safety training for working on a railway property was undertaken; everybody working on site needed to earn their GWR hi-viz jacket and safety certificate as a ‘station friend’.

The first job was to clear the site of existing rubble and unwanted materials. The work started in a very cold snap in January 2023 when the ground was solid and it took some time to get back to a suitable surface to start the new construction.

Sleepers were first put in place, then topsoil, then a membrane topped with bark mulch. All the building materials were sponsored by Kebur Garden Materials Ltd. A special thanks goes to Jo Holtom and the Kebur team for supporting the project.

The final task was to install some wildlife friendly plants to encourage biodiversity to flourish. For the keen gardeners amongst you these were Rhododendron Percy Wiseman, Polystichum setiferum and Pulmonaria ‘Trevi Fountain’. The bed was finished off with wildflower turfing.

Planting does not look entirely after itself – another role for volunteers. The planting at the station is currently tended by BVCT, and the Rotary Club of Farnborough will soon have members who are station friends who can assist.

The R2T project has been a true community partnership bringing together individuals and organisations who have a common interest in the environment and well-being. The railway station has acted as a catalyst and there is no reason why this type of initiative cannot be replicated at other railway stations along the North Downs Line, which runs from Reading to Gatwick. If you would like to be involved in similar ideas in your area along the Blackwater Valley, please contact Chris@bvct.org.uk for further information.

The new planting was formally “opened” on 7 June when people who had helped the project came together to celebrate the completion (subject to ongoing maintenance) of this stage.

From left to right in the photograph the people attending on 7 June included: Alan Taylor (BVCT), Peter Bassett (NCMCA), Chris Smith (BVCT), Andy Gallaugher (Senior Duty Manager GWR), Cliff Mosey (Director Kebur Garden Materials Ltd.), Jo Holtom (Kebur Garden Materials Ltd.) Caroline Salmon (SCRP Community Rail Officer, North Downs Line), Alison Andrews (Chair, NCMCA), Bernard Baverstock (BVCT), Cllr. Diane Bedford (Rushmoor Borough Council and Rotary Club of Farnborough), and Steve Bailey (Manager BVCP). Not in the photo but equally important were Clive Ayling (Customer Sales Advisor GWR Ticket Office at North Camp Station), Emily Moore (BVCP), Margaret (manager Old Ford) and David Daniels (retired former SCRP Community Rail Officer, North Downs Line).

Stays on track

This project started as an “interesting opportunity” in March 2019 and has grown into one of the Trust’s key activities. Its primary aim is to encourage people to explore the Blackwater

Valley using sustainable transport and as a result reduce carbon footprints. It has helped the Trust forge many new partnerships as it has gained momentum.

In conjunction with the Southeast Community Rail Partnership and Great Western Railway, our first initiative was to erect poster cabinets to house a map of the Valley with directions to the Valley footpath from four stations along the North Downs Line (Guildford to Reading). The stations are North Camp, Farnborough North, Blackwater, and Sandhurst.

We planned to launch R2T formally in March 2020 with a walk between stations. We had to call this off at the last minute due to the pandemic., but the appetite for the initiative was clearly there to be seen. We intend to arrange a similar walk with a rail dimension sometime in the future.

The third strand of the project was to design and erect ‘Gateway to the Blackwater Valley’ station platform running-in boards at North Camp, Farnborough North, Blackwater, and Sandhurst. These are now in position.

As part of the promotion of the Trust, the Valley, our conservation objectives and in furtherance of our environmentally friendly and well-being initiatives, we have produced two Rail to Trail circular walk pamphlets from railway stations. The routes link Farnborough North, Blackwater and Sandhurst stations. They can be used for a simple walk from one station to the next or combined to form a circular walk along the Path between the stations returning through the countryside – from around 3 to 14 miles depending on the configuration you choose. These will eventually form part of a series of routes using stations as hubs to enjoy the wonderful countryside and places of interest we have in our neighbourhood.

In May 2023 we completed a landscaping project on one of the platforms at North Camp, sponsored in partnership with Southeast Community Rail Partnership, Kebur Garden Materials, BVCT, NCMCA and the Old Ford Pub. This has been a true community venture.

The potential to use the R2T initiative as a catalyst for other projects in the Valley will depend on available resources – as ever more volunteers would add value! If you want to know more or find out how you can become involved in similar projects, please contact Chris Smith (BVCT Trustee) at chris@bvct.org.uk

Chris Smith

BURSTING WITH IDEAS?

Small grants helping you kickstart your project

We love the Blackwater Valley.

It’s our mission to protect our wildlife habitat, enhance our environment and provide a great place for the public to enjoy.

Many groups and organisations along our 22-mile valley share our dreams and goal. Full of great ideas on how to improve their local area, often they just need a little help to get started.

To help kickstart your project, we have introduced a small grants scheme to fund projects for like-minded organisations or groups in the Blackwater Valley.

Together we can achieve more, faster.

Examples of projects we may fund:

to provide equipment for groups to use for working on local nature areas
to improve access to recreational facilities and the countryside;
to create new wildlife habitats and species recording;
to provide signage/information about our natural environment; and
offering educational opportunities to the public

Find out more:

Small Grant Application v2-2 Final Web

Download application forms here:

Join our management team!

Would you like to help us to protect nature in our beautiful Valley?

We’ve a great team at the Trust and 2 roles we’d like to fill soon – a treasurer and a fund raiser. Each role involves a few hours a month.

There are opportunities to get involved in other interesting activities, if you wish.

If you’d like to know more about either of the roles above, please contact us.

Frimley Green Youth Centre

Planting saplings for our eco church

Mini gardeners from the local nursery school helped us to plant 100 saplings at the Holy Trinity Eco Church. Once they got the hang of roots and stems, the only way was up!

We chose a mix of UK sourced and grown plants to minimise spread of disease and pests. They arrived between 15-60cm high, so it will be a while before they grow together to provide a food bank for birds and insects.

However, we’re looking forward to hazelnuts, the hips of dog roses, clusters of rowan berries, sloes and elderberries. In spring there’ll be plenty of blossom and catkins to attract pollinators.

Once the hedge is established it will provide shelter and cover for wildlife, and a busy natural highway in the centre of Aldershot.

Community lottery – please support us

Preparing the plot for hedging

Last week we were hedging our bets that the driving rain might relent in time for our Friday planting at the Holy Trinity Eco church, Aldershot.

Having been successful in a bid for free hedging from the Woodland Trust, Bernard Baverstock rallied a team of volunteers to prepare the plot.

The area chosen was by the wall on the eastern perimeter of the grounds. There were already a few privet plants and a mature holly bush in situ, so the aim was to infill this with native hedging.

The first step was to clear tussocks of overgrown grass, dead shrubs and self-seeded sycamores. Luckily the rain had left the ground soft and easy to turn over so the rich soil was soon ready to accept the saplings once they arrive.

Thanks to Jane and John Heritage and Geoff Sayer who joined us to brave the drizzle!