The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Museum back on track
Anorth-east tourist attraction stopped in its tracks by lockdown this season is working full steam ahead to ensure it can meet social distancing guidelines for its 2021 reopening.
Maud Railway Museum has been granted £20,750 to aid the renovation of its toilet facilities so it can welcome back visitors.
The volunteer-run attraction would usually host at least one open weekend a month between April and October each year, but could not reopen even when lockdown restrictions eased in July over fears for the health and age of some of their volunteers.
There were also concerns the public convenience offerings at the former railway station at Maud Junction were too outdated to keep suitably clean in the current environment.
Des Byrne, from Friends of Maud Railway Museum, said: “This money is going to cover the costs of upgrading our toilets to be compatible with the needs of Covid-19 restrictions.
“It doesn’t help us in terms of loss of revenue this year, but it enables us to reopen with modern toilets we can keep clean and hygienic.
“T he existing toile ts were installed by British Rail in the 1960s or 1970s and leave a lot to be desired – as do the disabled facilities which were installed in the 1980s.”
The new facilities will be in place for the attraction’s planned reopening in April, which will also be a chance for the friends group to unveil the improvements and expansion plan it has been working on throughout 2020.
Mr Byrne added: “We’ve a new room with video displays and a new display about all the stations along the track from Dyce to Fraserburgh and Peterhead, showing what they looked like all mapped and photographed.
“We’ve also got a new display about the First World War railway line at the Longside air base.
“We are looking forward to it becoming a five- star attraction.”
The museum also boasts a fully restored railway carriage, which was used to carr y convicts from Peterhead prison to the quarries at Stirlinghill, an old turntable and a water tower.
The new facilities will also be offered up for use to walkers and cyclists using the Formartine and Buchan Way. The fivefigure funding boost was awarded by Museums Galleries Scotland’ s recovery and resilience fund.
Aberdeenshire east MSP Gillian Martin said: “This is a critical time and funding like this is really essential to help support independent museums been put at risk by the Covid-19 pandemic.”