Saturday 6th October 2018, a dull and wet day, has become a significant date in the history of our Society. At 12 noon on that day a group including the Society President, members of the MC, invited members representing the branches, and invited speakers gathered in the rain for a ceremony to mark the Official Opening of the Society’s Archive and Library in the former stationmaster’s house at Leatherhead station.
President Canon Brian Arman welcomed everyone and thanked all those members and their wives who had contributed knowledge, skills and sheer hard work to the project and to make this day a success. Special thanks were extended to Terence Jenner, who had steered the Society through the legal complications culminating in today’s Opening.The President introduced our speakers, Paul Atterbury, well known broadcaster and writer of books on railway subjects, and Councillor Raj Haque, Chairman of Mole Valley District Council.
Paul Atterbury declared his interest in continually seeking out suitable and unusual photographs for his working projects, and stressed the importance of libraries and museums in preserving objects and material, in this case railway oriented, and making them available for present and future generations. Paul then unveiled a plaque at the entrance to the building which declared that the RCTS Archive and Library was indeed there and that he had opened it.
Councillor Haque welcomed everyone to the Mole Valley, congratulated the Society on what it had achieved and expressed great pleasure in seeing the former stationmaster’s house being preserved and put to such good use. Chairman Gordon Davies presented RCTS ties and copies of the latest RO to the speakers.
The assemble gathering then moved inside for light refreshments and the cutting of the cake by Paul Atterbury with the words “I now declare this cake open ……………”. A further ceremony followed when the President, in the presence of our former Librarian of 14 years, Terry Silcock, and his wife, Beryl, named the large study room upstairs “The Silcock Room”, and adhered a nameplate to the door.
Members made good use of the visit to renew acquaintances and explore the new storage and study facilities. The internal spaces occupied by the Society include two book rooms downstairs and four on the upper floor, kitchen and storage spaces, and an all-important downstairs toilet.
Decoration is restrained, with a blue carpet and white painted walls, ceilings and woodwork throughout. Overhead lighting is good and all the rooms have windows letting in natural light. Ground floor windows are frosted to maintain privacy. Furniture throughout is brand new – bookstacks, chairs, tables, etc – and the wooden items are a light oak colour. Walls are adorned with framed paintings/prints of railway subjects and models of railway engines are on display.
The Silcock Room has a fixed worksurface the length of one long side, is wired for electronic equipment and has windows overlooking the station platforms.
The study environment here bears no comparison with that at the former Library in Uxbridge, and, for those visiting by train on rainy days, it is just possible to get from the station platform to the Archive/Library without getting wet. Much has been said and written in recent years about the future of the Society’s Archive and Library.
It is to be hoped that many members who have not already done so will visit Leatherhead to see what has been achieved, to browse among the stacks, perhaps to make use of the study facilities in The Silcock Room, and give thanks to those who have made all this happen. There is still much to be done: a huge number of photographs to be sorted, for example, and the working timetables are not there (is there room for them?); but there is enough to appreciate the work that has already gone into the project.
An initial version of the business case for proceeding with the leasing of Leatherhead Stationmaster’s House was produced in May 2016 by Andy Davies and Bob Green, but the Management Committee (MC) were reluctant to approve it at that stage, due to the amount of expenditure that was included.
On 9th February 2017 the MC paid a visit to the Leatherhead premises in order to view the completed refurbishment work on the building interior. It was considered that the building work was of excellent quality. This also showed that certain costs included in the original business plan were unnecessary (For example £4500 for floor coverings).
At the June MC meeting I was appointed “Chief Archivist” and then circulated my request for volunteers to assist with running the archive. A sufficient number of people responded to this request to give the MC confidence that we would be able to run an archive at Leatherhead.
In September 2017 Amey TPT (the leasing company acting for Southern Railway) were contacted by our Chairman to introduce himself and advise TPT of changes to the project team. The discussion also established that TPT/Southern were happy to give the RCTS the option of a break to the lease at the 6 year point of the 12 year lease, something considered necessary in case the leasing costs were found to be beyond our means.
A final business case was prepared by the Society Treasurer and presented to the MC at the September 2017 MC meeting. The meeting then formally agreed that the Society proceed with signing of the Leatherhead lease. Southern’s solicitors were informed and an ‘Early Access Letter’ was provided prior to the signing of the lease.
Network Rail then became involved resulting in some changes to the original terms of the lease. It is very likely that the amendments have come about due to the time lag since the original terms were agreed and the inclusion of a break clause as sought by ourselves.
I am now pleased to inform you all that the Early Access Letter has been signed and I have taken possession of the keys to the Stationmaster’s House at Leatherhead Station.
We will now proceed with equiping the building with appropriate furniture and moving the Uxbridge Library, and the stores at Stockport, Stevenage and Northampton to Leatherhead.
I have some volunteers, from my previous request for assistance, but additional help will always be appreciated, please contact me if you can assist.
Once the Early Access Letter was signed and I took possession of the keys to the Stationmaster’s House at Leatherhead Station, the situation changed rapidly. A time line of events in 2018 is as follows:
8 March – Early Access Letter signed
16 March – Keys collected
March – Library furniture quotation updated following measurement of the rooms
1 May – Manuals for the building received
30 May – Quotation Accepted
12 June – Final site survey by FG Library Furniture’s Managing Director
25-26 June – Furniture installed
24 July – Fire Extinguishers installed
25 July – Stockport store packed in boxes
31 July – First delivery from the Stevenage store
5 August – Stockport Store delivered
28-29 August – Uxbridge Library moved
29 August – Uxbridge cleared
4 September – Northampton store moved
7 September – Uxbridge keys handed back
9 September – Second delivery from the Stevenage store
Remainder of September – Tidying and Sorting
30 September – Kitchen Cabinet assembled
30 September – Portable Appliance Testing
5 October – Computer and Plaque installed
5 October – CLEANING
6 October– The Grand Opening
Following the Grand Opening we have now set some initial dates for opening and visitors are welcome, although it is best to confirm that the archive will be staffed for you visit.
Ongoing tasks are to: Continue sorting the books and archive material, stock check, catalogue new items, photographs – Catalogue and Scan (a Huge Task!), publicity and advertising, sell duplicated or unwanted items, decide on our policy for periodicals.
I have some volunteers, from my previous request for assistance, but additional help will always be appreciated, please contact me if you can assist.
