Tyne Valley Community Rail Partnership (CRP) has hosted a special event to celebrate the huge transformation at Haltwhistle Station.
The formerly redundant station buildings and waiting room have seen a huge makeover in recent years, improving the station facilities for passengers and establishing Haltwhistle as a thriving community hub.
The project was completed in autumn 2024, having begun over four years previously. Tenants moved into the new studios and offices, and the CRP took on the lease of the former 1861 Water Tower to create a welcoming café and events space.
More recently, with the support of CrossCountry and Northern, a human sundial has been installed on the station forecourt, illustrating the impact the railways have had on the standardisation of time in the 19th century.
The event on Monday 12 May included representatives from organisations that have supported the transformation, including Community Rail Network, Network Rail, Railway Heritage Trust and train operating companies, as well as a whole host of other advisors, contractors and volunteers.
Guests had the opportunity to look inside the studios, chat with the tenants and see the ‘Wha\'s for tea?' exhibition in the Platform 1 waiting room and the Hadrian's Wall exhibition in the Platform 2 waiting room. Jules, the café's manager, then welcomed all the guests to enjoy a delicious buffet, where they were also able to see how the listed Water Tower building has been refurbished.
Malcolm Chainey, chair of Tyne Valley CRP, said: "The station building project and Water Tower Café have been the biggest projects undertaken by the partnership, made possible because of the support provided to us by rail industry and other partners.
"We are thrilled with the result. Gone are the unloved, redundant and unwelcoming buildings – the station has now been transformed into a hub of activity”