Our group, the Friends of the Lymington to Brockenhurst Line, has had a history very different to any other station adopters. Back in 2009, when the local CRP for the Lymington to Brockenhurst Line was set up, there was a legal requirement from the Government to have a group to represent the users of the line, in order to justify the public money that was put into running the line.
Bobby Lock the Community Rail Project Officer asked Lord and Lady Craufurd if they would set up a Friends Group in November 2009, with a proper Constitution and Committee. This they did on the lines of the local museum Friends. They acted as a ‘focus group’ for SWT’s ideas about timetable and other things, and channelled problems from the users back to the railway company.
Lady Crauford said that they did nothing whatsoever at the station, as the then station clerk was a very keen gardener and provided a beautiful display. Station Adopters did not exist as an organisation then in 2009.
This changed with a change of personnel at Lymington Town station in around 2014, when Marvin came to us: wonderful about looking after passengers, but not keen on gardening. So they gradually took over looking after the station plantings, and just before lockdown they signed up as station adopters to regularise the situation.
The Friends now have a strong organisation with over 200 Members and their work at the stations is very much appreciated by the town. Please look at their newsletter above and read about what they are doing.
We hope you find them interesting and also enjoy the photographs.