Abby drove Mr. Brasher down to the station the next day, leaving him to wander around at his own pace. It was some time before he returned to her with a smile on his face. "I always get emotional when I see a place such as this. It looks so forlorn and neglected now, its purpose forgotten. But it was once an essential part of an economy that boosted this Country's wealth and social standards to be the envy of the World. Knowing that it will be restored is a source of great happiness for me." Abby agreed with him, but her emotion stemmed from a different source.
"For me it is all about my family. Even though they are all dead, I come here and connect with them. My emotion is finding a family when I grew up not having any."
Mr. Brasher was understanding of her emotions. "I had a family, but rarely saw them. My father was a Diplomat, the scion of an old family, always away somewhere in the Empire. My mother consigned me to a Nanny from an early age, then to Boarding school, then to Cambridge. I think that in all those early years I never saw my mother for more than ten minutes at a time some half a dozen times a year. I doubt that she saw my father much more than that. I saw even less of him than her. They were both killed in a bombing raid in nineteen forty-one. Ironic really, after being apart for most of their lives, they were together when the bomb fell." These few words convinced Abby of her suspicion that Mr. Brasher came from a privileged background. However it would seem that all that privilege had given him less affection than she. No wonder he had become an eccentric, without warmth in his life, just a fascination for this railway.
The arrival of George Walker in his van spared them further embarrassment. Abby introduced them. Immediately after the introductions George cast about with a worried look. "Is she not here yet? Typical of her, I have never known her to be on time anywhere." His complaining was cut short as Ms. Eaton drove into the yard the very next minute. Mr. Brasher reverted to his previous uncomfortable mode, and produced the photographs, which Ms. Eaton and the builder examined carefully. She seemed to be relieved as they showed so much detail, and declared that as far as she was concerned this was the specification she wanted. George was a little more diffident. The photos showed Barge boards on the gables carved in a very ornate fretted style. These were no longer present, obviously as some time being replaced by plain boarding.
"I can't do that without proper drawings." He declared. Mr. Brasher rummaged in his bag and produced diagrams that showed them exactly. George examined them, nodding his head and humming all the while.
"Yes, I know a Carpenter who can do that." He said finally. Abby opened the doors to the booking office and waiting room. Pleased that she had mastered the knack that Reg had demonstrated. Ms. Eaton looked around fussily, and made various demands of George Walker. He told her that he had already made an inspection and let her know that he would be removing the plaster, but would re-plaster with Lime.
She then demanded that the place was re-painted with colours as they saw.
Mr. Brasher who had also come in coughed. They looked at him. "I don't believe these are the original colours. It had been changed at some time."
George looked exasperated and a little testily asked Mr. Brasher. "You seem to be well-informed. Can you tell me what colours they used?' Mr. Brasher again delved into his bag.
"All woodwork was painted Brown and the walls a dull cream.' He was flicking through papers as he spoke, then lifted two up, looked briefly at them and pulled them out completely. "Here is an official colour photo showing the scheme, and here," he sounded triumphant, "is the names of paint manufacturers who have the original recipes for the colours." George fell upon these with delight.
"Well that will save us a lot of time." Ms. Eaton was even happier. All her problems were resolved it would seem without her having to do the research herself. She was prepared to leave it all in other's hands. However Abby did not want her to get away so easily. Reminding herself of what Mr. Brasher had said last night. She took Ms. Eaton out onto the platform and asked about Grants towards the cost of restoration.
Ms. Eaton's face blanched. She hadn't expected this. "Well I would have to look into this. It's not as if it was a Public Building is it?"
"I was not aware that it had to be. The station is a listed building and isn't being restored as a home. The intention is to create an area, where people can see how the station worked, what the station master and porters were expected to do, and how the station was a part of the local economy. We are going to place old photos and explanatory notices, so that people can come here and understand."
"Oh I see. An educational site. Best thing you can do is let me have a full costing when Mr. Walker can work it all out. Then we can have a meeting with the Museum and Heritage committee, and the Education Department. They will be interested too. Have you thought about putting in an application to the Heritage Fund of the National Lottery?"
Abby hadn't even thought about that, but wasn't about to let Ms. Eaton of the hook. "Yes. One will be made, when I get the quotation. But as you well know they seem to like wasting that money on all sorts of politically motivated schemes." Ms. Eaton agreed with that. Wishing that more of that money came to local schemes like this, which in turn would not dent her Authority's budget so badly.
"When you have the final costing. Let me know, and I will be happy to help with the application. They do like bureaucratic jargon you know." They agreed that that was the best way to proceed. Ms. Eaton gave Abby her card. "That's a direct line to my desk. Call me anytime."
Mr. Brasher and George Walker had been engrossed in discussion. And George was now satisfied that he could do as complete a restoration as any he had done. Abby re-joined them, and with confidence that there would be grants available, asked George if he would consider the Goods Shed as well for the work.
"I will, but cannot look at it now. I am expected at another job. Can I come down later this week and have a look?" Abby agreed. He went on to re-assure her about the station. "When I am finished it will look exactly like those photos." He declared. Mr. Brasher was happy that it would be. First Ms. Eaton departed, and then George left. Mr. Brasher was still happy to walk around the site. Abby stood there looking at the Goods Shed. She would ask James and Sam, if they would help her over her nerves tomorrow.
She was startled when Mr. Brasher suddenly spoke behind her. "That was where your grandfather met his end?" Abby just nodded. "It is brave of you to consider that. I think some would have just wanted it knocked down."
"I am going to go in there tomorrow. I shall ask Mr. Perry and James Comberford to go with me though."
He nodded his head. "I understand. Obviously I would like to see inside myself, but I shall wait for another day."
"Oh no, Mr. Brasher. Please come. After I have got over the first bit, I would be very keen to have you tell me all about it."
"Very well, Abby. But I shall make myself scarce for a while. If you could let me have the key to the station I would very much like to immerse myself in the atmosphere a little more." She was pleased that he understood the emotion.
Abby brought the topic round to Mr. Brasher's long conversation with Sam. "You seemed to get on well with Mr. Perry last night."
"Yes I did. It shouldn't be surprising, although we are from different backgrounds, we are of the same generation, and had much in common to reminisce about. I gather that he has taken you under his wing, so to speak?"
Abby smiled. "Yes. Sam has been good to me. I quite look upon him as a surrogate grandfather."
"I believe he looks upon you as a surrogate granddaughter. It would give me pleasure if you were to view me as a sort of great-uncle."
"Why! Mr. Brasher, I would happy to do that." He smiled something that didn't seem a normal expression for him. Abby locked the doors and they walked towards the car.
"May I bring up something else, Abby?" She looked at him.
