Maimed beauty deserves better
Photo by Keith W Partlow
Grade II*-listed, 1839, Francis Thompson
This small, spartan and pleasing railway station, which fell victim to the Beeching cuts of the 1960s, has suffered for decades at the hands of a private owner. A photo taken shortly afterwards in about 1970 shows the station boarded-up but fully intact, but in the years since it has gradually deteriorated, with no action taken to repair holes in the roof, which were simply covered over with plywood sheeting. Over the years, locals and heritage campaigners have raised the condition of Wingfield Station with the local Amber Valley council, but the building cannot wait any longer. Compulsory purchase looks to be the only answer.
Status Update / March 2026
In 2019, the local authority completed a compulsory purchase of the station building, with support from Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust and Historic England. A year later, funding was secured through the latter to undertake work to the roof and trackside elevations, and to make urgent repairs to the interior. The Buildings Trust applied for a second tranche of funding in 2021 and secured £667,000 from the National Lottery, which allowed for the completion of the works. As of 2023, the building has been restored to its 1840 appearance, and now operates as a tea room and heritage centre, complete with a model railway and views of the Midland mainline.