A team of network planners from UK Power Networks volunteered to help Volk's Electric Railway on Madeira Drive in Brighton to be ready for its summer excursions. The team of 15 volunteers made use of two paid days' leave, which are allowed to be taken each year in order to volunteer with local projects.
The team set about the never-ending task of removing vegetation in order to keep it away from the railways track. All the work was carried out by hand in order to support a rare plant which thrives in the coastal shingle habitat that the railway provides as a nature reserve. More than half a mile of the railway track between the aquarium and the mid-way station has now been weeded!
James Barton, manager of Volk's Electric Railway, said:
“The team made an amazing difference that we could not have done without them. They weeded well over half the railway line and removed by hand small plants between the rails and the sleepers.”
“The railway is a local nature reserve, so it's tricky work. We gave them identification handouts because the railway is home to a very rare plant called Babington's Leek and sea kale, which grow in vegetated shingle, but we also have invasive plants, such as ragwort.”
“Vegetation is an ongoing battle and is often work people don't want to do, but it's essential because we can't run the trains when the plants are there, and it's a local nature reserve, so the work has to be done by hand.”
Alongside the team of 15 volunteers joining the railway for a day of weeding, regular volunteers also carry out amazing work for Volk's Electric Railway. James also wishes to welcome on board anybody who would like to support the railway with their time in volunteer form and went on to say:
“We couldn't run the railway without our army of volunteers”
Peter Convey-Wells, a lead planning engineer at UK Power Networks, said:
“It was a really good day. We were clearing weeds near the track so the railway could operate. We achieved more than we expected and it made a noticeable difference.”
“Everyone enjoyed themselves working on Brighton Beach. It's the oldest electric railway in the world, and they welcome volunteers to keep on top of the tasks.”
Following a hard day of weeding, the railway team treated the volunteers to a game of crazy golf!
To learn more or to find out more about volunteering with Volk's Electric Railway, please click here.
