THE privately restored railway stations at Fencote and Rowden Mill on the old Bromyard to Leominster Line are not normally open to the public. An open weekend this month provides a rare opportunity to look back at the old days of steam travel. JEN GREEN meets John Wilkinson, dedicated to keeping the Bromyard to Leominster Railway alive.

People travelling the last train to Leominster from Bromyard, on September 13 1952, thought it was the end of the line, but how wrong they were!

The line opened on September 1, 1897 and the first train from Bromyard was decorated with flags and sunflowers. Garlands of evergreens inscribed GWR-Forward-1897 were presented to the engine driver and guard.

After its official closure, the track remained until 1958, primarily to store old wagons, when William Camwell, an enthusiast from the Stephenson Locomotive Society, ran a final special journey.

Hauled by small Prairie Tank No 457, the train left Worcester Shrub Hill at 3.10pm, calling at Bromyard, Rowden Mill, Fencote, and Steens Bridge.

In 1984 the line, including Rowden Mill station, was bought by the Wilkinson family. "We didn't need keys, there were no doors or windows in the building!" John Wilkinson recalled.

"The first job was a major clean-up to see what we had purchased. It was big surprise to discover two cattle pens on the platform. "There are not many of these preserved on old stations and it encouraged us to locate the missing station fittings, like blue brick edging stones, lamp posts and name boards, as quickly as possible."

Structural restoration work was completed by October, 1985, and the station painted the familiar brown and cream. The track bed was cleared, ballast laid, and track put back. In 1989 it was awarded the British Rail's Ian Allan Heritage Award, given for the first time to a private entrant, and, three years on, the main platform was extended to its original length.

"Projects like this are never really finished," John said. "There is always maintenance and, as well as rolling stock, we have the largest collection of way-trolleys in the country." Fortunately, the line's Fencote Station was not left to decay. It became a holiday let and, after some restoration , was bought by Ken Matthews, the former signalman at the Leominster signal box. Now restored, the track, complete with crossovers, has been re-laid, buildings renovated and painted in the Great Western colours of the 1930s, and the signal box is up to museum standard. Fencote received its Heritage Award in 1992.

Leominster and Bromyard Railway celebrated both its centenary and the 50th anniversary of its closure with open weekends at the two stations and there is now another in store, next weekend, September 11 and 12.

Teas and light refreshments will be available, plus stalls selling collectibles and books. The event will be signposted off A44, between Leominster and Bromyard. Mr Wilkinson said: "These are two unique branch line stations playing an important part in the preservation of railway heritage.

"There are few privately preserved stations like these in the country and it really is amazing that they have both survived since the line closed in 1952."