Reward for dedicated group of campaigners Delight as work starts on station revamp Report by Vicky Clark RAILWAY enthusiasts gathered in Carnforth to celebrate news that their dream of a restored station was finally going to be realised.
"This work, this week, is going to arrest the 40 year sad decline of Carnforth station and start the regeneration and restoration of the station," Chairman of the Friends of Carnforth Station Michael Chorley (21/9/1999 to 26/9/2002) told people who had gathered for the celebratory ceremony. Mr Chorley said he particularly wanted to thank the "vision and determination" of Carnforth businessman. Peter Yates, who founded the Carnforth Station and Railway. Trust six years ago with the sole aim of saving the station from demolition. The local group went on to raise more than �l.l million; with the breakthrough coming last November when Railtrack pledged to carry out �500,000 of regeneration work at the station. Railtrack agreed to fund improvements to the subway, platform and roof and the Trust's ambitious plans which will see the creation of a visitor centre, refreshment room and six retail units which are due to be finished by next summer. MP for Morecambe, Geraldine Smith, who had cancelled another appointment to make sure she could attend the ceremony at the station, thanked everyone who had been involved in the project. "I remember I used to come to meetings way before I was made an MP, and in those days it really did seem as though it was the impossible dream," she said. "I am sure if it had not been for the sheer determination of a lot of people this building would have been demolished which would have been such a tragedy." The station rose to fame when it was chosen as the setting for 1945 film Brief Encounter. One man who remembers the station as it was in its glory days was Alf Bergus, who starred in the film as the fireman on the train. Mr Bergus, who lives in Halton, told the crowd: "In 1945 it was a different station to what it is today - it was a beautiful station then and I hope we will be able to say the same again soon." The Mayor of Carnforth Brian Ward, and last year's town mayor Edna Jones - who is now Mayor of Lancaster, both said they were delighted to see work on the facelift finally start. Jim Trotman, tourism manager for Lancaster City Council, handed over a framed plaque thanking station supporters for their work. Project manager David Taylor, Railtrack's estate manager for the North West John Pengelli and Jim Cornell, executive director of Railway Heritage Trust, also all attended the ceremony. Delight as work starts on station revamp, The Citizen October 12 th 2000
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Work on a �1.5 million revamp started at the station
last week, to the delight of a dedicated group of local people who have campaigned and
raised money for the restoration project for many years.
