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Full Steam Ahead as Work Starts on the Roundhouse
Ex workers and current students were among the guests who got a glimpse of what the Roundhouse will look like when it’s complete in 2009 at a Groundbreaking Ceremony on Friday 5th October.
The ceremony took a past, present and future theme with guests including old railway workers who used to work at the Roundhouse, representatives from those involved in the current project and Derby College students who could potentially be the first to study at the new Roundhouse site when it opens in 2009.
For Mr Smith it was his first visit to the Roundhouse site since he left 70 years ago. He started his work there as an apprentice. "It is much bigger than I remember in the Roundhouse, possibly because there are no locomotives or equipment in there now," said Mr Smith, who lives in Ockbrook, Derby.
Mr Smith had been looking forward to revisiting his former workplace, according to his daughter, Carolyn Tong, of Derby, who accompanied him there yesterday. She said: "He's really thrilled that the old place is to be saved and used to educate a future generation of young people. My father has written numerous booklets about the rail industry and sent some information to the college, who invited him to the ground-breaking event."
In contrast, two teenagers were making their first visit to the Roundhouse. Ryan Kitchen and Rebecca Lancaster, both 14, were not even born when the site largely fell into disuse almost 20 years ago.
Both are pupils at Murray Park Community School, in Mickleover, Derby, and attend a construction course one afternoon a week at Derby College and are likely to switch to studying at the new site when it is completed in 2009 and could be among the first students there. Ryan said: "I can't believe it's so massive and I wasn't really aware that it existed before."
Amongst other guests were MPs Margaret Beckett and Bob Laxton, who joined Derby College Chair of Governors, Chris Perkins and Chairman of Bowmer and Kirkland, John Kirkland, as they turned the first sod.
Derby North MP Bob Laxton said he was delighted that the site had been put to use.
"When I was leader of the city council, it was high on the agenda for ensuring that an alternative use was found," he said. "So it is fantastic that it is finally happening."
Ends
Notes to Editor
• The grade II* listed Roundhouse was built in 1839 and is one of the earliest surviving examples of a steam engine workshop.
• As a grade II* listed building, in line with English Heritage, many of the Roundhouse’s original features will be restored, maintaining the overall character of the building.
• The development will involve the restoration of the main Roundhouse building, which currently houses a central turntable used to move engines around when the Roundhouse was still in use for its original purpose of repairing steam engines, as well as the nearby newer buildings which will be developed as an annex.
• The new College site will be the new base for construction courses currently based at Masons Place on Nottingham Road and all courses at the College’s Prince Charles Avenue site except sport courses which will remain on the site providing a Centre of Excellence for Sport.
Further information:
Kim Spurr
PR Officer
Derby College
Prince Charles Avenue
Derby DE22 4LR
Tel: 01332 520200 ext. 5690
Mob: 07989 958945
Email: kim.spurr@derby-college.ac.uk