Passengers travelling through Great Yarmouth have been welcomed by a Broads Discovery Hub, installed as part of a series of improvements to the station environment.
The Wherry Lines Community Rail Partnership (CRP) installed the Discovery Hub, following a grant from train operator Greater Anglia’s Customer and Community Improvement Fund.
The Discovery Hub consists of a series of oak plinths that can be found adjacent to the railway station and the Bure Bridge entrance to the town. They were created by the Wherry Lines CRP and Broads Trust ‘The Broads Charitable Trust’, a charity that helps create and support projects throughout the Broads National Park
The Discovery Hub aims to inform visitors about the history of the Broads and explores themes including the ecology of the Broads National Park, history of the railway, and the history of Great Yarmouth.
Maps of the town feature alongside details of three popular walking routes; the Weavers Way, Wherryman’s Way, and Angles Way which all converge near the station.
Norfolk firm Cap.Co was commissioned to manufacture and install the hub using materials that were sustainably sourced.
The Wherry Lines CRP Development Officer, Martin Halliday, said:
“We are delighted to have worked with the Broads Trust to install the Discovery Hub adjacent to Great Yarmouth station. Throughout the summer, it has provided an excellent source of information for visitors to the town and for those seeking to explore the walking routes through the National Park.
“The funding received from train operator, Greater Anglia, has enabled the project, and in time, the structure will complement future plans by Great Yarmouth Borough Council to restore the Bure Bridge and enhance the North Quay area, which is an important gateway to the town”.
Greater Anglia’s Partnerships Manager, Scott Dolling, said:
“We were pleased to support this initiative which has facilitated the installation of the Discovery Hub at Great Yarmouth station thanks to the amazing work of the Wherry Lines CRP and the Broads Trust.
“We are always looking to enhance the role of the railway in support of the communities it serves, and our new Customer and Community Improvement Fund is a way of supporting more locally focused enhancements in line with community needs.”
Additional improvements at the station made by the Wherry Lines CRP through the CCIF grant have included new signage and waymarking, new bicycle racks, and, in collaboration with Great Yarmouth Borough Council, large image panels featuring numerous locations from around the town.
