Carrog Station Report spring 1999

To date (1/4) both sides of roof of the ex. Weston Rhyn box are newly battened and felted and one side slated using recovered original material. A supply of at least 300 off 20x10 slates is required to complete the second side. Does anyone know of a source? Offers please via the station staff. New windows have been made replacing those missing at the end presently facing west. Rotted sections of roof timbers have been replaced as necessary. Cast iron clad electrical fittings are required to replace several that are now missing, particularly light switches.

It should be noted that extra Friends of Carrog assistance is required for the preparation and installation of the wood post signals and accessories. This additional work is quite beyond the capacity of the regular group whose activities these days mainly comprise essential maintenance and items remaining on the original programme of work.

Progress continues on interior joinery and painting.

Work continues on the maintenance of the banks, grass cutting and pruning in addition to general gardening. The new shrub bed at the 5199 coach is maturing nicely. Now that the accommodation coaches have been removed opportunity is being taken to weed kill and ash ballast the sidings area.

Comments in the station visitors book continue to be entertaining and wide ranging and as usual are at their most inspirational during certain special weekend events. These books are definitely worth a browse by anyone with a little time to spare.

The following potted history and description is designed to answer queries and explain to those interested how the building took on its present form. When Carrog Station was purchased in 1989 the original platform 1 gents facilities had disappeared under previous ownership, nowadays being the site of the station house garage. The ladies facilities if reinstated in the original position would have taken up nearly half of the then proposed tea room. Also there was the question of ventilated lobbies between loos and dining areas. The only logical answer was a new detached toilets building and the questions that then arose were. What would the GWR have done faced with the same set of circumstances? The answer was to construct a blue and red brick building in keeping with the other GWR built buildings at the station. There are surviving examples on the Railway and elsewhere together with collections of old photographs from which to determine period details. The next major question was where? The factors that drove the decision to locate the toilets in their present position were the need for a discreet position that would not compromise the original station layout and appearance too much, would be central and convenient for users and which would connect easily to the existing sewerage system. The third important question was which prototype to follow? The required building was smaller than any of the nearby examples and the question of scale is all-important. The answer presented itself during visits to Weston Sub-Edge where the GWR brick built weighbridge building was found to be of similar size and design. Its construction details were followed almost to the letter. A great deal of effort was expended finding GWR fittings for the building or making accurate replicas. The windows and sills are GWR ex Sub-Edge originals. We believe the effort was worthwhile and that the building is convincingly original.

In terms of the size of the facility (2 loos only), this limitation was imposed by the authorities at the planning stage but is happily in keeping with the requirement for a discreet building. Accordingly, the railway undertook at that stage to provide portaloos when required for special events etc and also maintain toilets on trains as long as Carrog remained a terminus with the expected heavy demand on facilities. Also, the platform side unit is adapted for wheelchair users. The only serious complaint we recall about the loos in general is the lack of a viagra dispensing machine!