Kents Bank Station Library, Kentsford Road, Kents Bank,
Grange-over-Sands LA11 7BB
www.stationlibrary.org.uk
Welcome to our third newsletter.
Since our last newsletter in December the library has continued to develop and we have been fortunate in receiving a large number of book donations, as well as additional shelves and a scanner! Thanks to you all. We now have a bank account – ‘Kents Bank Station Library’ and we are encouraging friends of the library to become ‘supporters’ – see below.
Our programme of talks have proved popular, though space is a constraint. PLEASE NOTE that the talk on ‘Railways in the Lake District’ planned for February 14th has been postponed to Monday February 19th. This is due to a bereavement and funeral arrangements.
We hope we’ll see you at the Library and Reading Room in 2024, either at one of our monthly open days, railway talks or by arrangement. The next open day is Saturday February 10th, 11.00 to 16.00.
Historic sign unveiled by Network Rail chair
The unveiling of the historic ’Kents Bank’ station sign (an ex-British Railways ‘totem’ sign from late 50s) on January 19th was a great success with over 60 people attending. We also used the occasion for the official opening of the library. Guests came from the National Railway Museum, Railway Heritage Trust, British Transport Police, Northern Trains, Network Rail, Westmorland and Furness Council and several community rail groups including local station friends. Peter, Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill, chair of Network Rail and Councillor Roger Handley, mayor of Grange-over-Sands, did the honours. We also had the formal opening of the library itself, followed by Lancashire hotpot, chili and cakes. ITV Borders and Cumbria did a great piece on the event.
We raised a grand total of £2125.00 towards the sign, from nearly thirty donors – a great achievement in a short space of time. We are especially grateful to Lord Hendy for tipping us off about the sign in the first place, contributing to the appeal and donating brackets (from Loughborough Junction) to allow us to fix the sign onto the building! The final costs of the sign were £1750 for the sign itself and auctioneer’s costs, plus £50 postage and £50 for erecting the sign. The surplus, with agreement of the donors, has gone into the Station Library funds to help with running costs.
The Collection
We are continuing to expand, with donations coming from several well-wishers. The most notable was from friends in Scotland who donated about 40 box loads of good quality railway and tram material. And there’s more to come!
The emphasis of the collection, comprising several thousand titles, is on the social history of railways – including rural and ‘community’ railways. However, it covers all aspects of railways and transport, in the UK and abroad. It includes a growing number of children’s railway books. Over the next few months we will be getting the collection into good order and beginning the lengthy process of cataloguing the collection. Volunteers very welcome!
Wants list
A few things we are looking for:
- Railway Magazine: bound volumes for 1913 and 1931, July to December in each case. Also bound volumes after 1982
- Bound volumes of union journals, especially Railway Review (NUR) but we have gaps in Aslef and TSSA (RCCA) journals
- Bound volumes of railway staff magazines
- Community rail partnership publications
- Branch line histories
Talks and film shows
The Reading Room can accommodate (at a pinch) around fifteen people and we are keen to develop a programme of specialist talks on aspects of railways – mostly historical, but doesn’t have to be. If you would like to offer a talk please get in touch. We can’t offer a fee but there is a plentiful supply of cake. As we mention above, the next talk – Martin Bairstow on ‘Railways in the Lake District’ – has been put back to Monday February 19th, at 14.00. We’re finalising details of the March talk, which will be on Wednesday March 13th at 14.00.
There is no charge for admission but donations are welcome. It’s essential that you book in advance as space is limited. We’re also thinking about an occasional ‘railway quiz’ – what do you think? It would be an evening gathering – very informal and may involve the odd glass of wine…
Monthly Open days: Second Saturdays
We will be open on the second Saturday of each month, 11.00 to 16.00. So that’s February 10th this month followed by March 9th. There will be tea, coffee and biscuits available. The Beach Hut Gallery, next door, will also be open. There will be a sale of books and opportunity to borrow from our expanding Lending Library.
Using the Library
If you have a particular interest, or want to consult a particular book or magazine, contact the library to arrange an appointment. The email address is info@stationlibrary.org.uk or ring 07795 008691. The website is www.stationlibrary.org.uk. The library welcomes donated books and other printed material that is relevant to transport. The collection of over 3,000 titles covers all aspects of railways and t
ransport but with an emphasis on social history. For more detail visit our website.
We have an almost full set of Railway Magazine dating back to 1897. The library also has several bound volumes of railway union journals going back to the 1890s. There is a good geographical spread of branch line histories and some specialist books on the working and maintenance of railways and locomotives which were not produced for the general public. There are some timetables dating back to the 1920s. There is a wide selection of books on trams and narrow-gauge railways, as well as canal, cycling, bus and trolleybus material. The library welcomes donations on these and other aspects of transport.
Book news
Our good friend John Davies has just published another book of his railway memoirs. Commercial: It’s not railway work is the slightly ironic title of what he describes as my remarkable journey from Swansea District Office to Regional Railways Manager, Wales.” Highly recommended – £14.99 from Amazon.
Who’s who….
The Kents Bank Station Library will, for the time being, be run by a not-for-profit association (‘Kents Bank Station Library Association’). We are looking at options for charitable status, or becoming a community interest company (CIC). The library is managed by four ;trustees’ each with their own extensive skills and experience. They are:
- Paul Salveson is co-owner of Station House. His railway/transport book collection formed the core of the Library collection. Paul worked for most of his life on the railways, from guard and signalman to senior manager. He was the Founder of the Community Rail movement and is also a published writer and historian. He was awarded an MBE ‘for services to the railway industry’ in 2008.
- Linda Nuttall is co-owner of Station House and had a long career in textile engineering, helping run Bolton-based family business Hargreaves Hamilton. She is active in the voluntary sector, including Riding for the Disabled and also volunteers one day a week for Bolton Citizen’s Advice Bureau.
- John Kitchen spent most of his professional life as a librarian, working in large industrial concerns such as ICI. He made a late career move to become Community Rail Officer, initially for the Mid-Cheshire Line and then Community Rail Cumbria. He is a life-long railway enthusiast and involved with The Bahamas Locomotive Society.
- Mark Barker has had a life-long career on the railways, working in various senior management roles, including Stakeholder Manager for Northern. He is involved in his local church in Sandbach and co-ordinates the Best Kept Cheshire Stations contest, a major annual event involving stations and their communities across Cheshire.
Become a ‘supporter’!
The library is run on a totally voluntary basis but we need some funds to develop. We are asking well-wishers to become ‘supporters’ of the Library. There isn’t a formal rate but we’d ask supporters to consider donating in the region of £25 as a one-off contribution. However, if you have already contributed, e.g. for the sign appeal, large book donations, etc – you’re already down on our ‘supporter’ list, if you’re happy with that.
There is a downloadable form on our website and we have included a form at the end of this newsletter.
Supporters will be invited to events, receive the newsletter and possibly get other benefits as we grow. However, it’s basically a way of helping the library cover its costs (website, heat and light, etc.). It would be nice to have a purchasing budget to cover some subscriptions to relevant bodies. We are not there yet!
As we keep stressing, you can help the library by donating unwanted books – anything transport-related, in the broadest possible sense, is welcome. We sell on some books that duplicate our existing stock, or donate them to like-minded groups.
All monies raised from book sales will go into supporting the library. Our bank account is ‘Kents Bank Station Library’ to which cheques should be made. We can also do BACS transfer – ask us for account details.
We’re on Facebook – Kents Bank Station Library
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KENTS BANK STATION LIBRARY
Kents Bank Station Library, Kentsford Road, Kents Bank, Grange-over-Sands LA11 7BB
www.stationlibrary.org.uk
Become a supporter!
The Library is run on a totally voluntary basis but we need some income. By becoming a ‘supporter’ of the Library will help us to cover our running costs and to develop further.
‘Supporters’ will be invited to events and talks, receive the newsletter and possibly get other benefits as we grow. However, it’s basically a way of helping the library cover its costs (website, heat and light, etc.). It would be nice to have a purchasing budget to cover some subscriptions to relevant bodies. We are not there yet…..
Please download this form and either post it to us with your donation or scan it and email to info@stationlibrary.org.uk and send a contribution by BACS. The account (business) is Kents Bank Station Library Account no. 10956220 Sort code: 54-10-17
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Email address……………………………………………………………………………
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Donation:
Please let us know if you can offer help in whatever way, e.g. cataloguing, erecting shelves (!), offering talks, hosting a talk about the station library for your community group (we can supply speakers at no charge, catering):
Please return to: Kents Bank Station Library, c/o Station House, Kentsford Road, Kents Bank, Grange-over-Sands LA11 7BB
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