GMDT PROJECT LEAD:  Hugh Edmundson

GMDT’s Ex Environment director Hugh Edmundson has continued to lead on the Front of Station Landscape project , in partnership with Morpeth Lions, Rotary and Morpeth Litter Group volunteers; planting bulbs and shrubs, weeding and watering of the plants over the summer.

Next time catching a train, go slightly early to look at the flower beds. The display is very colourful ,  loved by many train travellers. Hugh Edmundson has continued to lead on weeding and watering of the plants at the front of the station, It is pleasing to see plants are thriving and none have been lost as yet. The colours of the flowers in the past weeks over the summer has been delightful, see above. Comments from the public show the borders are much appreciated.

The objective of the project is to lift the front of the Railway station, making it attractive to visitors to Morpeth and people catching trains. The work you will see now is Phases 1 + 2  and partly 3 of the project

PHASE 3 was something we wanted to do removing the remains of the temporary portacabin Ticket Office that was located here. This involved the following:

1. Removal the dangerous undulating concrete path that goes along the centre of the area.
2. Repointing the walls – which have been neglected for many years
3. Landscaping the top area for people to sit, waiting for the train
4. Positioning of a new Information board covering the history of the Railway station
5. New fencing along the sides of the area
6. New trellis at the rear of the borders
7. New plants to grow over the top of fencing
8. New tubs located in the area
9. New Picnic table

In May 2024 – a team from Network Rail / Northern Rail teams have removed the concrete path and the area generally cleaned up.  March 2025 the Northern Railway team came back, the walls repointed, new fencing put up, gravel laid down and 2 new benches installed.

We await Northern Railway support for the placement of a new Picnic table plus an additional bench and changes to the fencing.

The  Station Adoption team will look to install trellis along the amended fencing with plants placed which will hopefully give us a lovely supply of colour in 2026.

If you are interested in wanting to help maintain the flower beds and tubs on the North and Southbound platforms, please contact GMDT via info@gmdt.org.