Ringwood locals wanted to share their memories of when the town had a railway station almost 60 years ago

A GRANT of nearly £44,000 will enable Ringwood Society to create a ‘Memories of the Railway’ project which will feature interviews with people who remember the times when a train route went through the town.

Awarded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the grant will enable the society to capture memories that will be “kept for generations to come.”

The last train rolled through Ringwood almost 60 years ago, and the group is now asking people who have memories of when the town had a railway station to get in touch.

Joe Moorhouse, chair of the Ringwood Society, said: “Initially we explored a project to restore the piece of land we refer to as “Railway Corner” through volunteer efforts and local sponsorship.

“However, it became clear that a bigger opportunity exists to accompany the restoration with capturing memories. We wanted to involve and appeal to a wide cross-section of the town, providing a lasting legacy.”

The ‘Memories of the Railway’ project will have two parts. One will be a series of pictures, videos and audio, including interviews with locals who remember the railway which will form part of the exhibit and also be available online.

The second will see a small area of land belonging to the Bisterne Estate, which used to be part of the railway’s coal yard, “revitalised” and the original station sign and lamp restored.

The application for a grant, he added, was “spearheaded” by a member of the society, Mary DeBoos.

Ms DeBoos said: “By far the majority of the grant will be spent locally.

“The funding allows us to involve young people in exploring and documenting the memories, providing the opportunity for them to gain new skills such as interviewing techniques and video editing – expertise that could provide a platform for future careers.”

Those willing to be interviewed should get in touch with the Ringwood Society by emailing info@theringwoodsociety.org.uk