Children from Witton le Wear Primary School have created a Railway Garden to celebrate the strong links between the village and the railway.
As part of the project, the children walked to the railway station with local historian and school governor, Mrs. Anne Yuill. They heard about the history of the railway through stories of the people who had worked at the station, how it was used and what had changed over time. They also learned railway safety from Claire Gibbons, Senior Community Liaison Officer with The Auckland Project.
Following the walk, Mrs Yuill approached Weardale Railway to discuss the possibility of installing a permanent feature to link the school and the railway within the village. It was decided to create two welly boot gardens, one in the grounds of the school and the other at the railway station. The team at Weardale Railway were extremely accommodating and agreed to provide and install sleepers, a short piece of track and surrounding ballast to give the gardens an authentic feel.
Wayne Dixon, General Manager, Weardale Railways said: “When we were approached by Anne we were delighted to support the project through the provision of redundant track materials. Our Track Manager and his team thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to help build the gardens for the schoolchildren.”
The children designed welly boots and painted them based on what they had learned about the railway. The track signifies the history of the village, the impact of technology and travelling through life, and the welly boots are the children’s representation of their journeys. The recycling of items is protecting the planet and the plants are supporting wildlife.
Shawn Laws, Headteacher of Witton le Wear Primary School said: “We are delighted to be part of this project and to forge a strong link with the railway. We have just reviewed our curriculum for history. The railway and, more widely, the development of technology plays a huge part in not only the history of our village, but also the wider area. Children’s safety on and around railway lines is also an essential part of their personal development. I am hugely grateful to Mrs Yuill and also Weardale Railway for the support they have given with this project.”
Bishop Auckland's local community newspaper.
