Towards the end of 2021, alpaca farmer and now President of Lockerbie and District Rotary Club Bryan Woods was presented with a source of redundant whisky barrels.
Past President Jenny Lowles suggested they could be converted into children’s play trains and presented to primary schools located in the area.
Completed trains waiting to be transported.
It was an opportunity not to be missed. So, with the support of fellow Rotarians Stuart Martin and Alan Collins, former joiner and builder Bryan set about re-cycling the barrels, many of which were 100 years old.
Additional support for the project was also secured from enthusiastic club sponsors Muirhall Energy Ltd.
Each train consists of an engine and two carriages, which took about 37 hours to complete.
This was time well spent as the reward for Bryan and his team was the look of joy and happiness on the faces of the children, and also the delight of the teachers when each train was delivered and presented to them.”
This was time well spent as the reward for Bryan and his team was the look of joy and happiness on the faces of the children, and also the delight of the teachers when each train was delivered and presented to them.
With an eye on the need to recycle as much waste material as possible, the wheels of each engine and carriages consisted of leftover steel blanks from a local company’s manufacturing process. The protective yellow edging around the opening of each barrel came from a garden hose, and the engine’s chimney was produced from drain pipe off-cuts.
Trying out the garden furniture made from barrels.
To date, seven trains have been presented by Lockerbie and District Rotary Club to schools in the border towns and villages of Lockerbie, Lochmaben, Moffat, Beattock and Ecclefechan, whilst a further 2 trains are in the planning stages.
In the future, there are plans to construct an aeroplane and a tractor using the whisky barrels.
Adults have not been forgotten. Garden furniture consisting of tables and chairs, and even a chummy bench’ all of which originated from humble whisky barrels, have been constructed.
Many of these products have been sold to local people anxious to enhance their gardens, whilst a play train has found a station as far away as Fort William in the Highlands of Scotland.”
Many of these products have been sold to local people anxious to enhance their gardens, whilst a play train has found a station as far away as Fort William in the Highlands of Scotland.
Parts of the train have wheelchair access.
Apart from recovering the cost of the materials to produce these items, a large proportion of the selling price has been donated to the Rotary club funds for distribution to needy local projects and charities.
