A journey to the past
Many people watch Brief Encounter every time it comes on the telly or drive by
Carnforth on their way up to the Lakes, but few realise that a piece of British cinema history has been slowly deteriorating over the last quarter of a century.As you can see from the photographs, the station is a ghostly ruin. Doors and windows are boarded up, weeds are growing through the cracks in the paving and the floor is strewn with litter and broken glass. The paint has faded to a dull grey.
The original aim of the Carnforth Station and Railway Trust was to preserve the station once it had been restored. By taking a lease of the buildings, these would be refurbished and put to a range of community and commercial uses. This would ensure the continuation of management and maintenance and give Carnforth Station a friendly and welcome appearance once again.
At a cost of approximately £1.5 million, the buildings can now be refurbished and restored as a Visitor/Heritage Centre for Carnforth, a refreshment and dining room built like the original in the film, and a small number of shops. It is hoped that the station platforms, subway and canopy will be improved.
Thanks to the support of the Trust, Railtrack and 'The Friends of Carnforth Station', these plans were being put into action in Spring 2001.
In 2000, Alison Evans, who was then a Post Graduate student at the University of Plymouth, approached the Friends of Carnforth Station to ask if she could produce a website about Carnforth Station , as one her modules towards an MA in Publishing.
This website is the website that she produced.
The original website was created in 2000., and apart from one or two factual corrections (different telephone numbers / contact addreses etc.) The website is as created.
Since then the Station rejuvenation has been completed, and the station is now open as a fully fuctional railway station, and a visitor center. For the latest information about the station, please visit
http://www.carnforth-station.co.uk
