Goostrey Rail User Group

For friends of Goostrey railway station

 

WELCOME 

Hello, and thank you for calling at the GRUG website.  We hope that you find it interesting and informative. 

Please note, this website is still in its infancy and is, therefore, an extremely basic model.  A much more impressive website will be made available as soon as possible.

 

GOOSTREY

Goostrey is a village in the County of Cheshire, in North West England.  Its railway is on the Crewe to Manchester line, and its station is situated at the village’s eastern border, on Station Road. 

Northern Rail currently serves Goostrey station.  Northern Rail took over the franchise to operate the local service on 12 December 2004, replacing First North Western. 

 

TIMETABLES

There is an hourly service provided every weekday and on Saturdays, with a half-hourly service at rush hour times, and a heavily reduced service on Sundays. 

Trains from Goostrey call direct at the following stations:

Northbound

Travel Time from Goostrey*

 Chelford

5

Alderley Edge

9

Wilmslow

12

Handforth

15

Cheadle Hulme

20

Stockport

25

Heaton Chapel

29

Levenshulme

32

Manchester Piccadilly

40

*Minutes. Approximate.

Southbound

Travel Time from Goostrey*

Holmes Chapel

3

Sandbach

8

Crewe

18

*Minutes. Approximate.

In addition, a handful of services travel to/from Manchester Oxford Road and Deansgate.

Northbound Departure Times

Weekdays

06:17, 06:49, 07:14, 07:48, 08:14, 09:14, 10:14, 11:14, 12:14, 13:14, 14:14, 15:14, 16:14, 17:14, 17:52, 18:14, 19:14, 20:14, 21:14, 22:14 & 23:21.

Saturdays

06:49, 07:14, 07:48, 08:14, 09:14, 10:14, 11:14, 12:14, 13:14, 14:14, 15:14, 16:14, 17:14, 17:53, 18:14, 19:14, 20:14, 21:14, 22:14, 23:14.

Sundays

10:39, 14:39 & 22:39

Southbound Departure Times

Weekdays

06:17, 06:47, 07:39, 08:19, 09:35, 10:36, 11:36, 12:36, 13:36, 14:38, 15:36, 16:18, 16:36, 17:37, 18:22, 18:36, 19:38, 20:37, 21:37, 22:38 & 0012.

Saturdays

06:47, 07:39, 08:33, 09:35, 10:36, 11:36, 12:36, 13:36, 14:36, 15:36, 16:18, 16:36, 17:37, 18:35, 19:37, 20:37, 21:37, 22:38 & 23:40.

Sundays

17:44

Times in Italics call at/departed from Deansgate and Manchester Oxford Road.

 

GOOSTREY RAILWAY STATION

Goostrey station has two platforms. 

Northbound services depart from the platform directly adjacent to the car park and main station building.  Wheelchair access is available.  Seating is available, but there is no sheltered seating available at present.  There is a waste bin.

The southbound platform can be accessed by the flight of stairs from the car park and crossing the railway bridge.  A pathway leads from the railway bridge to the southbound platform.  Wheelchair users arriving at and/or departing the southbound platform have to use Station Road, in order to avoid the flight of stairs.  Station Road is a relatively quiet ‘C’ Road, but speeding vehicles and occasional heavy-goods vehicles through the village have been a concern (as with almost everywhere in the UK) and the road narrows when traversing the bridge.  It is, therefore, important to be extra vigilant when crossing and walk in the gap between the road and the bridge wall.  Seating is available, including sheltered seating.  There is no waste bin. 

Facilities at the station for rail travelers are limited at present.  There is currently no WC facilities, and no indoor waiting areas.

The station has been unmanned since the early 1990s, and tickets for travel can either be booked in advance, or purchased onboard by credit/debit card or with cash.  Fares vary according to time of travel, destination, age and any rail cards held. 

The station is well lit, with lights running the entire length of both platforms and within the car park.  However, there is currently no lighting on the railway bridge. 

The station has a free car park, with capacity for approximately twenty-five vehicles.  However, there are no parking bays marked, so it is important to ensure you have not blocked-in the vehicles of any other rail users or local residents or parked in a way that uses up valuable space. 

The car park is also the home of the village’s recycling area, with ‘bins for glass, paper, plastics and clothing/shoes. 

A public payphone is sited in the car park, which only accepts coins. 

There is no taxi rank at the station, although the village and surrounding area has a handful of private hire taxi firms.    

 

ABOUT GRUG

Commonly known by the acronym GRUG, Goostrey Rail User Group – For Friends of Goostrey railway station was officially founded on 22 October 2006 by local resident Gavin Hollinshead. 

As he is solely reliant on the railway for all his transport needs, Gavin successfully applied to Northern Rail to become the station adopter for Goostrey, a scheme created in order to improve links between Northern Rail and the rail communities it serves, and the communication of fault reporting. 

Being more actively involved in the railways, and Goostrey station in particular, provided Gavin with an insight into its problems and potential, in addition to the important, yet seldom heard, views of other users.  He decided, therefore, that the formation of a Group for the village would be beneficial.

The three principal aims of GRUG are to:

Ø      Work with Northern Rail, Network Rail, Goostrey Parish Council and other relevant Organisations in maintaining and improving the station premises and facilities.

Ø      Actively encourage the use of the railway by local residents, highlighting the financial, environmental and health benefits.

Ø      Ensure that the rail service provided for Goostrey is maintained, and improved upon wherever possible.

GRUG is, however, a democratic organisation – with no official leader – and the aims of the Group, therefore, can be altered according to the wishes of the Group’s majority.

 

SUPPORT

GRUG is extremely proud and grateful to have received written support from the following:

Ø      Lady Winterton MP, Congleton

Ø      Chris Grayling MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Transport

Ø      Department for Transport, HM Government

Ø      Goostrey Parish Council

Ø      Northern Rail Limited

Ø      Mid-Cheshire Rail Users Association (MCRUA)

Ø      Passenger Focus

Ø      Best Kept Stations Competition

 

MEMBERSHIP

Whilst the majority of members obviously reside in Goostrey, a number of its members have joined either as they use the station to visit friends or family within the village, wish to protect beautiful station buildings, or are simply keen to promote and protect rail travel.  Membership, therefore, reaches as far afield as West Dulwich, Lincoln, Taunton, and even New Zealand to name but a few!

To ensure that every individual can be involved, regardless of their personal circumstances, membership to GRUG is free to all.

Members receive the following:

Ø      Monthly Newsletter

Ø      Quarterly edition of Connections magazine, courtesy of Northern Rail

Ø      Report on ongoing and resolved station faults, and areas of concern.

Ø      The Manchester to Crewe via Stockport and via Manchester Airport Timetable, whenever it is amended

Ø      Invitations to attend various events, including Stakeholder conferences and Rail User Group meetings.

Ø      Travel Wallet Membership Card, containing a list of useful rail-related telephone numbers

Ø      “Newsflashes” via letter or email, detailing any urgent or important rail information affecting Goostrey 

 

Please email or write to GRUG should you wish to join, providing a contact name and address (and telephone number if possible).  Our contact details are below. 

                                                                               

NEWSLETTER 

The GRUG newsletter covers a wide range of news, views and concerns regarding the station at Goostrey and rail service provided. 

Contributions are received from members of GRUG themselves, in addition to other relevant individuals, Groups or Organisations.

The first GRUG Newsletter was issued 01 December 2006, with the second following just after New Years Day 2007.

 

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

01/04/2007   5th GRUG Newsletter published.

30/03/2007   Payphone at Goostrey station subject to serious vandalism, with the glass windows of the booth smashed.  The payphone is currently out of order.  The nearest alternative public payphone to the railway station is half a mile away, in the centre of the village adjacent to Bank View.

26/03/2007   GRUG invited to attend the Crewe Rail Partnership meeting at Holmes Chapel library by Robert Morton, Rail Partnership Officer.  Councilor Craggs of Goostrey Parish Council attends.

26/03/2007   Full timetable returns on the Crewe to Manchester via Stockport line, resulting in half-hourly services during rush hour times for Goostrey.  This is from 26/03/2007 until 19/05/2007.

15/03/2007   Goostrey Parish Council confirms the views of GRUG to Network Rail regarding the new waiting shelter.  They request a delay in the shelter’s construction, until it can be ascertained as to whether it is actually needed. 

01/03/2007   4th GRUG Newsletter published.

28/02/2007   87% of respondents from GRUG confirm that they do not want a new waiting shelter installing at Goostrey.  The remaining 13% of respondents confirmed that, if there had to be a waiting shelter, it should be of the same colouring as the existing buildings.  These results passed to Goostrey Parish Council, for them to feedback to Network Rail with the Council’s own views. 

19/02/2007   A fallen tree on the grounds of Jodrell Bank Observatory causing an obstruction on Blackden Lane, between the entrance to Jodrell Bank and the railway bridge, with large branches restricting the width of the roadway.  Jodrell Bank Observatory confirmed that the land in question belongs to Network Rail, who have been informed of the problem.

15/02/2007    Meeting held with Network Rail regarding the cutting-back of the canopy.  In attendance from Network Rail are Carl Baker, Project Engineer, Simon Pemberton, Senior Town Planner and Penny Carter, Area Communications Manager.  In attendance from GRUG are its Founder and one of its members. 

01/02/2007    3RD GRUG Newsletter published.

23/01/2007   Crewe-Manchester Rail Partnership meeting held, in which Mark Barker, Northern Rail suggested that the station building at Goostrey could be relocated to the Railway Heritage Museum in Crewe.  Geoff Allen, Congleton Borough Council confirmed that this would be an acceptable solution.  GRUG not invited to attend.

20/01/2007    Lighting system restored to Goostrey station.  

19/01/2007    Entire lighting system at Goostrey station down, resulting in almost zero visibility.  A high priority fault reported to Northern Rail. 

19/01/2007    An almost normal service resumes on the Crewe to Manchester Piccadilly line.

18/01/2007    High winds across the UK result in the suspension of the entire rail service between Crewe and Manchester Piccadilly.

15/01/2007   Congleton Area Highways Office apologise that there is still a fault with a streetlamp number 11, situated on Station Road on the approach to the railway station. 

12/01/2007    Mark Barker, Client & Stakeholder Manager, Northern Rail, invited to attend meeting with Goostrey Parish Council.

09/01/2007    Northern Rail confirms that it is setting up a Community Rail Partnership with local authorities on the Manchester to Crewe line, to include Congleton Borough Council.

09/01/2007    Northern Rail confirms that they will not give consent for the cutting-back of the canopy unless Network Rail provides suitable alternative facilities.  They report that Network Rail have informed them that the canopy is causing a significant safety issue, involving visibility of a signal from approaching trains.

08/01/2007    Network Rail confirms that the West Coast Route Modernisation project team is planning the cutting-back of the canopy. 

02/01/2007    Train fares increase by 4.3% for both regulated and non-regulated ticket-holders.

01/01/2007    2nd GRUG Newsletter published.

18/12/2006    Preparations allegedly underway for the cutting-back of the main station building’s canopy.  The work is believed to be necessary in order to improve the visibility of the recently installed signaling equipment. 

12/12/2006    Founder of GRUG attends meeting with Goostrey Parish Council.

09/12/2006    Northern Rail declines to relocate seating to under canopy of northbound platform, citing the risk of vandalism and possible hazard.

09/12/2006    Northern Rail finds the error in their advertised timetables for Sundays “regrettable”.

01/12/2006    1st GRUG Newsletter published.

29/11/2006    Northern Rail states that they are restricted to the timetable it is able to run on the line at present, blaming Network Rail who, Northern states, “discovered” that they were unable to commission the route as originally planned.  The reduced hourly service is, therefore, scheduled to continue until at least 25/03/2007.

28/11/2006    Members of GRUG invited to attend Northern Rail’s Local Stakeholder Conference at Salford University, including guest speaker Heidi Mottram, Managing Director of Northern Rail.  

22/10/2006    GRUG founded.

 

CONTACT

Postal: GRUG HQ, 214 Main Road, Goostrey, Cheshire, CW4 8PE, United Kingdom

Email: enquiries@grug.co.uk

All enquiries will be responded to as soon as possible, but please allow up to five days.

 

LINKS

Please be aware that GRUG does not necessarily endorse the views or information held on the below websites, and accepts no responsibility for their content.  You visit them at your own risk.

 

Northern Rail                                      www.northernrail.org

Network Rail                                       www.networkrail.co.uk/

Passenger Focus                                  www.passengerfocus.org.uk

National Rail Enquiries                       www.nationalrail.co.uk

Best Kept Station Competition           www.bestkeptstations.info

Transport Direct                                  www.transportdirect.info

Goostrey                                              www.goostrey.info

Congleton Borough Council                www.congleton.gov.uk

Cheshire County Council                     www.cheshire.gov.uk

Travelwatch NorthWest                      www.travelwatch-northwest.org.uk/

Mid-Cheshire Rail Users Association    www.mcrua.org.uk