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A long weekend only means one thing for the Friends of Ally Pally Station – Station Regeneration!

Next time you’re checking the train times, have a look at the big central window in the booking office. It now boasts an impressive origami display, made for the station by 12-year-old Eddie Masters. They are stunningly, fiendishly clever. It is hard to believe that the collection of hummingbirds, dragonflies, an elephant and a kudu are made from nothing more than folded paper. Just look at them – they don’t seem possible! They are surrounded by larger tessellations and when the sun makes its occasional appearance through the glass, you can see the folds on the reverse of the paper. The artist oversaw the hanging and he’s a very nice guy as well as being insanely talented. Do check it out and see if you can work out how he did them. We can’t! 

At our Easter gardening party on Sunday we installed two new planters on Platform 1, for ‘Hop On a Train’ - they are the narrow rectangular ones next to the shelter and against the brick wall of the store room opposite. They contain a rather precious cargo – hop plants, given to us by our new friends at Wood Green Hopping. In September they will be harvested and turned into our own beer. Talk about terroir! The name is still to be decided but expect a terrible pun. Suggestions welcome in the comments below. As it was Easter Sunday there were chocolate eggs and some spring planting, in many of the containers, now it is finally warm enough. If you’d like to join us, our next gardening party is Sunday 29h April – feel free to drop in any time from 3.00 – 5.00 and do as much or as little as you like. We usually retire to the Starting Gate afterwards, pretending we’re all exhausted. Do join us – it’s always fun.