Amidst all the railway franchise changes in our meaningless 'customer service' culture, it's good to see a reminder of when it was all very different. This is Eridge station, on the branch line to Uckfield in East Sussex and opened in August 1868. One half of the station has been restored to its Southern Railway livery, as once seen from 1923 to 1948. Cream weatherboarding, green detailing on doors and window frames and what is apparently a reproduction Southern enamel 'target' station sign made by a member of the nearby Spa Valley Railway. The platform canopy is supported by ornamented cast-iron columns, and once served the branch that lead off to Tunbridge Wells West station from where the SVR now run steam trains through High Rocks and Groombridge. There is currently much fundraising going on so that they can run their trains into Eridge once more. Another positive note is that the new 'Southern', whose trains run through on the other platform, have invested in decently-designed signs and an evocative logo. So all is not completely lost.
3 comments:
Well spotted Peter, even though it looks like 'Fridge' and forces one to think of a cool beer. I've started a blog also, based on the premise that if you and Ron Combo can do it, anyone can. It's jeeprebuild.blogspot.com
What's this...Jeep Re-build? I thought Mr Savage was a Land Rover gentleman? Now, where did I leave my keys to my Humber Super Snipe...?
Indeed, all is not lost when a building like this is preserved. Its elegant use of humble materials – iron and weatherboarding – can still teach us a thing or two.
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