Friends of Squires Gate Railway Station – Summary: May – July 2026
🌿 Platform Gardening & Horticultural Maintenance
Platform 1 & 2 Refresh: Completed ongoing weeding, soil conditioning, and bed tidying across both platforms. Introduced new rockery plants into the Platform 2 sinks and refreshed seasonal containers.
Planted Beds & Mulching: Assessed cardboard mulching and sand application options for long-term moisture retention and soil improvement across platform flowerbeds.
💧 Water Harvesting & On-Site Infrastructure
IBC System Maintenance: Re-connected and balanced the platform water tanks (Intermediate Bulk Containers / IBCs) on Platform 2.
Rainwater Collection: Monitored water harvesting levels, successfully gathering over 600 litres of rainwater during heavy spring downpours to support platform watering during dry spells.
System Repairs: Replaced broken/ripped protective covers on the primary water tank to protect equipment from UV degradation and elements.
🛠️ Repairs & Wildlife Installations
Bug Hotel Siting: Transported and installed the main timber bug hotel on Platform 2 to establish targeted habitats for local pollinators.
Fence & Timber Work: Painted newly fitted replacement fence laths and repaired water shelter roof supports in group compound on Platform 1.
Display Board Security: Re-mounted and secured large historical display panels (Shifting Sands boards) using security fixings to prevent damage during upcoming Network Rail platform fence work.
🏛️ Civic Collaboration & Industry Advocacy
Town Council Visual History Presentation: Formally met with St Annes Town Council representatives on-site for the official handover of the Visual History Book of the Town.
Biodiversity Initiatives: Advanced planning for Areas of Particular Importance for Biodiversity (APIB) interpretation boards. Reviewed Northern’s new horticultural/biodiversity award scheme to ensure alignment with existing Lancashire Wildlife Trust corridors.
Station Adopter Engagement: Represented the team at the South Fylde Line station adopters’ meeting at County Hall to coordinate horticultural goals and share best practices with regional volunteer groups.
📊 Volunteer Impact & Social Value Metrics
Total Investment: Evaluated annual volunteer contribution hours across site work, administration, and resource procurement.
Economic Benefit: Saved the rail industry approximately £4,000 in labour costs while generating an estimated £70,000+ in wider social and economic value for the local area. (Data collated using our working hours record).
May 2026
Planting & Garden Maintenance: Carol and Barrie thinned and trimmed beds (including fading daffodils, but kept plants going for as long as they looked colourful), prepped planters with fresh compost, added new rockery plants to sinks on P2 and watered beds across Platform 1 (P1) and Platform 2 (P2).
Station Signage & Displays: Shirley painted new remembrance stones for Platform 2 planters and we mounted a community poster created by Pleasure Beach Team and a local school, in the station community rail cabinet.
Water Harvesting & Infrastructure: Inspected IBC water collection tanks, reconnected solar panels and pumps to automate water butt filling, checked water butt connections for summer use.
Biodiversity & Environmental Advocacy: Photographed and catalogued local insects (e.g., Crane Fly species) for a station biodiversity poster. Challenged Network Rail’s trackside weed-spraying practices with Lancashire County Council’s LERN team to determine and protect local wildlife corridors.
Meetings & Events: Michael represented our group at the Community Rail event held at County Hall.
June 2026
Summer Planting: Planted out summer bedding, snapdragons, and perennials across Platform 1 and Platform 2 raised beds.
Water System Repairs & Logistics: Replaced plastic valve connections with metal couplings on the water tanks using heated hose fittings. Received 800litre water deliveries to compensate for dry weather.
Station & Grounds Upkeep: Coordinated with Fylde Council to clear sand accumulations on the pavement outside the station, it’s an ongoing issue. Reported rough sleeping at the station to British Transport Police and signposted to Blackpool Street Angels.
Painting & Maintenance: Shirley applied rustic brown stain to planters and beds across P1.
Rail Advocacy & Meetings: Attended the South Fylde Line Community Rail Partnership (SFLCRP) AGM.
July 2026
Planter & Fence Repairs: Shirley finished painting the remaining four wooden planters on P1. Paul & Barrie repaired damaged P1 fence panels near the shelter.
Wildlife: Our water source on P2 was cleaned out and refilled, we know our wildlife regularly use it.
Unfortunately, some rail users on P1 insist on sitting on the edge of raised beds and leaning back, subsequently squashing the red begonias (picture 4), but it is what it is.
Water and Flowers Management: We received multiple bulk deliveries of water to maintain supply through heatwaves which has been an uphill task. Many flowers have really struggled amid regular watering. It is hoped to use cardboard and vermiculite under plants going forward to capture water round plant roots. Heucheras are doing well on Platform 1 as you can see at the forefront of picture four. Picture three shows a struggling Geranium Rozanne in the sleeper bed on Platform 2 (P2) but if you look at picture five, Geranium Rozanne is doing well interspersed with Osteospermum. Platform 1 is more sheltered than P2. The ground bed on P2 surrounded by white blocks does well, but there are signs that ground water sources are beginning to dry up.
Stolen: – station plans, two cases, third one just the contents.
Groundskeeping & Weeding: Wildflower area was partly strimmed after plants had finished flowering to scatter seed for next season, the bed will recover going forward towards Autumn once we get some helpful rain. Overgrown mixed perennial and wildflower beds were tidied and opened up ready for rainfall. Not sure whether our pear tree will survive, although watered on its own it is already dropping pears which is not a good sign. It is hoped we can build up around its base to stop runoff when it rains.
We had noticed the ground settling around the old Fylde Borough fire hydrant and control tap on Platform 2 which dates back to the 1930s. It’s been reported to Network Rail and has been spray painted with utility inspection and monitoring markings to identify its location. (The water main runs under the track from both housing estates and we were concerned that due to its corroded nature it may one day just eject the valve and the ground around it). On the first picture you can see how the paving has sunk below the platform edge over time. We are aware of it and use the platform edge or fence-line when using the Platform.
Lytham Festival led to many attendees from the Squires Gate area to make use of the trains, it happens each year. The extra train on Sunday around 11pm provided by Northern seems to have been successful.
All our volunteer activities at the station are completed in association with St. Anne’s on the Sea Town Council, Northern, Network Rail, ISS, Community Rail Lancashire and Fylde Council, as part of our stakeholder relationship.
Barrie Russell/Paul Nettleton
31st July 2026