The banks at the entrance to Pangbourne Railway Station were overgrown with brambles when our team arrived. With support from GWR, we cleared away the overgrowth and planted bee-friendly shrubs and flowers in what are the first stages of creating a welcoming habitat for all wildlife at the station.
Author archives: emmalpritchard
Bletchley Railway Station, Buckinghamshire
We worked with the Friends of Bletchley Station and West Midlands Railway to install this fine planter. The Friends of Bletchley Station are a group of local enthusiasts, dedicated to keeping their local station attractive and friendly to all its users – including bees!
Bee Friendly Planters
In the past, all our planters were built from tanalised railway sleepers. The treatment of the wood gives them a life span of at least 10 years. They need no further treatment. But in our efforts to become increasingly sustainable we are now, wherever possible, sourcing local timber, which is either recycled, or from sustainable …
Durham Railway Station, County Durham
As well as being the launch home station for our Observation Hive Installation (made by Amalgam Modelmaking), Durham Railway Station also features bee-friendly planting at the front of the station. The projects here were instigated with support from LNER. The beds here are now being looked after by a local Samaritans group, whilst the observation …
Waggle Dancers
Our legendary Waggledancers first came together in 2017. Six contemporary dancers worked with games designer Phoenix Perry and choreographer Jane Turner to create a unique improvised dance performance for the ‘Now Play This’ gaming event as part of the London Games Festival. Dancing on a hexagonal dance floor their movements were stimulated and suggested by …
Spring Planting for Pollinators
Now’s the time to get your garden ready to welcome bees. Here are the Bee Friendly Trust’s top five flowers for attracting bees (and butterflies, hover flies and moths) to your plot – that aren’t lavender. Best for gardening novices: Borage Borage produces prolific blue flowers, which, after being visited by a bee, replenish their …
Newbury Racecourse Railway Station, Berkshire
Working with GWR, we transformed what was an overgrown railway station into a wildlife haven of floral planters, complete with bug hotels and bird boxes; and expanses of wildflower meadow. The wildflower areas may look a little wild – but they’re meant to. We cut these areas back twice a year (in autumn and spring) …
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Penzance Railway Station, Cornwall
Working with GWR, we installed three floral planters at Penzance Railway Station – with a mural to follow soon. The weather was, shall we say, wet (!) but that didn’t put off station manager, James, who got stuck in helping the team shift soil and keeping them fuelled with cups of tea. The planters join …
Newhaven Harbour Railway Station, East Sussex
We embraced the “wild” at Newhaven Harbour Railway Station for our latest project with Southeast Communities Rail Partnership. A substantial strip of railway siding had been long neglected and, despite being pretty overgrown, contained some decent plants for pollinators – and wildlife. So instead of stripping the site right back, the BFT team did some …
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Cambridge Railway Station, Cambridgeshire
We were approached by the family of Amanda Battini in 2021 with the request to create a commemorative bee-friendly tribute for a woman who loved nature and bees. With donations from the family, friends and Amanda’s former workplace, Mills & Reeve LLP, we transformed the dilapidated planters at Cambridge Railway Station. Repairs were made to …
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