Newsletter: April 2018

Spinney Trail bluebell panorama

GCR Goods Galore

Our Mountsorrel Granite Wagons will be taking part in the GCR’s Goods Galore event taking place on the 12th and 13th of May. This weekend is aimed at recreating how freight trains would have run on the railways in days gone by.

Steam loco 47406 will be arriving a little after 11:30 on the Saturday to pick up the wagons and transfer them to the GCR’s main line, and will be returning them sometime after 3:30 on the Sunday.

MS & LR No.946

Work has started on creating an elevated walkway so visitors can get a much better view inside this beautifully restored coach.

Crazy Golf

Our nine hole crazy golf course has now been marked out and is in the progress of being dug out and Bruce has now created the first three “hazards”.

Fourth Railway Siding

Ground prepared for fourth sidingAfter all the wet weather we have finally managed to lay the base for a 4th railway siding adjacent to the railway museum.

Nunckley’s Nature News

Bluebells on the Spinney TrailApril began with mixed weather but eventually, with the help of a few warm days and even one HOT day, the Eco Team finally began to prepare the ground at various points around the site. In between rain showers, volunteers managed to sow wildflower seed around the site including the quarry banks, Meadow, Trail, Spinney entrance and the Solitary Bee ‘pollen rich’ flower patch on the Trail. Wildflower plants and wildlife friendly shrubs were planted too.

Primroses, Cowslips, Snakeshead Fritillary, Ground Ivy and many other perennials began to flower almost overnight. At last the woodlands began to ‘green up’ and the early butterflies took to the wing. Brimstones, Orange Tips, Peacocks and Small Tortoiseshell butterflies were all spotted around the site whenever the Sun shone. The Spinney came alive suddenly and masses of Bluebells burst into bloom, filling the air with their gorgeous scent.

Our feathered regulars finally arrived from overseas; the Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps appeared during the third week of April, filling the woodland with sweet birdsong. Our resident Woodpeckers, the Green and Great Spotted, have also been very vocal as have our usual woodland birds including Robin, Blackbird, Wren, Great Tit. Nuthatch, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Goldfinch, Pheasant, Dunnock, Woodpigeon, Jay and Jackdaw. Nest building activity went into full swing and a pair of colourful Bullfinches were observed around the Trail too. Overhead, aerial battles between Carrion Crows nesting on a nearby pylon and passing Buzzards and Ravens seemed to take place on a daily basis.

As we enter into the month of May, we look forward to the nature trail becoming awash with Red Campions and other woodland flowers. The natural beauty of all that Spring brings will have arrived at last!