Rail enthusiasts and dignitaries gathered to celebrate the re-opening of a historic water tower which has been given a new lease of life thanks to a restoration project.
The award-winning Huddersfield Rail Station building was opened by The Association of Community Rail Partnerships (ACoRP) founder, Paul Salveson MBE, whose organisation will use the building as its new home.
Mr Salveson said: “It’s been a fantastic occasion and I think everyone involved is very proud of what has been achieved.
“I can remember when it was a derelict shell full of dead pigeons but it’s a historic building and it’s great that it’s been put to good use.
“We are grateful to all those who have helped with the renovation project to restore it.”
The tower is thought to have originally been built in between 1885 and 1890 and could hold 2,345 gallons of water, according to an edition of The Premier Line magazine.
Owned by Network Rail, it has been leased to ACoRP for a ‘peppercorn’ rent through First TransPennine Express.
Mr Salveson was joined by the Mayor of Kirklees, Clr Martyn Bolt who unveiled the Railway Heritage Trust plaque, the organisation that paid for the external renovation of the previously derelict site.
Lord Berkley OBE and Lord Faulkner of Worcester were among the 120 other people who joined the event, along with other VIPs from the south of England and Europe.
The grade 1 listed building recently won the best refurbishment prize from the Huddersfield Civic Society Design Awards due to having undergone the extensive work – the latest of three accolades.
Architects Potts, Parry, Ives and Young from York installed various eco-friendly systems in the new-feel building, including energy-saving technology and a water tank for recycling.
The project also received funding from the European Interreg IVb programme along with money from ACoRP.
ACoRP was formed in 1993 to encourage community led initiatives at local stations, due to a belief that they would have a beneficial impact upon the rail line as a whole.
Click here to take you back to more Huddersfield news.
Want to read, watch and hear more? You can download the FREE Examiner Apple App here, the FREE Examiner Android App here or you can view the paper as an e-edition on your Apple, Android or Kindle device by clicking here
To follow us on Twitter click here
