New museum on track for Spalding?

A museum could be among the new arrivals at Spalding Station.

Turning one of the historic building’s derelict rooms into a permanent exhibition of railway memorabilia has been mooted as an option.

Spalding and Peterborough Transport Forum together with the Spalding Station Adoption Team had already announced it was looking to create spaces for community groups to use as part of the redevelopment.

It’s now also looking at creating a museum focused on the history of the railway in Spalding inside the Grade Two Listed building.

George Scott, the chairman of the Transport Forum, spoke of the idea at last week’s meeting of the Spalding Town Centre Forum held at South Holland District Council.

He said: “We thought about a museum on the history of the railway in Spalding.

“We’re looking to do a deal with East Midlands Trains (and Network Rail)to rent the room, be it for a peppercorn rent, no lease or other options.

“If we can get the backing we can go about raising funds to make this happen.

“It (the station) should be the pride of Spalding and we aim to make it that way.”

Afterwards George said: “We’ve had meetings with East Midlands Trains who have said they have a lot of memorabilia they have inherited and they would like to put it in one place. What better place than Spalding?

“It’s an exciting idea but we need public support.

“The station is the first impression many people get of Spalding so it’s important for the town.”

There’s several unused rooms in the 1848 opened station in varying states of dereliction.

The Forum’s initially plans to renovate just one room which would cost between £5,000 and £7,000, though they would eventually like to return the whole building to working order.

Kevin Mothers of the Spalding Station Adoption Team said: “A lot of railway property gets thrown away every time it gets updated.

“It would be great to remember the railway’s heritage in Spalding.”