A miniature railway club run by volunteer enthusiasts has steamed ahead with the opening of its new home, in part thanks to a donation of recycled materials by Triton Knoll offshore wind farm and its contractor J Murphy & Sons Ltd.
Over the last 18 months, the Evergreens Miniature Railway club in Lincolnshire has moved from its original home in Stickney to a new site in East Keal, and its members have been working hard preparing the site to reopen to the public.
The club consists of local volunteers, mainly retired residents, who all have a strong interest in miniature railway. Most of the equipment and tools it uses have been provided by the volunteers themselves, but due to a lack of funds and resources, it has had to use temporary plastic fencing as a safety barrier either side of the train tracks.
J Murphy & Sons Ltd and Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm Ltd have now provided their support to the club by donating wooden slats for a new stretch of sturdy fencing to replace the plastic material previously used. The wooden slats had been used by Murphy to cover and protect the project’s onshore electrical cables when they were delivered on large cable drums to Lincolnshire earlier this year. This donation has helped to improve safety on the site, ensures visitors can view the model trains safely behind a new, robust and more sustainable fence.
Chairman of Evergreens Miniature Railway, Philip Wiseman, said: “The timing of the donation could not have been better as without it we would have been forced to rely on a weaker, plastic, temporary fencing, which is never an ideal situation. Thanks to Murphy and Triton Knoll, our railway is now open to the public to enjoy in a safe and sustainable way.”
Scott Marsden, Murphy Project Manager for Triton Knoll, said: “We are delighted to be able to support Philip and Evergreens Miniature Railway club by recycling our project materials. We recognise the members put a lot of their own time and resources into making it a success, and although only a small gesture, we hope the fencing helps play some part in ensuring the longevity of the club.”
Triton Knoll Package Manager, Martin Knagg, said: “Safety is one of the main priorities for Triton Knoll and we are pleased to see that Murphy is not only ensuring this is applied to all its construction work, but is also working with a local community group to improve their own site safety.”
Once a month between Easter and October, the club organises public open days for the local community to visit the railway. In addition to offering visitors an enjoyable day out, the club has ambitions to spark interest in engineering among younger members of the community and even inspire them to pursue a career in the industry after they leave school.