HAYES and Harlington MP John McDonnell is seeking a crisis meeting with Network Rail in a bid to save a heritage railway site in Southall.
Mr McDonnell's intervention comes after an article in the Ealing Times on April 3 highlighted the plight of Southall Railway Centre and led to readers writing letters of protest to John Armitt, chief executive of Network Rail.
The railway centre in Glade Lane, which houses a rare collection of vintage locomotives and rolling stock, has been under threat of closure since Network Rail served it with a notice to vacate the site by April 10.
Network Rail, which has since given railway centre members a four week extension to find a new home, owns the site and is looking to redevelop it.
Mr McDonnell, who was unavailable for comment yesterday, has written to a number of local MPs as well as London Mayor Ken Livingstone and Cllr John Cudmore, leader of Ealing Council, to rally support for Southall Railway Centre.
Bob Gorringe, a founder member of the GWR Preservation Group which is leading the campaign, hopes Network Rail will take on board the views of supporters.
He said: "We are continuing to fight against Network Rail's decision to move us and we have had tremendous support to the article in the Times.
"John McDonnell has now joined forces with us and he is seeking a meeting with John Armitt with a view to retaining the site.
"If we don't remain in Southall then we will have to look at dispersing the stock which will mean scrapping hundreds of years' of railway heritage."
A spokesman for Network Rail confirmed that plans for the site were the same despite giving a four week extension to the centre until May 7.
She said: "Ultimately we will need to utilise the land currently occupied by the Southall Railway Centre. We don't know what will happen on May 7, at this stage, but we are still in discussions.
"Members of the public can still write in to us with regards to the site and we will take their views on board."
For more information visit http://www.gwrpg.co.uk or call 020 8574 1529
May 1, 2003 10:00
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article