A couple have created a train lover's paradise after spending over £50,000 transforming an abandoned 19th century railway station into a cosy retreat. Cecilia Chavez-Brandon and her husband Paul Kirwan bought Rowden Mill Station in 2017 after searching for a year to find their dream renovation project. Passenger services ceased in the 1950s as more people travelled by car, and the station was left to fall into a state of disrepair.
Renovation Journey
The couple paid £395,000 for the 2.7 acre site in Bromyard, North Herefordshire, which included a section of track as well as the original buildings. Following years of renovation, visitors can now step back in time and experience the views which greeted passengers more than half-a-century ago. Cecilia, originally from Mexico, trained initially as an architect but says the couple have had to become train enthusiasts since opening to visitors.
Cecilia, 57, said: 'We were house hunting for a whole year but in mind that we wanted a business. The station came on the market, we put an offer in and three hours later it was accepted. The station itself closed in 1952. Most of the traffic was moving injured soldiers to field hospitals during the war, or by farmers moving cattle with a cattle dock. We have a parcel office with a studio for two on the main platform. For anyone staying here, it's like waking up in a railway station from the 1950s and 60s.'
Time Capsule Experience
The station was originally renovated by the previous owners before the couple moved in, but they updated the building and added more of their unique touches to complete the 'time capsule' experience. They bought a run-down 18ft long saloon railway coach, and gave the interior a vintage twist, fitting it out with 1960s furniture. After the renovation, the old station was finally opened for holidaymakers in July 2022.
Cecilia said: 'It was not until the 1980s that the former owners found the station and bought it from the farmers. They built the rail track back. We arrived after they had been here 32 years and helped modernise it. They restored the station building and the parcel office and converted it into accommodation rather than a station. The booking office is now the kitchen, the waiting room is now the lounge. The gentleman's toilet is now a full bathroom. The parcel office is a separate building and we converted it and put central heating in and new carpets. We turned that into a full studio with an ensuite.'
Accommodation and Pricing
Tourists now fork out more than £260 per-night for the most luxurious room overlooking rolling countryside - a giant jump from the 15p average fare price in the 50s. Also available to hire is the main station building at £430 for two nights and The Parcel Office studio for £220 for two nights. Despite being forced to close during the 2020 Covid pandemic, the couple wasted no time renovating more carriages and maintaining the 250 metres of track.
Cecilia said: 'In 2020 we acquired an inspection saloon coach. It's a very famous inspection saloon coach from 1962, it's coated in a British Railway livery. It turned out to be our pandemic project, focusing on the conversion in accommodation. We also maintain over 250 metres of disused railway track which is where our main vehicles are kept.'
Preserving Character
While converting the carriages and waiting rooms in the station into accommodation, the couple have been careful to retain the character of the historic station. The building has the original canopy roof and guests enter through what was the booking office - just as passengers would have done more than half a century ago. The ladies' waiting area is now a main bedroom, with a bunk room off to the side. The couple now have a steady stream of visitors keen to experience waking up in a train carriage from a bygone era.
Cecilia added: 'It's become a full-time job for us. We didn't really start out as railway buffs but you obviously become one. It's like going down a rabbit hole. You end up being a whole network of railway people and it's really something amazing. The very first guest arrived in September 2017 and they came with books and were clear railway buffs and knew more about the branch line than we did at the time. In terms of guests we obviously have the railway buffs, even children with technical knowledge. We have station masters and train drivers - we get quite a range of fans. The whole site is great. It's so peaceful, with gorgeous views and our other passion is nature. We've got our own meadows, hedgerows and wildlife ponds.'
New Additions
In 2018 the couple bought an original 20-tonne brake van which they turned into more luxury accommodation. Cecilia added: 'The brake van was in a very bad state. A lot of locomotives had good wagons with no brakes. This was very bashed after its life on the railway, it needed a lot of structural work. It wasn't until April 2024 until the conversion of the van started. It was pretty much all done on site, and it was incredibly tricky because of the shape. Now we've got a perfect addition to the station. All of the furniture is antique and ideally period correct. Since we launched the brake van a week ago we already have nine bookings so we are delighted it is taking off. We are a railway experience in nature, if you like, overlooking the Wall Hills in north Herefordshire. There is nowhere else quite like it.'
