HISTORIC Ribblehead Station is back to its former glory after a £250,000 facelift.

The station has been lovingly restored to transform it from a derelict eyesore to a neat building housing an interpretation centre giving information to visitors about the Settle-Carlisle line.

This week trustees of the Settle and Carlisle Railway Trust, which has a 125-year lease on Ribblehead Station, met to view the fruits of their labours as work spanning two-and-a-half years is now almost complete. Once interpretation display boards are lifted into place and a little bit of painting is completed, the project will be finished.

Ribblehead station, at the southern end of the famous viaduct, was built in 1874 when the Midland Railway Company constructed the Settle-Carlisle line, but by 1970 it was closed. Vandals and the inclement weather on the exposed site took their toll and the station fell into disrepair.

Edward Album, chairman of the trustees of the Settle and Carlisle Railway Trust, told the Herald: "It became more or less derelict, much of the roof was bare rafters."

The trust acquired the station in 1999 and with help from the Friends of the Settle-Carlisle Line, Settle and Carlisle Railway Development Company, Railtrack, English Heritage, European Union Regional Development Fund, the Railway Heritage Trust and Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, the project began.

Firstly the roof was repaired and the building made sound and useable. A caretaker's flat was created and three rooms have been adapted for the display. The building was painted in the Midland Railway Company's maroon and cream livery.

Now Philip and Wendy Kinch, both former railway employees, have moved into the flat to keep an eye on the station.

The trustees are delighted with the project. Mr Album said: "What you see here now is the culmination of a long process and a great deal of effort. A lot of people have been involved but we seem to have co-operation from everybody, the rail authorities and operators and a large number of trusts.

"I just like to see Ribblehead station looking in good shape, especially after seeing it derelict and vandalised."

Trustee Wilf Fenten added: "This project is a prime example of good practise for the rest of the line. I would like to see the trust helping to restore the stationmaster's house here, to help with the maintenance of Horton-in-Ribblesdale station and rebuilding walls in between."

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