The Association recently placed an information board at the site of Sir Edward Grey’s private station at Fallodon, Northumberland. Grey, Britain’s longest-serving Foreign Secretary, was also a director and for a short time chairman of the NER. He was also a director of the LNER until his death in 1933.
The Engineer’s staff at Fallodon planted a copper beech tree in the station garden as a memorial to a much-liked and respected director. The station closed in 1934, and although the tree is still there, its purpose had faded into obscurity. The plan to put up an information board was enthusiastically supported by Mark and Lucia Bridgeman, the owners of Fallodon Hall, and Adrian Graves, Grey’s great-great nephew. Approval was given by the NERA trustees and by Network Rail, on whose land the board stands.
The board was unveiled at a small ceremony on 25 April 2023, the date being Sir Edward’s birthday. We hope that apart from honouring Grey it will ensure that the efforts of the railway staff in the 1930s were not in vain.