Fanfare for local Business is an area of youth engagement devised three years ago by the Mytholmroyd Station Partnership’s creative group. Each year one of the three local primary schools in the area visit a chosen local business; followed by an art workshop led by member – Annie Lawson, assisted by Brenda Greenwood, Jane Truscott and Sue Mitchell. The resulting work created is displayed as colourful posters on the station and gateway to the village for twelve months, available for all to admire including friends and relatives of the school children. Previous years, the young artists have been to other Mytholmroyd manufacturers – Calder Weaving and to Walkleys Clogs. Mytholmroyd Station Partnership Three cheers for Calder Primary and Urban Cottage. Photo: Gerald Townson This year we arranged a visit by staff and pupils from Calder Primary School to Urban Cottage Industries; a progressive, employee co-owned UK manufacturer, designing and making innovative light products and based in a former trouser factory in Mytholmroyd. Calder Primary School, recently relocated from Cragg Vale to Mytholmroyd, has appreciated this involvement with the Station Partnership and a local business which has helped the settling-in process. Friendships have been formed, including staff at Urban Cottages Industries as well as the Partnership members. Mytholmroyd Station Partnership A happy time was had by alll. Photo:Geoff Mitchell The celebration of ‘Fanfare for Local Business’ was led by the newly elected Hebden Royd Mayor, Cllr Dr Carol Stow who ‘unveiled’ the new artworks in front of invited guests together the youngsters, their proud parents, relatives and friends. The Mayor praised the objectives of the Partnership members to engage with the local community and youngsters in such projects that encourage the use and care of their village railway station. The Station Partnership hopes to expand this involvement with the whole community when the old station building is renovated and becomes available for social use. Our present plans are for Railway Education sessions – for the schools and others in the village and Calderdale to encourage responsible and enjoyable travelling by train. Mytholmroyd Station Partnership Photo-Geoff Mitchell The Station Partnership enjoys the respect, support and encouragement from many outlets including Northern Rail, Association of Community Rail Partnerships, Network Rail, our local Town and Regional Councils, businesses and individuals which is a reflection of the goodwill of the community. Thanks go to the Mayor and to Urban Cottage Industries directors Stan Wilson and Jonny Steel – with a special mention for Sue Mitchell who organised the whole event from the initial enquiries to the unveiling by the young artists – truly a great community project and outcome. Mytholmroyd Station Partnership welcomes anyone who has an interest to improve the village railway station and surrounding area. There is not only the station garden to tend, but a variety of projects with the local community such as this Fanfare for Local Business. Which lucky local business should we ask next year? Photo by Gerald Townson of Bentham station

 

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An attempt to give a brief account of a very long saga. The building was closed to the public in the 1980s and became derelict. Several years ago, the Station Partnership started discussing the future of the building with the owners, Network Rail. In recognition of the community work the Partnership members have done in the last 12 years, the new Northern franchise specifically requires that Mytholmroyd Station Building be restored for social use. Work has now started on the renovation of the building to what it was when it closed over 30 years ago – Network Rail are presently working on the walls, floors etc. The Railway Heritage Trust will then restore the historic artefacts. The Arriva North will furnish the building to their operational requirements and (hopefully) allocate accommodation for community use. Hundreds of ideas and hours of discussion have taken place between the Partnership, the railways and the local community. A Station Building, Mytholmroyd charity (1174609) was formed last September and commissioned a Feasibility Study sponsored by Northern, Hebden Royd Town Council and the Architectural Heritage Fund to research possible uses. The consultants presented their Report to a public meeting in February 2018. Like all big projects associated with large corporations, the Station Building proposals are constantly evolving. During the coming week for instance, Station Partnership members have arranged a meeting of the railway educational development team and the Heads and officials from our local schools. The initial idea is for the Station Building to become the railway educational centre for West Yorkshire area. We also have the possibility of local history archives and exhibition spaces in conjunction with a walking/cycling information hub. These are just a few of the ideas. The Station Building Trustees consider any suggestions but have to be aware – 1. It is an operational railway station – subject to safety and railway bye-laws. 2. No new activity should jeopardize existing local business/activities. 3. New ventures within the building will have to be viable without relying on annual grants/subsidies. The Station Building trustees hold public meetings when there are new developments and welcome suggestions and practical assistance with this massive project which will benefit the local community. Details of the project can be found on https://mytholmroydstation.wordpress.com/ Email address is communityhub.myt@btinternet.com

Journey planning – and – Is it on Time?

A few useful websites to help planning your journeys and see whether your trains are on time at Mytholmroyd.

It is recommended that you check your journey plans in advance – there is the Northern App and the following –

https://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/planjourney/search

The following site shows the departure screen for Mytholmroyd station – especially useful to those of you who have a knack of arriving on the platform less than 30 seconds before the train arrives!

http://nr.tellan.co.uk/departure/MYT/kiosk/black?lookaheadtime=90Works

Work has started on the Station Building. Please be aware that there could be restricted access and public parking on the Network Rail access road.

Station Building – latest 11 January

180205 facebook leaflet page 1

Station building – December 9

Heard (indirectly) that the scaffolding might be going up in mid-January.

Fingers crossed as we have heard dates before – and we think the scaffolding is for the building work and not for starting public executions in t’Royd !!!!!!!

 

Station Building – November news

 

The Station Building, Mytholmroyd – the story so far………

For several years some volunteers from the Station partnership have been meeting with the building owners (Network Rail) with a view to converting it for community use.

There has always been a question of capital costs to renovate the totally disused structure as well as the problem of a viable use to cover the annual maintenance/running costs.

To an extent, the first part of this problem was answered when Arriva Trains were awarded the Northern franchise which included the following from the Department for Transport – ‘redevelop for social use redundant or underutilised buildings at Stations including Mytholmroyd’.

We are awaiting a structural report before total renovation by the railway agencies can start.

Far too often, local communities have taken over their station buildings without a viable business plan – despite their  ‘good ideas’ the keys have had to be handed back and the building becomes derelict once more.

The Mytholmroyd group decided that a feasibility study would be commissioned before expending time or money on the building.   They have formed a Charitable Incorporated Organisation  (CIO No. 1174609) with Objectives including –

‘To further or benefit the residents of Mytholmroyd and the neighbourhood’,

‘To establish or secure the establishment of a community centre’ and

‘To advance the education of the public in the history of the station building’.

 The Trustees commissioned an independent consultant to research and report on potential activities that would sustain the future use of the building for the local community.

It has always been the policy of the group that there would be no conflict with existing businesses or activities.

Next to a busy line requires special considerations with regard to safety and the operational requirements of the railway – the train operating company (TOC) may need the top floor for their staff and rail training classroom accommodation, and the owners (Network Rail) have stipulated that a public house would not be appropriate in the building.

Given these constraints, the consultants have identified the following in their initial draft report –

 Mytholmroyd Station Building Feasibility Study

 A unifying option for the most practical uses identified through the consultation to date and options appraisal for the development of the Station Building in Mytholmroyd (ground and first floor) is the notion of landscape (incorporating heritage) in terms of: 

 

Craft and Local Food Manufacture – engaging people in the landscape in terms of the food derived from it

 

• Walking and Cycling Hub – creating access to the landscape through equipment, interpretation and inspiration

• Restaurant – providing local food inspired by and grown within the landscape

• Art Studio/Community Gallery – providing creative space for people enthused by and working within the landscape

 

 

Following this approach would create the opportunity to develop the Station Building as a Landscape Hub. Pennine Prospects, the body which oversees the promotion and enjoyment of the South Pennine, is based in the next settlement on at Hebden Bridge. The South Pennines is the largest landscape area in England without a formal landscape designation. The opportunity for the Station Building to set out its stall as a key hub in the context of this area is very powerful and provides potentially the opportunity to drive footfall both from a wider catchment than the immediate surroundings and to develop a potent brand.

Rose Regeneration Limited, November 2017

Any future community activity must be able to contribute towards the running costs of the building without having to rely of any annual grants or subsidies.

The CIO Trustees have now to decide how the above suggestions can be incorporated into an amenity for the benefit of the local community in accordance with the Objectives of the station building Charity.

A public meeting is planned for the New Year when the Trustees and the Consultants will outline their decisions and explain why some suggestions made during the consultation cannot be implemented at this stage.

The meeting will also be an opportunity for those with an interest in the outline plans decided by the Trustees to offer their expertise and support towards what could be an exciting project run for the community, by the community.