Old railway buildings for re-use as holiday homes

[whole diary]

[grahame]

It's been interesting to watch the Landmark Trust series on the TV^▸ (Thames Valley, or TeleVision, depending on context) recently - about the restoration as holiday homes of historic buildings.  I remember in my teens staying with my parents at Tixall Gatehouse - overlooking the Staffs and Worcseter canal at Tixall Wide near Stafford, stopping at Clytha Castle with them and my Grandmother, and a brief stop at Wortham Manor in Devon .. of missing out on the Danescombe Mine that was on TV as part of the show, and missing out to on Alton Station.

The Landmark Trust are now working on another bulding with a railway connection -

From the Daily Post

Worldwide demand for slate grew to the point where the horses couldn't get the empties back to the quarries quickly enough and in 1863 the railway became the first narrow gauge line in the world to introduce steam locomotives.

With the line^s adoption of this new technology, new staff were needed and Coed y Bleiddiau was built; its first occupant being Henry Hovenden and his large family.

Anna Keay, Director of the Landmark Trust said: "Coed y Bleiddiau has much in common with some of Landmark^s earliest projects: it is modest in scale but deeply special for its place in our history and landscape. This wonderful steam railway has been revived thanks to the heroic work of the Ffestiniog Railway.

[snip]

Since the death of Bob and Babs Johnson, the last tenants who lived at Coed y Bleiddiau from the 1950s, the building has fallen into disrepair.

"Landmark hopes to start the project in summer 2016 and needs to raise 400,000 pounds to breathe life once again into this neglected building.

"It would open for bookings of up to four guests some time in 2017, who will be able to flag an approaching train from its own tiny private platform," added Ms Keay.

The building has remained the property of the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railway Trust, with whom the Landmark Trust is partnering.

As with the slate for the newly and urgently restored roof, the materials and manpower will all be carried to and from the site by train.

I look with sadness at some railway buildings lost - such as have been mentioned on this forum with the last year - and I wonder if they just might have had a use as holiday homes.   And I can think of some station buildings still around which have or could fall into something of a state of decay which would make such an interesting holiday experience - and wonder if there's discussion to be had and ideas to put forward before it's once again too late.

[BerkshireBugsy]

This got me thinking...and searching..so to help me ask my question i came across this example...

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-35833901.html

As far as I know the above property is not on the main rail network (I think it is on the North Yorks Moors Line) but are stations buildings ever sold which are on working main lines? I would love to see the estate agents description..

[PhilWakely]

This got me thinking...............are stations buildings ever sold which are on working main lines? I would love to see the estate agents description..

Yes! Dawlish Warren signal box - not sure what its current use is though!  (photo by Adrian Copley (forestade) on photobucket)

[BerkshireBugsy]

This got me thinking...............are stations buildings ever sold which are on working main lines? I would love to see the estate agents description..

Yes! Dawlish Warren signal box - not sure what its current use is though!  (photo by Adrian Copley (forestade) on photobucket)
Image snipped to reduce space..

Thanks PhilWakey

If I read this right the signal box is a listed building - is this the same signal box? (See ref 491370)

It doesn't look like it from the photo

http://www.teignbridge.gov.uk/media/pdf/5/p/Listed_Buildings_List_-_correct_-_Redesign.pdf

[trainer]

This got me thinking...and searching..so to help me ask my question i came across this example...

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-35833901.html

As far as I know the above property is not on the main rail network (I think it is on the North Yorks Moors Line) but are stations buildings ever sold which are on working main lines? I would love to see the estate agents description..

This property IS on a working mainline railway, Glaisdale being a passing loop on the Esk Valley Line (Whitby-Middlesborough), but also passed by North York Moors steam trains on occasional forays out to Battersby.  It would have made a lovely purchase for a rail enthusiast who only likes to see a train now and again as a treat. 

[BerkshireBugsy]

This got me thinking...and searching..so to help me ask my question i came across this example...

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-35833901.html

As far as I know the above property is not on the main rail network (I think it is on the North Yorks Moors Line) but are stations buildings ever sold which are on working main lines? I would love to see the estate agents description..

This property IS on a working mainline railway, Glaisdale being a passing loop on the Esk Valley Line (Whitby-Middlesborough), but also passed by North York Moors steam trains on occasional forays out to Battersby.  It would have made a lovely purchase for a rail enthusiast who only likes to see a train now and again as a treat. 

Ah thank you for clarifying that trainer. Although I have an interest in trains I think that "the occasional train passing by" would be enough for me:)

[SandTEngineer]

Thats not the original Dawlish Warren signalbox.  It's a new build replica now about 8-10 years old.  The orignal signalbox was on the other (Down) side of the line.

[BerkshireBugsy]

Thats not the original Dawlish Warren signalbox.  It's a new build replica now about 8-10 years old.  The orignal signalbox was on the other (Down) side of the line.

Thanks S&T^▸ (Signalling and Telegraph) that makes sense.

[PhilWakely]

Thanks PhilWakey

If I read this right the signal box is a listed building - is this the same signal box? (See ref 491370)

It doesn't look like it from the photo

http://www.teignbridge.gov.uk/media/pdf/5/p/Listed_Buildings_List_-_correct_-_Redesign.pdf

No - the listed signal box is Dawlish, the one I referred to is at Dawlish Warren which (as has already been stated) is a new build on land occupied by an older station building.

There are many other instances of railway buildings on working major lines that have become surplus to requirement and sold off to private buyers - Pinhoe station master's house being another example (which couldn't be any closer to a busy working railway!!)

[grahame]

Landmark Trust typically takes buildings of 'interest' that have / would otherwise fall into disrepair and be demolished.   Where there's a good other use, their resources are limited and the take the view that its best for them to spend on the difficult cases - so Pinhoe and many many MANY others are good news.    Looking into recent history, I was thinking of the old signal box at Dawlish itself, and the building at Avonmouth, and looking forward into the future (but not immediate future) there's a building or two that I wonder about - maybe not good as a residence, but perhaps ...

[JayMac]

I think with those two examples, Dawlish and Avonmouth, the buildings were already in a state of disrepair sometime before they were finally demolished.

Dawlish signal box had had to be propped up on its landward side and one of the gable ends at Avonmouth had come away leaving a fist sized gap at the roof line.

[Fourbee]

Here's 5 minute video from BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) Railwatch (first broadcast in February '89) talking to the signalman of Glaisdale and signalwoman of Battersby as well as some background about the line:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BX01NnAQGfc

[Richard Fairhurst]

Googling the word 'railway' (or 'station', or whatever takes your fancy) on popular cottage rental websites throws up some interesting properties:

* Ebberston station, near Scarborough
* Aberystwyth Cliff Railway apartment
* Hornsea station
* and a 60-year old railway carriage in Dumfries & Galloway!

I'm sure there are many more. This was the search I used to find them...

[bobm]

The 'box at Dawlish was listed, but then delisted which allowed it to be demolished.

[grahame]

On railway carriages ... in our own area, you have St Germans and Hayle - excellent reviews on Trip Advisor and one of my "MUST go"s.  Railholiday - The Old Luggage Van and The Travelling Post Office ...

The Landmark Trust are in many ways rather special in that they recover buildings that others would consider far too far gone.   Look back at the original article I quoted and you'll see a huge budget - perhaps (but I don't know) the cases I raised would have been within their scope.  However - no use crying over spilled milk - more celebrate the Festiniog example, and avoid any more potentially avoidable milk spills?