Friends of Glossop Station - Blog

Lowestoft Evacuee Reunion Lowestoft Station 6th June

30/5/2026

The 2026 Lowestoft Evacuee reunion takes place in the restored Parcels Office at Lowestoft Railway Station on Saturday 6th June at 12 noon. Everyone welcome! The event is free and refreshments will be provided.
This event marks the 86th anniversary of child evacuees leaving Lowestoft for new homes in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire during the Second World War.
Six hundred child evacuees came to Glossop on June 2nd 1940. It is a real honour to celebrate their stories again in Lowestoft.
In the last twelve months this important story has featured in the Daily Mirror, Channel 4 and, most recently, on the BBC ONE SHOW on 22nd April (unfortunately the programme is no longer available on BBC iPlayer)
Special guest at the event will be MARTIN IMPEY (left) writer and illustrator. Martin was the interviewer on the recent One Show and his evocative paintings of scenes involving the evacuees in Glossop have received widespread praise.
If you are able to do so come and join us, or if your friends are in the area please let them know!

Max Ellingworth Grundy new artist at Station

30/5/2026

WE WARMLY WELCOME Max Ellingworth Grundy as our latest artist to the waiting Room Art Gallery. Max is 24 and from Glossop. He has had numerous exhibItions in Derbyshire galleries and beyond since he was 19. In his teens Max was diagnosed with a rare neuro muscular condition. But he has been able to adapt and progress his art education and produce new original work at his own speed. Max draws upon his environment, nature, history, storytelling, and mythology as inspirations for his work.
Do go and have a look at Max's paintings - the Waiting Room is open daily closing at around 6.00 pm - a little earlier on Sundays.
Giclee and some photographic prints of Max's work can be purchased.
Max can be contacted via [email protected]

Edale Station Friends visit Glossop

30/5/2026

AT THE END OF MAY we warmly welcomed a group from Edale Station Friends on a preplanned visit to Glossop Station.
We were able to give them a tour and explain some of the projects we have developed over the years. Edale Friends deservedly won a lead silver award in the 2026 Community Rail Awards for the work they have carried out on their station - their most recent project being four new illustrated timeline boards on the station platforms.
It was a very pleasant visit with a good exchange of ideas. We look forward to working on other projects with Edale. If you are in the area go and view the improvements the friends have made to the station!

The One Show Lowestoft Glossop evacuees

24/4/2026

WE HOPE YOU SAW and enjoyed the feature made in Glossop and shown on BBC's ONE SHOW on 22nd April.
For those of you who missed the programme it is available on BBC iPlayer until Thursday 28 May. CLICK HERE to go to the programme page.
Thank you for all your comments and feedback. It was the culmination of a four month project with Pier Productions who made the film here in Glossop on behalf of the BBC. We thank the team for their diligent research, care and interest. It was a pleasure working with them. Sincere thanks also to Martin Impey, children's writer and illustrator, who interviewed Alma, Keith, Ken, Sheila and Thelma with such warmth. His evocative painting of Sheila and Alma as children outside their former home in Glossop has received much praise for its joy and detail.
More information about the evacuation of 600 children to Glossop from Lowestoft on June 2nd 1940 can be found on the dedicated pages here on this website.
We also have available at Glossop and Lowestoft stations a free leaflet outlining the ongoing efforts of the volunteer groups at both stations to celebrate and commemorate this important historical event.
The next evacuee reunion will be held in the restored booking office at Lowestoft railway station on Saturday 6th June at 2.00 pm. Martin Impey will be guest speaker. All former evacuees, their families and interested people are warmly welcome to attend.
The BBC ONE SHOW film can be found here on BBC iPlayer 22/4/26 edition hosted by Alex Jones and Vernon Kay. (If you wish to skip directly to it the feature starts at 12 minutes into the programme)

The One Show - tonight!

22/4/2026

AT VERY SHORT NOTICE!
The One Show feature on the Lowestoft Evacuation is due to air tonight - April 22nd - at 7.00pm.
Hopefully this will now happen!

Thread and Clay back on display in Waiting Room

3/4/2026

A WARM WELCOME back to Thread and Clay, a mother daughter partnership, Gwen and Amy Osbaldeston, who, have on display in the Waiting Room Art Gallery a variety of their painted and embroidered landscapes on the Peak District. These are sure to catch the eye! Their work may be purchased.
Thread and Clay can be found at their art George Street studio in Glossop where they also offer lessons to suit all levels of crafting in embroidery and painting to create images inspired by the local scenery.
For more information and images of their work visit threadandclay.com

Lowestoft to Glossop Evacuation story on The One Show

25/3/2026

WE HAVE JUST HEARD from The One Show that the film will not now be shown next week, but will instead be pushed back by a few weeks. Very sorry about this - we will all have to wait a little while longer!
It is now expected to be transmitted in mid-April.

The feature recorded recently at Glossop Station and around the town recounting the events of the Lowestoft / Glossop evacuation is scheduled for transmission on BBC1's THE ONE SHOW Monday 30th March at 7.00 pm.
Telling the story of the 1940 evacuation of children from Lowestoft to Glossop it also features interviews with some of the remaining evacuees and the families involved.
NB: events on the day may affect programme scheduling and a possible postponement of the feature.

From here to there . . .

22/3/2026

OUR LATEST Poetry Platform display kas been launched with a new selection of poems and verse. "Bridging The Gap" features poetry and lyrics - some familiar and others less well known - focused around the theme of bridges.
Prompted by the 200th anniversary of Pont Grog y Borth - the Menai Bridge - Thomas Telford's triumph of civil engineering which was the longest span suspension bridge in the world at the time.
The display includes a brief history of the Menai crossing from the mainland to Ynys Môn (Anglesey) alongside some interesting verses and biographical backgrounds to their authors.
We hope you will find it interesting and take time to enjoy this latest selection as you pass through the station on your journey . . . from here to there.

Platinum Excellence Award

21/3/2026

FoGS Chair, Neil Williams, accepted the award on behalf of the Friends

ON THURSDAY 19th March the 21st Anniversary Annual Community Rail Awards were held at Derby Arena in front of an audience of 600 - the biggest to date. Chris Strogen and Neil Williams attended representing FoGS.

Awards for various categories stations are judged and placed in four bands: bronze, silver, gold and platinum. Friends of Glossop Station had entered the It's Your Station category and are pleased to announce that we were awarded a certificate of excellence at Platinum level in recognition of the voluntary work at the station.
There were only four stations in the UK shortlisted at this level: Buxton, Glossop, Goostrey and Hindley with Hindley deservedly being awarded lead winner in this category - a station well worth visiting.
It was also a delight that our near neighbours, Friends of Edale Station, won at the Silver level of this category. The Friends at Edale have made a real impact and this was their first entry into the competition.
Friends of Chapel en le Frith Station also received a certificate at Silver level.

Friends of Glossop Station would like to thank everyone for their ongoing support.
Our thanks also to Becky Styles Community and Sustainability Manager at Northern Trains along with Catherine Croney and Helen Wright, Partnership Officers at the High Peak and Hope Valley Community Rail Partnership (HPHVCRP).

A fresh look for Spring!

19/3/2026

Yesterday (Wednesday 18 March) saw the first of the Glossop line trains with their nice, fresh, yellow "Bee Network" identity alongside Northern's existing branding. Just right to match the Spring sunshine!