Dales water tower makeover to be featured on TV's Restoration Man

Dales water tower makeover to be featured on TV's Restoration Man

1:17pm Thursday 9th February 2012 in

THE transformation of a former water tower into a luxury home will be revealed on television later this month.

Settle Water Tower – which sits next to the famous Settle-Carlisle Railway Line – has been lovingly restored by railway enthusiast Mark Rand and his wife, Pat.

They bought the grade two-listed structure for £208,000, in October 2010, because of “an overarching desire” to restore the building which was hidden by trees and ivy and allow it once again to be a visual part of Settle Station.

And while the fabric of the water tower was in excellent state, the interior was just an empty shell.

“It came with planning permission for conversion into a dwelling, but the plan wasn’t to our liking,” said Mr Rand, who is a former chairman of the Friends of the Settle-Carlisle Railway.

The couple submitted new plans, but it took six months before permission was granted and work could start.

In the meantime, Mr Rand took on the colossal job of painting the 72 panels on the water tank himself in order to keep costs down.

“I did it hanging from a gondola, but I knew it was time to stop when the paint blew off the brush in the wind,” he added.

Using local tradesmen, the vast majority of the work was completed within six months and the couple hope to move into their new home by Easter.

“We are thrilled with the outcome,” said Mr Rand, whose favourite part of the restoration is the view from the tower roof which no-one had been able to see before.

The project has been filmed by Channel 4’s Restoration Man programme and, this week, camera crews and presenter George Clarke paid their final visit to the water tower, which was last used in 1968.

“We offered the project to Restoration Man as a means of getting some nationwide publicity for the Settle-Carlisle Line,” said Mr Rand.

“I know more or less what is in the programme but I’m looking forward to seeing it.”

The footage will be screened on Channel 4 on Thursday, February 16, at 9pm.

Meanwhile, Mr and Mrs Rand are looking at the possibility of holding an open day before they move in and intend to open their home as part of the national heritage open days in September.

l More images from the restoration will be published as a picture feature in the Craven Herald on February 23.

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Dales water tower makeover to be featured on TV's Restoration Man