IRPS Enterprise is a commercial business trading within the sphere of heritage railways. Using our knowledge base and dedication to railway preservation we undertake a wide range of projects, including building construction, rolling stock restoration and the moving and preservation of historic railway structures.
The International railway Preservation Society with its ambition to restore the two railway carriages in its care and the construction of the Night Mail Museum to house the coaches, has to establish a revenue earning stream far in excess of that which can be achieved by donations alone. Trading as a business requires an element of risk, the society its self cannot be burdened by this risk and it is therefore it governance and finances are entirely separate from the society and from Nene Valley Railway.
IRPS Enterprise benefits the International railway preservation Society in providing employment for society members in this time of global financial upheaval, particularly to younger members who are finding it extremely difficult to find engineering employment, and allows them to develop skills of mutual benefit to the business and the society. It allows us to devote more time to the society restoration projects, while devoting a percentage of profit directly to the projects.
IRPS Enterprise Projects
Cafe Extension - Nene Valley Railway
Design Brief:
The construction of an extension to the Station building at Wansford to provide additional seating capacity for the cafe customers, in keeping with the LNWR style and incorporating original cast iron canopy stanchions recovered from Pinchbeck station. The brief included the concept design work, application for planning permission and construction 'Concept to Completion'
22/02/11 - Foundation work:
08/03/11 - Support Beams & Roof Frame:
By mid-march, the restored columns were fixed in place and the framework for the roof was being constructed.
11/06/11 - Exterior Cladding & Paintwork:
With the exterior shell nearly complete it was time to attach the remaining woodwork and finish the painting.
11/06/11 - Interior Floor:
The exterior was virtually complete minus the roof and windows. The interior was having the floor constructed.
12/07/11 - Windows, Interior Paintwork & Block Paving:
By the 12th of july the window frames were in place and some of the windows had been fitted. The floor was down and ready for tiling and the interior had been painted. The lights were working fine and the block paving had all been re-laid.
23/07/11 - Completed Exterior:
The exterior of the extension was finished towards the end of July. The roof has been installed and all that remains is for the floor to be tiled, fit the last couple of windows and give the paintwork a wash down.
17/08/11 - The End Product (Exterior):
17/08/11 - The End Product (Interior):
The View:
While the customers enjoy the ambience of the traditional building the view will be of the jewel in the crown of Nene Valley Railway 'The Nord Express' including the Wagons-Lits restaurant car 2975 built in 1926 coupled to the Swedish steam engine 101 and the Wagons-Lits Sleeping car, all in the care of The International Railway Preservation Society.
'The View of the Nord Express Display'
