Diocesan Press Release

Bishop Colin on the Railways

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 6 April 1998

Rain and gusting winds failed to deter hundreds of local church members from turning out to meet and talk to Bishop Colin Buchanan at their local stations on his railway tour of south-east London on Saturday 4th April 1998.

From first stop to last, as he criss-crossed his Episcopal Area, he stepped onto the platforms of nearly 40 stations to be greeted with banners (including a 'free Deirdre Rachid'!), hymns (including one written about him) and at two stops a Bishop's Chair, courtesy of St Paul's, Deptford.

He was joined for most of his journey by 'Michael' a railwayman celebrating his last working day after 45 years service. Despite his tight schedule, there were only a couple of stations where delays meant he had no time to talk - and parishioners got over those by joining him on the train or going in cars to another station. "It was very worthwhile and a lot of fun," said Bishop Colin "despite the awful weather, there was a terrific response and I met and talked to around 300 people. I learnt a great deal about the needs and wants of those in my Area". At every station Bishop Colin collected loose change for the Bishop's Lent Call, posed for group photos and handed out a postcard with a cartoon drawn for the occasion by his secretary, freelance cartoonist Lyn Stone.

As a memento Bishop Colin has a Visiting Book, its pages full of signatures and greetings from the people of south-east London.

(Photograph available upon request.)

Ends.