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Train carriage converted into new school library

Samantha Noble
BBC News, Derby
Kacper Misiarz
BBC News, Derby
SHAW EDUCATION TRUST / BBC Photos of a train carriage before and after it was converted into a school's library. In the top photo, the carriage is blue and tired looking on a train track. The bottom photo shows the carriage painted green with images of books on. SHAW EDUCATION TRUST / BBC
Head teacher George Turner said converting the old carriage into a library was "a huge community project"

A train carriage has been converted into a library for pupils at a special school in Derby.

The 1974 rolling stock, which was built in Derby and used for parcels and passengers, was transported by police escort from Burton-on-Trent to Ivy House School, in Littleover, last year before work began to convert it.

The library, which includes the carriage's original chairs and outside is a departures board announcing Derby Railway Station's live train information, was officially opened by Googlebox star Baasit Siddiqui on Tuesday.

Head teacher George Turner said it was now "a pristine and beautiful converted library".

Baasit Siddiqui - from Gogglebox - stood next to a train sign which says "Ivy House Express" behind him is the front of the converted train carriage, which is black at the front and includes an image of a driver.
Baasit Siddiqui said the carriage brings reading to life and celebrates a love for reading

Mr Turner added: "It came on a massive HGV. We had to line it up perfectly and it got tilted and slid across onto the tracks.

"It was a little bit hairy at times. We were concerned it might not go on the track, but it did.

"It started as an old parcel carriage. It use to have seats in one end, and the other side was cages and containers."

The departures board on the platform was bought online and can be linked to provide information from any station in the UK.

A table and four green chairs inside a train carriage.
Mr Turner said the carriage includes the original seats, which have been reupholstered

Mr Turner said it had been "a huge community project" and school staff were "blown away" after they were "inundated" with offers of help from people and companies.

He added volunteers helped to move the train, lay the tracks, convert the inside, paint the exterior, and add vinyl to the outside.

Mr Siddiqui, who also works in education, said it was "brilliant".

"You can tell it is an absolute labour of love," he added. "It is such a lovely, lovely space for them."

A group of pupils and staff at the bottom of a ramp to a platform.
The platform has a wide and accessible ramp leading to it

Ian Armstrong, executive head teacher for Shaw Education Trust, told the BBC students "loved" the new library.

He said: "Because of our children's special educational needs and complex health, the vast majority of them struggle to get out in the community and experience some of the normalities that we take for granted.

"We know lots of our students have never been up to a train, been on a train, so it was fantastic opportunity to come and learn in one."

A train departures board which says "Reading exp 11:21"
A train board has been placed on the platform at the school and it announces Derby's live arrivals and departures

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