Following some subtle changes, our horticulture halt correspondent Angus Young finds intriguing transformation going on round the edges of Hull.
At first glance, there’s not much to catch your attention at Hessle railway station. Two largely empty platforms lie either side of the main Hull to Doncaster line, there’s a rusting iron pedestrian bridge spanning the tracks, two perspex shelters and, er, that’s about it. The old ticket office closed in 1985 and is now a showroom for a kitchen design company. Meanwhile, the station itself has remained unmanned, a bit drab and generally unloved until recently.
A second glance reveals colourful new signs saying ‘LOOK UP’ on the perspex shelters. If you do look up, you clap eyes on the Humber Bridge looming large in the near distance. There’s also a new poem about Hessle displayed on a sign adorning a wall next to the walkway leading down to the eastbound platform, new litter bins and a new row of seats on each platform.
Elsewhere, four recently-installed water butts await connection to a drain pipe currently taking rainwater off the roof of the station’s main surviving architectural feature – a decorative canopy propped up with impressive ironwork. Once connected, the water supply will allow the installation of a number of large planting boxes. All this recent activity is courtesy of the group of volunteers called Friends of Hessle Station.
They were formed earlier this year after Victoria Tuthill and Pam Locker were approached by Hessle Town Council and asked whether they would be interested in adopting a railway station. Known for rolling up their sleeves and getting stuck in, the pair had both been involved with the annual Hessle Open Gardens for years as well as the garden at Hessle Community Centre. After a meeting with the council, rail operator Northern and the Community Rail Partnership, they agreed to take the plunge.
Eight more local volunteers were recruited and a plan of action was hatched with a focus on community, creativity and wildlife. The plan was duly agreed by the relevant partners, unlocking modest funding from Northern and allowing the group to secure further grants from the town council, the rail partnership and telecoms group KCOM.
“We did the ‘Look Up’ signs first, taking inspiration from the same message used during the 2017 City of Culture programme in Hull,” said Victoria. “In our case, we’re encouraging people using the station to look about because of the view of the Humber Bridge.”
The imminent arrival of the planters is the group’s next big project. “We want to bring lots of interest and food for thought when people visit the station by growing things like beans, tomatoes and berries with information about how to grow them at home as well as inviting people to pick the produce. Unfortunately, there is no water supply so we are in the process of installing water butts but, because of the risk of people throwing things onto the tracks, everything has to be bolted to the floor or enclosed.
“One of our volunteers has used his neighbour’s old decking to create a big cupboard to enclose the water butts and we will soon be installing large planters repurposed from wooden tables and benches donated by a local pub. They are nearly ready to go on each platform and will contain an interesting range of drought-tolerant perennials, herbs and shrubs which benefit wildlife. One of the planters will be specifically aimed at younger children with prompts for starting conversations about what they can see, smell and feel. We will soon find out if we can collect enough water to maintain the plants we want to grow and will have to learn and adapt as we go along to keep the station a colourful, interesting and, hopefully, inspiring place to be,” said Victoria.
Getting the new seating installed was a no-brainer for the group, mainly because there wasn’t any except for some uncomfortable benches in the perspex shelters. Design students at Hessle Academy are also involved, currently making a small community book-lending library which will go on the wall at the station.
Future plans include more collaborative projects with local groups and organisations such as travel training and a trip on a train for students at St Anne’s school. A future planting space earmarked for 300 daffodil bulbs has also been cleared on a sloping bank of earth currently covered with dense wild foliage which also marks the boundary of the station.
Meanwhile, six brick archways overlooking the westbound platform have been earmarked for another large sign spelling out ‘Hessle’ with each archway housing a letter spelling out the town’s name. “We’re committed to attracting people back to the station, making it an enjoyable public space and getting more people using the trains,” said Victoria.