It wasn’t until the end of 2004 when we’d completed the full circuit and the bridge that we realised that our “Station” was not really living up to it’s name. So in the middle of January 2005 things started to move – very quickly!

It all started when the Park was having its car parking facilities extended and there were contractors “on site” – we were asked “Was there anything they could do to help?”. The picture on the left shows, we arrived at the site on 12th March to find the contractors had been busy. With Easter 2005 being early there was a hasty decision to work “ALL DAY” for a series of Saturdays so we would at least have a platform for the announcement “The train now standing at platform 1 …” to at least have one to stand at! By the close of play on the first “all day Saturday Stint” there were the semblances of a Platform, the posts for the fencing were in and the access ramp was dug and paved. By the time the Easter 2005 running season started we were up and running, at least with a working platform.

However at this point there was still “No Station”, so during the 2005 running season there was considerable activity in the background as plans were drawn up, modified (many times) and re-issued in order to get planning approval and even a Scale Model produced to aid the Council in their decision. Eventually approval was granted and fabrication was started initially “off site”.

Once the 2005 running season had ended things started to move. Holes for the main uprights were bored in the ground and the ten uprights themselves concreted in place. Then at the start of February the roof parts arrived, looking like a flat pack from IKEA the trusses were aid out and drilled ready for assembly. Then in mid February things really began to take shape with the roof starting to go up. Within a month most of the roof was in place at least giving us some protection from the elements. We were now able to operate Public running through what was politely termed the “Bike Shed” whilst, during the running season, a lot of effort was put into turning it into a real Station.

Picket fences were erected, Typical Railway Fascias were added to the front and rear of the roof and construction started on the “Ticket Box” By the end of the running season “Ryton Halt” was almost completed and by the start of 2007 running all that will be needed are the hanging baskets!

Click on the thumbnails to see the larger picture