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Thanks to all who have contributed to such an inspirational and enjoyable project. Citizens’ Rail will live on through our toolkit and in our online network – we welcome you to join as we work together to develop our local and regional railways.
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In front of an audience of more than 330 rail industry staff and volunteers, the Citizens’ Rail project as a whole was recognised in the Outstanding Teamwork category. Our UK, French, Dutch and German partners were awarded third place thanks to their dedication to transnational working and delivering imaginative, collaborative projects that went beyond the original scope of the project. These included a once-in-a-life-time trip for Lancashire school children to visit the cathedral school in the German city of Aachen, student masterclasses that helped young people’s ideas to be implemented by the rail industry, and even the donation of Dutch tulips to brighten station gardens in Devon.
Two projects within Citizens’ Rail were also recognised at the awards:
The Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership’s family-friendly Minibeast Trail on the Riviera Line between Exeter and Torbay was awarded third place in the Small Community Art Schemes category. Working with artist Melissa Muldoon, pupils from Gatehouse Primary School in Dawlish and the Sure Start Dad’s Club Stay and Play in Teignmouth made sculptures of butterflies, dragonflies, bees, ladybirds and snails from recycled plastic. They were displayed on planters at Teignmouth, Dawlish, Newton Abbot, Torquay and Paignton stations.
The “Distance Between” project by our Lancashire and Aachen partners also won third prize in the Involving Young People category. A class of primary school children from a former Lancashire mill town were asked to get involved in the opening of Burnley Manchester Road station as part of Citizens’ Rail. They did so in great style. As a result, the class took part in a cultural exchange taking them to Aachen and Heerlen. Many of the children had never been out of Lancashire before. They spent time working with a class of German school children producing artwork now displayed at stations in Lancashire, Aachen and Heerlen.
The Community Rail Awards is an annual event organised by the Association of Community Rail Partnerships which celebrates the work being done to promote and enhance Britain’s local and rural railways. The awards ceremony followed Citizens’ Rail’s final conference held earlier the same day – read more.
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The 70 delegates from the UK, France, Germany and the Netherlands met the night before the conference for a special pre-conference networking event kindly funded by local rail operator Great Western Railway (GWR). The attendees took a trip from Torquay to Kingswear, taking advantage of a beautiful warm evening. This is normally a heritage railway route, but thanks to GWR and the Dartmouth Steam Railway and River Boat Company, guests were instead able to travel on the pair of Class 153 units decked out in Citizens’ Rail and Visit South Devon liveries.
Upon arrival, the delegates were welcomed by staff from sustainable local restaurant group Rockfish with a fish and chip dinner. The evening provided the perfect way for people to make new connections and get to know each other – especially important given that the group spanned four countries and a wide range of organisations – including rail operators, rail infrastructure bodies, Community Rail Partnerships and local, regional and national government.
The conference itself – held at the Riviera International Centre – featured a range of great speakers from the UK, France, Germany and the Netherlands. Each presentation spurred a lively question and answer session, and the afternoon featured group workshop sessions to make the day as interactive as possible. Explore the presentation slides below and see the full agenda at the foot of this post, or as a PDF.
Slides from the main presentations:
Workshops:
We wanted to share the great points made in the interactive workshop sessions at the conference, so we’ve posted a forum thread for each workshop in our new online network the Community Rail Cafe. This allows participants to post their ideas or notes from the sessions. Even if you weren’t there on the day, we’d invite further ideas too – all are welcome. The aim is to create a lasting set of top tips for each topic that people can draw upon and build up over time.
Read/contribute to each topic:
The conference agenda:
Following the conference, the UK’s national Community Rail Awards were held in the same venue that evening, with Citizens’ Rail projects recognised in three categories – read more.
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The two-day workshop, hosted in Preston (UK) by the University of Central Lancashire in March 2015, brought together students from German, Dutch and UK universities to develop fresh ideas for how to promote local and regional railways.
Citizens’ Rail partners chose marketing as the focus for the masterclass because marketing campaigns are often simpler and quicker to implement than other rail projects. Students were therefore motivated by the knowledge that their proposals could soon be put into practice.
The Wi-Fi idea
The first idea to be realised came from the transnational group of students that was developing marketing campaigns targeted at tourists and leisure travellers.
Implementing the concept
The idea was swiftly pursued by Citizens’ Rail’s lead partner, the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership.
Alongside its work within the European project, the Partnership was in the middle of planning a separate campaign to promote Cornwall’s scenic branch lines and destinations. The campaign harnessed the popularity of the BBC series Poldark. In spring 2015 the hit British television programme had prominently featured Cornwall’s beautiful coast, countryside and mining heritage. The Partnership therefore developed a theme of “Visit Poldark country by train”.
As well as a flagship event at London Paddington, leaflets and other materials, the Partnership created a mini-website showing how to visit filming locations from the programme by train.
Thanks to the masterclass, train operator First Great Western agreed to promote the campaign on the onboard Wi-Fi of their fleet of High Speed Trains. Now, when users connect to Wi-Fi aboard the train, they are greeted with the “Visit Poldark country by train” message.
When they click “Continue”, they are taken to the First Great Western homepage, which prominently features a link to the Partnership’s campaign website. The Wi-Fi promotion will continue to run until the later in the summer, helping to promote First Great Western’s branch lines to users of other parts of its network.
The results
The campaign has already led to a 40% increase in the Partnership’s web traffic compared to the same period the previous year – attracting 10,000 visitors in just five weeks. The Partnership has also put the project forward for a national Community Rail Award (winners to be announced in October 2015).
The project shows the power of involving young people in their railway, and the difference that their fresh perspectives and innovative ideas can bring.
Participating universities
Citizens’ Rail would like to thank all the students and universities that took part. The event, which was the follow-up to our first masterclass in Aachen and Parkstad Limburg in 2013, was a great example of the transnational working that is at the heart of the EU Interreg IVB NWE programme, through which Citizens’ Rail is funded.
University of Central Lancashire
Plymouth University
RWTH Aachen University
Zuyd Hogeschool
Read more about the masterclass and see the students’ PowerPoint presentations.
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As part of the Citizens’ Rail project, work took place over the last 18 months to provide the station with an iconic station building with improved car and cycle parking, CCTV, real time information and improved signage, before services began running on the direct Blackburn to Manchester service via the newly restored Todmorden Curve.
The Explore East Lancashire marketing campaign will highlight the faster connection as an opportunity to visit the area’s attractions. Posters and leaflets (download a copy, 0.4MB) supporting the campaign will be displayed at stations between Blackburn and Manchester along with artwork previously produce by pupils from Padiham Green primary school.
Representatives of Burnley Borough Council, Lancashire County Council, Northern Rail, Community Rail Lancashire and Citizens’ Rail gathered to unveil a plaque marking the station investment and enjoy presentations by pupils from Padiham Green Primary School. The first was about the history of the station, and the second told the story of a stickleback called ‘small fry’ that was sucked into the water tank of an engine at Rose Grove and then went on a journey to Manchester and back via the Todmorden Curve. Read the full story in the children’s excellent hand-made book, Operation Stickleback (5MB PDF).
Councillor Mark Townsend, leader of Burnley Council, said: ‘‘Visitors to Burnley Manchester Road Station are predicted to double now the direct service to Manchester has been established. We’re delighted to have a direct service to Manchester from Burnley once again. It will bring clear benefits to our economy in terms of access to the job market and establishing Burnley as a commuter town. It’s a real milestone in our continuing success story and one we wish to celebrate.”
Alex Hynes, managing director for Northern Rail comments: “What a fantastic opportunity to celebrate all that has been achieved from a solid partnership approach. Working together with Lancashire County Council, we have promoted a brand new, direct service into Manchester to the communities, towns and villages across Lancashire, which we hope will bring more opportunities than ever to this growing part of our network.”
Citizens’ Rail project manager, Richard Burningham of the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership said: “The Citizens’ Rail partners, from France, Germany and the Netherlands as well as here in the UK, are delighted to have helped make this brilliant transformation of Burnley Manchester Road station a reality.”
County Councillor John Fillis, Lancashire County Council cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “Improving transport connections is vital to our ambitions to create the conditions for future economic growth in East Lancashire.
“We’re working hard to develop the case for the government and the rail industry to invest in the infrastructure to improve journey times and frequency, as well as modern rolling stock and station facilities.
“The restored Todmorden Curve and improved stations in Burnley represent a real step forward but this is just the start of what we need in future.”
Funding for the station improvements was provided by Burnley Council, Lancashire County Council and the Citizens’ Rail Interreg IVB project. A further £100,000 was secured from the National Station Improvement Programme (NSIP) by Northern Rail/Network Rail to support the platform works including the new passenger shelters.
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The study by Eden Business Analysis, commissioned by Lancashire County Council, was conducted before the new ticket office received extended opening hours and before Burnley’s direct service to Manchester began. This means that the long-term impact is likely to be even greater still.
Face-to-face interviews found that passengers now rate the station more highly against all 11 of the factors they were surveyed about, including ticket purchase facilities, information about delays, lighting and car parking.
The findings demonstrate that station improvements can and do have a measurable positive impact, both on journey figures and passenger satisfaction. The research also helped to identify areas for further improvement to enable the station to go from strength to strength.
The station building was built with the help of funding from Citizens’ Rail as part of the EU Interreg IVB NWE programme, in order to transform the town’s busiest station and aid Burnley’s economic regeneration.
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In a positive example of transnational working, Nick Davies (University of Central Lancashire, UK), Marco Trienes (RWTH Aachen University, Germany) and Dominik Elsmann (formerly of RWTH Aachen University, now at Aachen’s transport authority, AVV) spoke on the topic of “Understanding Citizens’ Rail: how marketing and social outreach can encourage involvement by the public in their rail services and change attitudes towards rail” (see slides below).
Their key messages included the need for less complex, more flexible ticketing, more human presence at stations, the success of the marketing of interventions (75% of respondents had heard of the local improvements taking place as part of the Citizens’ Rail project), and the importance of involving people in local railways.
The presentation formed part of the “Understanding the user” session at the conference.
And here is some reaction on Twitter from a Belgian attendee at the conference:
Citizens' Rail uses volunteers to make local railway stations more comfortable and welcoming places. http://t.co/lP317ZbTcU #ecomm2015
— Sarah Martens (@martens_sarah) May 22, 2015
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Following a multi-million pound investment and almost a decade of partnership work between Burnley Council, Network Rail, Lancashire County Council and Northern Rail, on Sunday 17th May 2015 the direct Blackburn to Manchester via Burnley service returned to the region.
Northern, a Serco and Abellio joint venture operated the historic first train, over 40 years after the closure of the Todmorden Curve in 1972, following the completion and opening of the line by Network Rail. This morning there was a community celebration at Burnley Manchester Road and Accrington stations to herald a new chapter in rail travel and the start of a range of benefits for the two communities.
Commuters were welcomed with tea, coffee, muffins and a ‘goodie bag’ at Burnley Manchester Road and Accrington stations, handed out by teams from Northern, Burnley Council, the East Lancashire Community Rail Partnership and Lancashire County Council.
The scheme was part-funded from the government’s Regional Growth Fund. Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said:
“This government is committed to transforming rail services across the North of England as part of our ambitious plans to build a Northern Powerhouse. Todmorden Curve is an example of the significant investment being made in the region’s rail network, in order to provide more seats, more services and better journeys for passengers. It will make a real difference by opening up better access to job opportunities, helping to secure economic growth.”
Alex Hynes, Managing Director of Northern Rail, comments:
“We would be delighted to welcome our local community to our stations to help us and our partners celebrate this milestone in railway history. We’re committed to bringing better services, improved stations and a wealth of local opportunities to the region and this new service is a positive step in the right direction for all concerned.”
County Councillor John Fillis, Lancashire County Council cabinet member for highways and transport, said:
“It is a fantastic achievement by everyone involved to re-establish the direct service from Burnley to Manchester which will extend opportunities for local people and have a real impact on the economy. It shows what can be achieved when partner organisations are clear about their priorities and work closely together to deliver them. The working relationships established will be instrumental in the ongoing transformation of rail services in East Lancashire. I look forward to the service being a great success, paving the way for better trains and faster journey times in the future.”
Councillor Mark Townsend, Leader of Burnley Council, said:
“We’re delighted to have a direct service to Manchester from Burnley once again. It will bring clear benefits to our economy in terms of access to the job market and establishing Burnley as a commuter town. Our outstanding countryside is even easier to reach for visitors. It’s a real milestone in our continuing success story and one we wish to celebrate.”
Terry Strickland, area director for Network Rail, said:
“The reopened Todmorden Curve is a significant improvement to the railway in this part of the country and will allow services to run directly between Manchester Victoria and Burnley Manchester Road for the first time since the 1960s. We have worked closely with Burnley Council, Lancashire County Council and Northern Rail to make this happen and it is an excellent example of partnership working to help deliver a better railway for passengers.”
Get train times and tickets on Northern Rail’s Burnley-Manchester mini-website.
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Every child from Padiham Green CE Primary School (pictured above) and Aachener Domsingschule (pictured below) who took part in the trip contributed to the artwork during their joint classroom session in Aachen. The poster takes the form of a finger labyrinth, and is entitled The Distance Between. Using your finger, you can trace your journey from Padiham in the centre of the labyrinth to either Aachen or Heerlen on the outside.
The poster was coordinated by artist Alastair Nicholson, who travelled with the Lancashire party and has contributed to many railway-related art projects with our partners Community Rail Lancashire.
During their four-day stay in November 2014, the Padiham Green pupils received an official welcome at Aachen City Hall, singing lessons with their new Aachen school friends, scaled viewpoints where they could see three countries at once, and even visited the zoo. The trip was the children’s well-earned reward for delivering a fantastic presentation and warm welcome to Citizens’ Rail’s European partners during their meeting in Lancashire in July 2014.
The children raised funds through various events at school to contribute towards the visit. Additional funding for the trip was provided by Citizens’ Rail, the DCRDF Fund, UK German Connection and Abellio.
Children from the Domsingschule pose with their poster:
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For 17th May, passengers will be able to depart from Burnley Manchester Road station, transformed as part of the Citizens’ Rail project, and reach Manchester Victoria in just 52 minutes.
The service is made possible by the reinstatement of 500 metres of rail track known as the Todmorden Curve. This is the result of a multi-million pound investment and almost a decade of partnership work between Burnley Council, Network Rail, Lancashire County Council and Northern Rail.
Advanced marketing of the new service has now started, with 90,000 flyers (shown below) distributed to households in the area, and the launch of a dedicated webpage. This will be followed by an extensive marketing campaign, coupled with a celebration morning at Burnley Manchester Road station on the first day of the new service.
