Another year – but still plodding on with the Building project!

The Station Building, Mytholmroyd, CIO 117 4609

Interim Newsletter January 23^th 2023

Following my earlier New Year’s update, the last few days have been most encouraging – thanks to the latest trustees on the Board of the Charitable Incorporated Organisation.

Three younger women have joined– first up was Sarah Grundy – retired Make-up Artist Manager from Manchester TV world now resident in Hebden Bridge. Followed by Nicky King, retired medic and recent arrival to Mytholmroyd, whose skills are many and varied; joined by friend Katie Bates, retired civil servant now doing all sorts, that includes her trusteeship with the Station Building.    Together, these three young women have set the pace. Ideas, ideas, more ideas – but plenty of action as well.

The Apprenticeship Project: Calderdale College has introduced a new qualification – T Level in Business Studies. Following two years of study and practical experience successful students will be awarded an equivalent of three A levels. The Course will cover various aspects of business protocol, including Charity Administration Rules and Regs, the Railway, local businesses, arranging local events – the list is long. And will be of benefit to the community as well as the CIO.            There are two students are eager to start the T Level Qualification aligned with the Station Building here in Mytholmroyd.          No panic, start date is the 2^nd of February 2023.

 Difficult, well impossible, to house the students in a building that has no electricity, water, heating etc etc. Thinking caps on for appropriate accommodation for one day (Thursdays) a week for two years; 45 hours over that time.

 Nobody scuttled away, all worked together resulting in emails posted to two local businesses.

 Mytholmroyd  Businesses came up trumps – our request to Mark Coup, Director of  Welcome Independent Living in New Road came flying back, almost within the hour, welcoming the project and offering use of its space; plus a very supportive letter from Heidi Bingham, Director The Chapel on Hall Bank Lane.

Darren Allsop, Stakeholder Manager Eastern Region, Northern Trains welcomed this initiative and offered help and support for its success.

He referred the trustees to Richard Isaac Community Manager Eastern Region Northern Trains the specific request for rail passes for the two students.    Thank you, Darren and Richard.

The dye is cast; the trustees, together with Calderdale College Reps will be inspecting the new premises soon and are confident that this Project will be up and ready for the start date of 2^nd of February 2023.

The following day there was an interesting and helpful meeting with Andrew Curran, Dermot Skelly and contingents from Network Rail. Another visit around the building: the overwhelming feeling of Trustees and Network Rail Management is that ‘something should be done’ the current weather pattern is doing the building’s fabric no good at all. The hope is that funds already in place could be used to start remedial works on the building, insulation perhaps, electrical installation?

Altogether, working together the aspiration of seeing this listed Grade II building re-used for the benefit of the community now and for the future generations is possible.

Lets make it happen!

Sue

Hon. Secretary

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.

Station Building – latest

A start on the long road to converting the disused station building into a community hub for the village.

What we need now is a Business Plan for the whole building that would –

Generate at least £12k net income per year to cover the building maintenance. This excludes any staffing costs or maintenance for a lift.

Not to rely on subsidies or grants to cover annual running costs.

It is up to us, the local community ideas please that will contribute towards the running costs and without interfering with existing village businesses.

Mytholmroyd Station New Road Mytholmroyd Hebden Bridge Calderdale

Ref. No: 16/00930/LBC | Received: Wed 13 Jul 2016 | Validated: Wed 13 Jul 2016 | Status: Pending Consideration

 

• Stabilisation works to building including stripping out of existing rotten floors, installation of concrete ground beam, support columns, replacement floors, re-furbished fireplaces, lintels, frames and windows, and external repairs to masonry including new cast iron rainwater goods. (Listed Building Consent)

myt.station@btinternet.com

We are finding the funding for an independent consultant to conduct a Feasibility  study to ascertain a viable community use for the building.

Station Building – Latest news and our Plans

New company takes over the running of our trains – April 1st

Arriva Rail North are aware of our plans for the station – to use it as a Community Hub.

It will be up to the local community to decide if this is what they want – and how they could run and finance it without having to rely on annual grants or subsidies.

12 September 2015

We were invited to Bentham station (yes in Yorkshire – just!) to the Opening of their station building.

Everything different to our – size, administration etc

BUT – it has taken them three years to get a Lease

We have ONLY been trying for  FOUR years.

So we still await with bated breath…….

In the meantime – please keep thinking of viable uses for the building and PLEASE have a business plan to back your ideas.

Remember – we need at least £12k per year to maintain  the building – without relying on any annual subsidies etc.

26 August

We were due to meet Network Rail today – but two of their managers could not attend.

They did send the following

The result is No evidence of Bat Roosts was found during the survey as observed visually or detected audibly via the bat detectors. Due to the lack of evidence from the Dusk Emergence Surveys, the likelihood of bats utilising this site for roosting is extremely low and therefore no further surveys are required.

 Now that we have temporarily made safe parts of the building for inspection purposes (some are still unsafe to enter and in danger of collapse if walked on) we have had a damp and timber survey undertaken on 14-08-2015 using sniffer dogs and await their report.

 The following is a list of safety critical works which we will have to do to stabilise the building, stop the spread of the fungal decay (Dry and Wet Rots) and prevent further structural movement and potential collapse of the internal environment.

CPMS are currently pricing this list, I will then have to seek funding to take this forward, my estimate is £150-£200K.  once in receipt of a pre-measure I will advise.

As soon as we (the Steering Group) know anything – we shall let you know.

If it is appropriate, we shall form a charity for the building project – experienced project managers welcome.

Tuesday 12 May

Subject to their engineers and surveyors being able to inspect and assess the unsafe and unstable interior of the building – Network Rail will renew the rotten  floors, windows, lintels and stairs to what it was at the time of closure 30 years ago.

The local community may then have the opportunity to take over the building which they will have to maintain – with an estimated annual cost of at least £12,000.

Ideas as to how this can be achieved will be sought – BUT any ideas MUST be accompanied by a BUSINESS PLAN and preferable with credible accounts showing that the idea would be a Net Contributor to the project..

Any queries – please email

myt.station@btinternet.com

 

 Contractors come out for fresh air from the rotten interior

17-03-2014

At the public meeting on March 4th 2014, over 40 local people came to listen to experts on Community Railways talk about the benefits of getting involved with their railway station – along with ‘our own’ Conservation Officer who gave an excellent account of the building and its preservation.

A Steering Group was formed on 12 March to create a formal organisation to restore the old station building for community use.

Specialist sub-committees have been created from the experienced professionals who live in the village – thanks to all.

The station building group will be a new and independent organisation –

decided and directed by the local community.

We would welcome any expertise, but enthusiasm from and for our 

community is most important.

It is also planned to start a Friends of the Station Building who will administer the day-to-day running of the community activities in the building.

We are looking for ideas on how to use the renovated building – in the short-term and in future years when (possibly) extensions have been built. All ideas have to cover their costs – and contribute towards the annual running costs of the building.

The following is a Toolkit which might help you with your project and save the new group time during the Feasibility Study before they decide what use to put the renovated building. Click on below –

My idea for MYT station building

Further details from Geoff Mitchell on 885154 or email

myt.station@btinternet.com

Station Building – Trustees

Monday 5 MayFollowing a very useful meeting with the managers from Network Rail (the owners of the building) – we now need to establish a formal organisation within a legal framework.

Fr Gott has been working on a Draft Constitution for a Charitable Incorporated Organisation.

We plan to have a minimum of 3 and maximum of 9 Trustees.

They will not have any fixed Term – but will have flexibility according to their special skills and experience.

We are looking for local experts in Fund-raising, marketing and  IT matters.

Exciting possibility for the local community

Friday 13 December

The Station Partnership have frequently been asked what is happening to the old building?

We started general enquiries about a ‘simple’ renovation and  the formation of a  Building Restoration Trust run entirely for the local community by the community.

Our Plan has been well received by the Railway and District Council.

It will be a big project and will need lots of finance and expertise.

There are Capital Grants out there and there are lots of offers to help from around the country for a social enterprise that we envisage here at Mytholmroyd.

Here is an opportunity  for the local community of Mytholmroyd and surround area  to take control of the disused building at Mytholmroyd railway station that has dominated the streetscape for decades.

It is highly unlikely that the building will ever be used by the railways again – and they have indicated that there should no need to access via  the narrow platform other than in emergency. It will therefore  no longer be a station building – but a community amenity.

 Our initial thoughts are for a mix of private Artist studios/Start-up offices on the First and Second floors and general community use areas on the ground floor..

This is not set-in-stone – but is the basis on which a community enterprise can research and produce a Plan which is acceptable to the various agencies and  local people.

At this stage we are seeking active interest from artistic and community groups together with individuals who might have a use for some the space within the building.

 We are not seeking to formulate plans/use for the building at this stage – but hope to create a Steering Group from the local community that will become a Building Restoration Trust.

The Steering Group will decide the format of the incorporated compant/trust that will be best suitable for this project.

  Some points to consider;

1. 1.           Calderdale Council have made a preliminary assessment of the plans and (without prejudice) report few problems envisaged.

2. 2.          Any significant alterations/additions to the Plan outlined here will require a fresh submission to the Railway and Council authorities. Both the capital and annual costs required will need to be re-assessed together with any additional revenue required to cover the plan changes.

3. 3.          There may be some Grants for the building survey should there be enough local interest to proceed with the project.

4. 4.          The owners, Network Rail (NR) have a special lease for community groups. Other groups/organisations will not be permitted to apply for individual lets on the back of a community initiative.

5. 5.          Network Rail will require all work to be undertaken to their specification and with approved contractors.

6.               Once an active group is formed from the local community, it will be possible to apply for the necessary Capital Grants that are available and which other railway/stations around the country have offered to help with.

7. So, it is now up the Mytholmroyd community if they want to see their station building back in use.

 The following PDF gives further details of the Plan.

131130 station building proposals blog

 Further details from –      myt.station@btinternet.com

Further details via this email address or Tel 885154

Just what would YOU do with it ???

We have spent hours trying to find a use for the Station Building.

It is there for COMMUNITY use – if only some practical use could be found for it.

Most important – it needs to cover the annual costs, preferably without relying on subsidies/grants.

Cafes have been mentioned – but, is there a shortage in the village?

A lift to the platform keeps getting mentioned – Mytholmroyd is the only step-free station in the area.

Why do we need the expense of a lift when there is a dropping-off/collection point near the short ramp to the platform?

If you have an idea – then formulate a Business Plan – with realistic costings and we will assist.

Over to you ——

Mytholmroyd – Future and Railway thoughts

Following an initiative by Calderdale Council to hold a ‘brain-storming’ meeting on 24 September the following paper was submitted.

130924 myt future

Any questions to myt.station@btinternet.com – thanks

Up – and running

The new Window displays are up for all to enjoy.

Thanks to Annie Lawson for producing such attractive displays – and to the scholars at Scout Road Academy, Pennine Horizons and Digital Archive together with local artists Annie and Sue.

Thanks also to Andy Glover who we pulled from vaccying to put the panels up with the assistance of Sue.

Last, but not least – thanks to the Association of Community Rail Partnerships (ACoRP) for their sponsorship of the 2012 project.

To finish on a down-note. We are looking for a £250 donation towards replacing two of the display panels that some ‘kind-soul’ has scratched across.

Hope to see you on Thursday

History photos – 1949 and 1950

The following two photos have come from Gordon Clark – who was last at the station in 1997.

Another one kindly sent by Gordon Clarke