The DWVR Trust is delighted to receive a £1000 grant from EMR’s Customer and Communities Improvement Fund for improvements at Platform 2 of Matlock Station. This is the platform used by Peak Rail when trains are running into Matlock Town.
The grant will allow the purchase and planting up of four self-watering Amberol planters which are in keeping with the heritage of the station. For a number of years Platform 2 has presented a sorry sight to passengers using East Midlands Railway services on Platform 1. The original wooden barrel planters have gradually deteriorated, and proved difficult to maintain given the limited supply of water needed to sustain healthy displays.
The authentic looking self-watering Barrel Planters will have all the aesthetic appeal of a wooden barrel but without the splinters, rust and rot. Being self-watering they will sustain floral displays, and require much less maintenance. Half wooden barrels were frequently to be found on station platforms, and the Trust is grateful for this support to enable a replacement programme to begin on Platform 2 of presentational and environmental improvements. It is hoped that over time, this will provide a much improved vista for passengers and visitors alike.
It is hoped that the work will be completed by volunteers this autumn to allow winter planting initially, and the removal of dilapidated wooden barrels.