A popular Peak District route has gained another reason to visit with the completion of a full renovation of a historic railway goods shed which has been transformed into a museum. The Monsal Trail spans across some of the prettiest parts of the Peaks, and is extremely popular with cyclists and walkers.
In 1968 nearly nine miles of the now abandoned railway was transformed into the trail, incorporating railway tunnels as well as the Monsal Viaduct. Keeping with the railway theme a handful of stations along the trail have been converted into cafes.
Now, three years after the project's announcement, the renovated Millers Dale Goods Shed has reopened to the public. Once the bustling heart of activity at the busy Millers Dale station on the former Midland Railway line, the Goods Shed was last in regular use as part of the railway over half a century ago.
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Having fallen into disrepair in the decades since, in 2019 the Peak District National Park Authority - which now owns and manages the adjacent Monsal Trail and other station buildings – revealed an ambitious plan to renovate the imposing structure. Supported by a grant of £320,000 from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), the renovation set about reinstating or recreating much of the original look and feel of the Goods Shed.
After delays brought about by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Goods Shed is now open and free for all visitors to Millers Dale and the Monsal Trail. Where railway staff once hurried about loading and unloading a range of goods and produce, instead now the walls of the Goods Shed are home to pictures and personal stories of the area’s history and its current role as host to one of the most popular all-user trails in the country.
The full height and scale of the building is showcased with a striking new roof, which has the modern addition of solar panels to help generate power for the facilities at Millers Dale. A full-size replica of the original position of the line itself has also been added to the shed’s floor, with an audio soundscape playing as visitors enter providing the final part of the picture in this unique building.
The reopening of such a historic building has meant a lot to the people who have memories of the original Goods Shed. One of those was Betty Nesbitt, who spent 16 years working as a clerk at Millers Dale Goods Yard until its closure in 1967.
Betty said: "I spent many happy hours working here. It was very interesting and I enjoyed every minute." She remembers ordering trucks, invoicing companies and dealing with the variety of materials that were transported through the Goods Yard, including coal, quarried stone and animal fodder.
Harry Hartshorne lived in Millers Dale as a boy. His father worked in the railway station booking office and sub post office. He said: "My father worked here for twenty-one years. It’s nice to see some restoration taking place."
New visitors to the area can also plan their next trip thanks to a large-scale map of the local area and additional visitor information accessed both electronically via a Wi-Fi hotspot and in person. The Goods Shed is open and free to visit every day, weather permitting, during opening hours of the Refreshment Rooms café at Millers Dale station.
The Monsal Trail is an hours drive from Derby. There is parking at Bakewell, at the start of the trail, or a car park at Millers Dale near the Goods Shed.
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