Welcome to the New Station page of the
FSMR
website
THIS
This page has been created to follow the construction and opening
by Dr Pete Waterman OBE in October 2008 of the new station building and acknowledge
the companies that have kindly donated materials
The Railway
used a converted shed since reopening in 1995, as a souvenir and
gift shop/ café but its suitability became an issue due to fatigue etc and also
aesthetics!!!
It was therefore decided to construct a purpose built building;
plans
were drawn up and submitted for planning approval, which were passed.
Construction began in autumn 2005 and was fully completed by end of spring 2009
It also involved replacing the rusted platform canopy covering roof
sheeting, and painting and replacing the supporting RSJ,s at the same time extending out over the link line
to provide better passenger protection, while also giving stables locos on the
link line, shelter.
(It has also been found to
provide an ideal covered barbeque location for summer weekends)
The new building is of brick and stone, with slate roof and is
loosely based on Settle station of the
Below is a plan drawing of the finished building,
During Mid
September 2005, the SMR’s building contractor commences the start of foundation
construction of the new station. The footings have been marked out, and
hardcore from the old timber building base removed to subsoil level.
Note the cream
and crimson building to the right is the historic donated original Sutton
Miniature Railway ticket office
The foundations are then excavated ready for the concrete footings and once these have been completed, it is then handed over to the FSMR team for the main building work to commence
Things
slowed a bit in 2006 awaiting all the materials including door frames and
windows to arrive on site, but work then started at pace over New Year 2007
with one of the FSMR members, a tradesman builder leading the bricklaying team
Foundations and floor in place awaiting materials to arrive for the next phase
This picture were taken in March 2007 as the external
brick walls and stone detailing are laid by FSMR members station build project
team
At this point, the
old canopy roof was still in place but was removed in May 2007 to allow the
final brick courses to be built to roof height. All this cladding and roofing was
renewed and profiled into the new structure as part of the project producing a
weather proof covering for the platforms
Taken in Mid Feb 2008,
the roof structure is now taking shape ready for felting and then the slates to
be laid
The distinct
During the first
May BH weekend 2008, the roofers moved in and put the slate roof on
By July 2008, our
resident electricians completed the internal wiring and the walls and ceilings
were plastered. External doors fitted, and floor screed and internal fitting
still to complete
At the same time,
FSMR members removed the remaining track canopy sheeting in order to allow
refurbishment and lifting of the RSJ supports in preparation for the new steel
sheeting.
The extended RSJ
support cross beams can be seen from this shot, which will now provide coverage
of the link line for spare locos, and also to weatherproof the canopy sides for
passengers
The station was
almost completed by October 2008 apart from some of the canopy side cladding
and kitchen fitting out, and was officially opened at a private event in front
of invited guests by Dr Pete Waterman OBE when the new East African loco was
also unveiled
A cast plate was
commissioned to commemorate the event
The SMR owner and
president of the FSMR, Lady Gretton with Pete Waterman opening the new station
and celebrate 50 years of the SMR in 2008
The new station
building at its unveiling, complete with Lady Gretton’s
station Totem inside from the closed Gretton station on the midland line from
Corby to Manton
By summer 2010
the re-roofing of the canopy was complete finishing off the station building
nicely
The majority of
the materials have been donated by various companies, for which the whole FSMR
are indebted
The companies
that have donated towards the station are:
Supplier
of new Station roofing slates
Supplier
steel sheeting work for the station canopy renewal
Supplier
of the new station bricks
Supplier
of the fast flooring “beam and block” solution for the new station
Supplier
of insulated blocks for the new station internal walls
Wickes home improvement centres
