Double celebration at Southern’s Edenbridge Town station

Edenbridge Town has enjoyed a double celebration at its Southern station.

In a boost to local community groups who meet in the evening, Southern has lifted parking restrictions at the station car park from 5pm. The community also came together at the station on Friday, 21 February, to celebrate the new partnership between the station and Eden Valley Museum.

Museum members have carefully selected a range of nostalgic images from a collection of 4,000 to illustrate the town’s history at the ticket office. They are also delighted to have their very own noticeboard in the ticket office to promote events and activities to local people and visitors.

As part of this stroll down memory lane, a reproduction of one of the stained-glass windows from the town’s 900-year-old Parish Church of St Peter and St Paul is on display at Edenbridge Town station for all to admire. It’s special connection to the railway – the former Edenbridge ‘top’ station master’s face immortalised in the depiction of the Prophet Daniel. Unusual as it sounds, it is not unheard of for tributes to well-thought of local people to appear in this way in churches and cathedrals around the country.

Father Stephen Mitchell said: “When the old station master died in the 1880s, the town folk thought so much of him, they immortalised him in the stained glass window. No-one can work out why they choose the Prophet Daniel - that detail is lost in the midst of time, but there he is in the church forever more. It’s excellent to see the image at the station because we’re also celebrating 900 years of the church this year.”

Reflecting on the former station master William Gray, Southern and Gatwick Express Managing Director Angie Doll said: “I thought it was a beautiful story of how someone had played such a valued role in the local community. I think it’s really important to maintain those partnerships between the railway and community, and all the partnership work we have seen at Edenbridge Town station is fabulous.”

Church warden, Eden Valley Museum Trustee and regular commuter Alan Smart OBE added: “A very big thank you to Angie Doll and Southern for making this partnership possible. As well as enabling people to get to work, the station plays a pivotal role in this town and so it’s great to come together in this way.”

Mr Smart also thanked Sharon Gray, of the Sussex Community Rail Partnership (CRP), for her role in setting up the partnership between the museum and station.

At Friday’s celebration, organised by Sharon, news of the free evening parking was also well received. Town Council Chairman Alan Layland said: “We would like to thank Southern for lifting the restrictions. We get 80 to 100 people in the WI hall for events [just up the road], and groups including the Edenbridge Players, Forge Singers and WI meet there.”

Edenbridge Town Council Clerk Caroline Leet added: “It’s great for the town and a real boost for the local clubs, and groups and the high street.”

Caroline credited her colleague, Tourism and Administration Officer Lindsey Eaton for coordinating community feedback and liaising with the Sussex Community Rail Partnership and Southern. She said: “Lindsey is retiring this month and she’s thrilled at the decision over evening parking at the station. She feels it’s her leaving gift to the community!”

Southern Customer Services Director Chris Fowler said: “We’re pleased that the removal of evening restrictions at our Edenbridge Town station car park has been so well received and we’re delighted that this will help support local community groups in the vicinity such as the WI.”

Ends

Note to editors

Parking restrictions have been lifted from 5pm to 3.59am at Edenbridge Town station car park. This applies to parking on Station Approach, parking directly out the front of the station and the car park to the side.