FRIENDS of a railway station have voiced their frustration that the line's operator has made 'no progress' with the restoration of a 125-year-old ticket office.

Members of FOGS (Friends of Goostrey Station) told the Guardian that despite support from the community, volunteers had been left waiting for train company Northern to start work on the building.

Recently, during Goostrey Rose Day, the team collected many signatures for a petition and MP Fiona Bruce was happy to give her support.

The volunteers organised a stall at the fete to highlight the work done over the past four years which has improved the station.

For example, members of FOGS care for the tubs and hanging baskets of flowering plants and they keep the platforms and surrounding areas tidy.

In addition, Goostrey Community Primary School has a rolling exhibition of children’s art in the waiting room on the Crewe platform.

Mike Jarvis, the new chair of FOGS, said that there is great team spirit with a solid core of active people both young and old supported by a strong committee.

“A golden opportunity for maintaining the wooden building was missed by Northern Rail & Network Rail when the line was closed for viaduct repairs in February this year", he said.

"Despite efforts to stimulate action including a meeting with Network Rail set up by Fiona Bruce MP and a shaming article in the local press, nothing was done."

“Some jobs have been completed,” added Peter Godfrey, vice chair of FOGS and chair of Goostrey Parish Council.

“Northern has finally completed the disconnection of electricity to the phone box, enabling BT to remove it and the seat on the Crewe platform has been moved into the waiting room.

"Northern also persuaded Network Rail to remove the redundant signalling cabinet near the seating area on the Manchester platform.

"Unfortunately ‘old’ Northern totally failed to deliver on the oft-repeated statement that a franchisee had to hand the assets back to Network Rail in the same condition that they took them over.

"So the remaining jobs Northern Rail had not done such as repair and re-marking of the car park, painting of safety lines on the platforms and the steps plus removal of the second signalling cabinet, were merely passed on to the new franchisee.”

Louise Willis, secretary of FOGS, added that the volunteers regard the building which housed the ticket office as iconic.

She added that the London Midland Railway Society identified it as being a Victorian modular railway building of a type built between 1860 and 1920 and only a handful remain.

Matthew Worman, stakeholder manager for Northern’s Central Region, told the Guardian the company wanted to work 'closely' with the Friends of Goostrey Station group.

"We have been in contact with Friends of Goostrey Station to assure them that their proposal has been received and is under consideration," he said.

"The process of receiving applications is still underway and the evaluation of these will take some time.

"We hope to continue to work closely with the Friends of Goostrey Station as we move forward in our new and exciting franchise, and are grateful for the work undertaken by the group to improve their local station."