SINCE Milton railway station closed its doors to passengers 41 years ago, it has had something of a chequered history, with plans to turn it into everything from a mechanics workshop to a place of worship.

Now, after 17 years as a nursery school and a long period standing empty, the station is just months away from becoming the home of former welder Andy Wood.

Andy bought the property in Maunders Road three years ago for £70,000 and, after a year-long wait for planning permission, has since been hard at work turning it into a one-bedroom home.

When work is complete, Andy will be able to put his feet up in a living room that was once a waiting room and cook his meals in the former ticket office.

The 43-year-old, currently of Waterside Drive, Newstead, said: "When I first bought this place, it was derelict. Most of the slates on the roof were missing, it was all bare brick inside and there was no water, electric or gas.

"It looked all right from the outside, but the inside was gutted."

The station, which closed in 1968, had planning permission granted in 1976 to be used as a church, but an application for the former waiting room to be used for car repairs the following year was denied.

In 1986, the property became Early Years Nursery and it remained this way until 2003.

The station then stood empty, until Andy's arrival.

Now the former station's male and female waiting rooms have been converted into a spacious living room.

A wood-burning stove mounted on reclaimed brick keeps the room warm and Andy is set to install wooden floors throughout.

He said: "I just like anything old and I've tried to keep it that way.

"The radiators are Victorian, I found them at a reclamation yard, and the clay tiles for the hearth come from an old church.

"I want to put up lamps and stuff outside. I've made cast iron railings and I've been getting what I can."

When replacing the old windows, Andy discovered old train timetables between the wall and frames.

Andy now hopes to frame a time-table from Boxing Day, 1937, and a list of train times for the 1936 Christmas Day football match between Stoke City and Chelsea.

The station's former ticket office now boasts a modern kitchen.

Outside, Andy has built a large wooden shed to house the Triumphs, BSAs and Nortons that comprise his classic bike collection.

The shed has also come in handy for making the property's railings and wooden gates.

The station property was once connected by a footpath to the platform below – a waiting room on the platform was demolished in the 1970s and today only the back wall of this and the platform slabs remain.

But the platform could see use again, after plans were drawn up to reopen the line which closed in 1994.

Andy said: "Reopening it would be brilliant. If you look at the line it would join the section to the Churnet Valley Railway, so, in theory, you could have steam engines up here."

Kathy Kus, Andy's girlfriend, has been helping out with the development. Andy said: "She loves it. She helps me loads, painting and mixing cement.

Kathy, aged 41, of Kingsley Road, Talke Pits, works as a general assistant at Tesco and a florist at Flowers and Co, Normacot.

She said: "We didn't realise it was an old railway station to begin with, but with it all on one level and with the short doors and the big windows, it looked lovely.

"I've been helping Andy and am fantastic at mixing cement, good at clearing up and have become a dab hand at wiring.

Historian Angie Stevenson said: "I am so pleased this relic has been saved, as there is so much being demolished. I went down there myself and had a fantastic time seeing the booking office, old timetables and bits of ironwork.

"With the Milton to Leek line reopening, it's a good thing he likes trains."

Andy is keen to learn more about the history of his home. To share memories or photographs of the station, call Andy on 07985 239224.