FOBS Monthly News - May 09


FOBS have three events lined up. The first is a film show on 15 May at the Middle School, which will be over by the time you read this. The second is for early birds to see the steam train on 23 May - the Oliver Cromwell, the last steam engine run by British Railways, will stop to pick up the lucky passengers who are going to the Dorset coast.

(If you want to travel behind 'Old Ironsides' and haven't managed to get a ticket, you can do it this Sunday - 17 May - on the Mid Norfolk Railway.)

We don't know the exact time the train will come on 23 May, because the times are only published a week or so before. Watch our posters at various points around the town, including our noticeboard on the Market Square.

The third one is a treat for Father's Day, 21 June, when we have hired a vintage coach for a trip to Oxborough Hall to the Boys and their Toys event. This National Gardens Scheme event includes displays by various model clubs including boat, aircraft, helicopter, engineers, a model railway layout and modern traction engines. Boys of all ages, of course - why not give Father a treat? If you have had enough of models, the coach will make a second extra trip to Gooderstone Water Gardens just a short distance away, a delightful place to spend a a couple of hours. The cost of the coach trip will be £8, but there are also entrance charges to the two attractions (£3.10 to Oxborough gardens (more to the House), £4.75 to Gooderstone). If you are a National Trust member you can just pay for the coach trip and stay at Oxborough. So the day (apart from your lunch) could cost you anything from £8 to £19.50. The bus will leave the station at 11 am, but you can be picked up along the way by prior arrangement.

This event will raise funds for our campaign to save the station. This campaign also involves finding a use for the building which will convince Network Rail it has a future. Just lately we have had some expressions of interest - from one of the local authorities, and from the tourist sector - which could prove promising, and some people have enquired about setting up businesses there. A powerful argument for the future of the station, however, is public support, and surely we value our station?


Article Written by Stephen Dean:
Tel:01842 815372 or Email:stephendean@decanimusic.co.uk