Voluntary managed terminus building

[HST-DAVE]

Our local terminus (Lowestoft Central) had its old post & truss double pitched roof demolished in 1992 and not replaced. The station is now bland and cold. I have an idea/possibility of raising funding from various sources to have a new roof put back on in the Victorian style, this has proved a popular idea and support is being shown by local people. There is also a suggestion of restoring the rest of the building back to a Victorian style e.g. tea-rooms, waiting room etc. and possibly a transport musuem for tourists, we have a local transport musuem* who will most likely help with bits and pieces and old buses on special days (*n.b.haven't asked them yet).

The first stage is to find out if this has been successfully achieved elsewhere? Will Network Rail object? and does anyone have any comments or suggestions?
Your replies will be much appreciated.
Many thanks, Dave

 

[jamesr]

I have nothing useful to contribute in respect of your question, but I do wish you the very best of luck. Having lived that way a few years back and regularly waiting around at Lowestoft station, it would certainly benefit from being less bleak!

A decent coffee shop would attract people off the high street as well, particularly if it had an external door (i.e. was a cafe, not "just" a station buffet).

 

[Greenback]

I trust that the proposals to move the station away from the town centre have been killed off for good now?

As to the questions, I would think that NR lease the station tot he TOC, so both parties would have to be involved. I think there would be a great deal of bureaucracy involved, particularly if some sort of commercial lease for a coffee shop was part of the deal.

 

[HST-DAVE]

Looks like the Station is staying where it is. The first idea to move 400m west was dropped a while back, then 1st East (local URC) suggested 80m west 20m south, this sort of fizzled out due to lack of finance and interest, 1st East close down on March 31st so it will be back with the local planning dept who are not exactly pro-active at changing things, therefore it is safe to say it will stay. Nobody actually wants it to move.

 

[Greenback]

Good! I've only been there once but it was nice to be right in the heart of the town centre, such a change from Great Yarmouth!

The station is in need of a roof, it looked a bit like it had been bombed to be honest. It might be an idea to set up a not for profit organisation embracing local stakeholders?

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Didn't an Network Fail report/consultancy results set say that usage would drop 20% provisionally if the planned resiting was taken forward. When I first saw a phoot of the station with roof I couldn't believe how much it had changed. It just needs a bity of love and a cleanup, the old building looks like its still in 1970s. You could also do with something to occupy the massive emptyness between the platforms and the back wall. I wish you the best of luck anyway!

 

[HST-DAVE]

Thanks for the support. I'm just writing a project scope document in order to comminicate the concept. I expect we would need to establish a Restoration and Preservation Trust in time.
Note: my involvement is purely altruistic, the station and town (visitors & rail users) would benefit from this project; my own personal benefit would be to keep dry when waiting for a train and to see it all restored

 

[Greenback]

I have no doubt about your motives Dave! A trust is the sort of thing I was thinking of, as it would then hopefully be easier to gather support and goodwill from NR and NXEA. For one thing, it might be easier to negotiate better terms on the lease for any shop!

Good luck, and be sure to let us know if the project progresses!

 

[142094]

Have a look at what the guy did at Chester-le-Street station, he bought the buildings, renovated them and now runs a successful ticketing business from it.

 

[Greenback]

He's done an impressive job, but Dave's idea is a little different!

 

[merlodlliw]

First of all find out who owns the station, it is not always NR, Rhyl station for example is owned by Denbighshire County Council,and leases it to ATW & NR,

I wish you well, get the support of your local politicians and County Voluntary
Council/Action, CVCs are funded to assist organisations such as yours, also there is european funding for you to do a feasibility study,without public support major funding, Heritage lottery would be difficult or impossible without such a study.

If you require contacts on this, pm me & I will give you contact details.
I am a member of a local Trust, as yet unincorporated,with a vision of taking over a disused quarry in the Wrexham area, we have been funded £30K for a feasibility study which we have undertaken, this proves public support for our trusts vision.

Also as the roof was removed & not replaced, the building is not listed? or if it was, do I take it the roof was dangerous

Bob

 

[142094]

He's done an impressive job, but Dave's idea is a little different!

Still, goes to show what one person could do, and also what he could do when he has a fair few more people behind him!

 

[HST-DAVE]

Thanks merlodlliw

I think the building is listed, I expect the roof was in bad repair.

(Wiki: 'The station was built in 1855 by the Lucas Brothers;their work which amongst other outstanding buildings include the Royal Albert Hall').

The station is owned by NR and operated by NXEA.

I believe the county councillors have access to funds or can recommend feasibility funding. I'll look into the other funding providers too.
Yep, public support is the way to start this... It'll take time but you have to start somewhere...

...good luck with your project too!

 

[merlodlliw]

HST Dave, yes it takes time,Your County Cllrs should have access to the funding officer of the Council, he she should be able to assist in filling in an application form,it is always a good idea to have some one else look at the application before its sent in. using The Lottery Heritage fund is also a good contact,they have large funds, & open with advice about listed buildings,ask for one of their officers to come and see you. one good thing about a feasibility study is,you dont have to write up a business plan or get involved in time lines etc.
Also while I think about it, your ,local Council planning dept will have a Senior Officer expert in listed buildings,ask for a chat,they are there to assist.
As I mentioned this org,it can also assist, its a free service, and will know where the funds arehttp://www.savo.co.uk/ well worth £5 membership .we use a similar organisation in Wrexham


Bob

 

[EM2]

Two things spring to mind (neither of which I know much about):
Community Rail Partnerships
The Big Society

 

[scotsman]

Two things spring to mind (neither of which I know much about):
Community Rail Partnerships
The Big Society

Big Society worries me, since if charity over public service becomes the rule rather than the exception - then we're stuffed!

In this case, the proposals just happen to be similar to the Big Society concept, rather than a result or application of them

 

[yorksrob]

Big Society worries me, since if charity over public service becomes the rule rather than the exception - then we're stuffed!

In this case, the proposals just happen to be similar to the Big Society concept, rather than a result or application of them

I share your concerns to an extent. Although in this case, I think it is actually a good idea. The idea of withdrawing support for an actual train service in the hope that someone might voluntarily take over it (to provide a community railway as opposed to existing heritage operations) would indeed be absurd.

For something like this though, where improved station facilities would be highly desireable, but where the actual operation of the railway wouldn't be compromised were it not to happen this could be a good way to get things done.

 

[EM2]

In this case, the proposals just happen to be similar to the Big Society concept, rather than a result or application of them

Well, that was kinda my point. I was suggesting that the OP may like to approach the Big Society Network, as this is exactly the kind of project that it was intended for.