Gunnislake Railway Station has been at its current site for 25 years, as of the 6th June 2019. On that very day, Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership organised an afternoon of celebrations. They combined the event with the official unveiling of the mosaic of beautiful tiles on the platform walls. Local potter, Rosie Fierck conceived the theme of the tiles and executed the project, involving local schoolchildren and the community in the creating of them. Hopefully, they will stay looking attractive for a long time to come for future generations to enjoy.
Rosie is also leader of the local Rubber Band and they entertained the guests with cheerful singalong music on the platform as they waited in the sunshine for the Plymouth train to bring more guests to the event – and then they led everyone in singing “Happy Birthday” to the station! A splendid afternoon tea was laid on at the Tamar Valley Centre where there was an interesting exhibition of our wonderful railway line’s history. Speeches congratulated everyone involved for supporting Gunnislake Station as a very special and valued transport link in the Tamar Valley.
Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership are a non-profit partnership between local authorities, the railway and Plymouth University, where their team is based. They aim to promote the region’s branch lines, engage with the community, support economic growth, help deliver improvements and work in partnership. With their encouragement, Friends of Gunnislake Station was commenced and now a team of about 14 keen gardeners maintain the two round beds and station platforms, as well as planting up the end border as a pollinator-friendly border. The two new projects for 2019 are planting fruit bushes on the sloping border on the platform, Calstock end, and clearing the border facing the main road.
Our community and visitors are very fortunate to have a branch railway line between Gunnislake and Plymouth along the stunning scenery of the Tamar Valley and it’s very pleasing to see it being celebrated. Enjoy your railway journeys from start to finish!