Mytholmroyd: Yorkshire railway stationmaster's office building that has been derelict for 40 years to become artists' studios

The original Mytholmroyd Station building near Halifax once contained the stationmaster’s offices, booking hall and waiting rooms, but has been disused since 1984.

Now the volunteers from Mytholmroyd Station Partnership will transform it into a community centre with studio space after securing £300,000 in funding.

The group have been working on plans to redevelop the building since 2007, but have been hit by setbacks including severe flooding in the Calder Valley.

They hope to welcome their first tenants within the next year after their Community Ownership Fund bid for government cash was successful.

The site is Grade II-listed, dates back to 1874 and all three floors will be rented out.

Partnership chair Geoff Mitchell said: “We are delighted to have secured this funding from the government after years of hard work. The building has become a sad sight since it was closed and boarded up, so we can’t wait to complete the renovation and reopen it for the people of Mytholmroyd.”

Station managers Northern also helped to submit the application. Network Rail have also maintained the building and in 2018 began the renovation before offering it on a lease to the Partnership’s members, who have since become a charity.

Although the station, which is on the Calder Valley Line between Leeds and Manchester, is an important stop on the route, it lost its passenger facilities in the 1980s.