This week the Society’s Secretary, Dave Harris and Outreach Officer, Steve Huson went to Wingfield station to meet with its new tenant John Abbott, along with Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust Trustee Peter Milner. The specific purpose of the meeting will have to remain under wraps for now pending an exciting announcement which John’s umbrella organisation “Wingfield Station 1947” will be making in the coming months. Over and above that, however, it was an opportunity to see how much the station has progressed since we attended the celebration event for the completion of the magnificent restoration work a year ago. John and his team of volunteers have created a community charity set up to provide year-round public access to the site, opening to the public on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (soon to be extended to Wedesdays and Thursdays as well). Indeed, the evening prior to our meeting, the building had hosted an event for the local Rotary Club which was described as “packed out”… the absolute epitome of breathing new life into the (almost) 185 year old building. All a far cry from its low ebb of decrepitude only a few years ago. Steve and Dave came away full of optimism about the specific project and ways in which the Midland Railway Society, Wingfield Station 1947 and Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust all continue to work together in support of our common aims.
