Museum Gateway

The Museum Gateway Project

The volunteers of the Leighton Buzzard Narrow Gauge Railway Society are celebrating the news that they have been given the green light by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to develop their Museum Gateway Project.

This HLF first-round pass award includes £22,900 of development funding and means that the Society can progress to the second-round of the HLF application process

The Museum Gateway Project will include:

· A new main building for Page’s Park station, replacing and expanding the current, life-expired facilities, with provision for educational and community activities, and historical interpretation displays.

· External refurbishment of the buffet building, which is also used for educational and community purposes.

· Rebuild of Platform 2 and associated trackwork to current standards.

· Landscaping and improvement of the approach to the station from Billington Road.

· Temporary buildings to allow the railway to function during the building works.

· Permanent reduction in the station’s carbon footprint.

The development funding will help the Society obtain specialist advice and other assistance towards the more detailed second-round of the application process, where they will be applying for £ £511,800 to providing the major element of the £800k required to complete the project.

Another part of the total will come from the value of volunteer time employed on the project, and a campaign is in progress to raise the remaining match funding. The second-round application is expected to be submitted by the end of 2013.

Improvements already carried out at Page’s Park, additional to the scope of the Museum Gateway Project, include a complete rebuild of Platform 1, and an extension to the car park. Temporary toilets have been installed as a stopgap until the new building is completed, replacing facilities which had been damaged in the severe winter of 2010.

Leighton Buzzard Railway spokesman, Mervyn Leah, commented: “We are delighted to have cleared the first hurdle in our quest for Lottery funding, and hope that Page’s Park—as the gateway to one of the most historically important narrow-gauge railways in England—will soon have the station it deserves”.

How will it make a difference?

By providing a new, larger station building, replacing the current life-expired facilities, which will offer extra space for use by the Railway and its customers, and by the local community.
By providing a new station forecourt , with dedicated bays for customers with disabilities.
By rebuilding the existing Platform 2 to the same high standard as the new Platform 1.
By refurbishing the exterior of the buffet building, bringing it up to the quality of the rest of the development
By reducing environmental impact through rainwater capture and re-use, high-efficiency central heating system, low-energy lighting, and improved thermal insulation.

How do things stand now?

We have planning consent from our local authority.
We have a detailed specification of the works required, which will allow us to go out to tender at short notice.
We have long-term leases from our two landlords, Leighton-Linslade Town Council and Arnold White Estates Ltd.
We have some of the funds required to make this project a reality, thanks to the HLF award, the Section 106 agreement from the first phase of housing development, and generous donations from our members and the public. More money is still needed, though

When will it happen for real?

Given the application timescales of major funding bodies, construction is now expected to take place in 2013/14, assuming our bids are successful. During the construction period, the Railway will operate out of temporary buildings, the cost of which has been included in the total.

Why is this project important?

Quite simply, the current buildings at Page’s Park are life-expired, inefficient, and totally unsuited to the needs of the 21st century—for example in their lack of community and educational facilities for our customers, our volunteers and our new neighbours in the nearby housing estates.

While the buffet building can be improved, the main station building is beyond repair, and is costing increasing amounts of money and volunteer time, just to keep it safe and in working order. A drastic solution is called for, sooner rather than later.

The Leighton Buzzard Railway is an irreplaceable piece of living history, with its origins in the sand quarrying industry which still plays an important part in the local economy, and in the First World War battlefield supply lines before that.

Dating from 1919, it is the oldest continuously worked narrow-gauge railway in England, and the whole line has accredited museum status in recognition of the national and international importance both of the railway itself, and of its collection. Thus the station building at Page’s Park is quite literally the gateway to a museum.

Using the formulae developed by the Association of Independent Museums, it contributes around half a million pounds each year to the local economy, through direct and indirect spending.

How can you help?

By making a donation, in cash or in kind, with Gift Aid to make it worth even more, if you are a UK income tax payer. You can donate online, quickly, easily and safely.
By encouraging others to make donations.
By publicising our appeal as widely as possible.

WITH YOUR HELP, THIS EXCITING PROJECT CAN BECOME A REALITY!

www.buzzrail.co.uk

Last updated 12th April 2012

Launch Day highlights

Great news about the support from the Heritage Lottery Fund (right).

BUT WE STILL HAVE A LOT MORE MONEY TO RAISE!

Make a

donation online NOW with Just Giving

or The Big Give.

It’s easy, quick and safe!

TOP OF PAGE