Putting Montpelier back on the map

Some 20 years ago, carpenter Dave Wright looked at the abandoned Montpelier train station in St James and saw it as the perfect home for his furniture operation.

Securing a lease with the Jamaica Railway Corporation (JRC), he soon breathed new life into the old waiting room and station building, which had been left deserted after passenger rail service ceased in the island in 1992.

As his business grew, he took on staff and began turning out quality furniture and secured long-standing contracts with hoteliers, enabling him to provide for his family.

In February, the Government announced its intention to get passenger trains rolling again in western Jamaica, three decades after the service was halted.

And as plans for the revival pick up steam, persons like Wright are on the verge of losing their places of business as investors eye restoring the rail service from Montego Bay in St James to Appleton Estate in St Elizabeth.

Transport Minister Audley Shaw said that the initial thinking was to lease the line to the interested parties. However, a shared-use system is favoured, similar to the arrangement that now obtains with the JRC and the bauxite companies that utilise the railway lines to transport bauxite.

At the International Symposium on Railway Engineering held at the University of Technology (UTech), Jamaica last week, Shaw signed a memorandum of understanding – along with UTech acting President Professor Colin Gyles and Clive Roberts, head of the School of Engineering, University of Birmingham – to facilitate exploration of rail technology.

BIG INVESTMENTS

Despite the fact that he will have to relocate his business if the plans are actioned, Wright is welcoming these developments.

“It is a big investment, ... even though it a go affect mi drastically ‘cause I’ve been here over 20 years and mi affi go find someweh and business nuh strong enough fi buy piece a land and do something, but something will have to happen,” Wright, whose business is registered as Djoinerymen, told The Gleaner.

With the onset of the pandemic and a decline in jobs coming in, his staff dwindled to three persons.

He is hoping things will work in his favour.

“Mi have mi family. Mi have mi wife and three kids. I’ve been here 20 years and I’ve gotten about five walk-in customers. All of my customers are recommended people, so it takes time and a lot of effort [to build the business], and as I said, business is not so strong, especially since mi lost di main contract. Things just deh pon a little low-down normal, but it put food pon di table,” he told The Gleaner.

On the other hand, he knows that his loss will be another’s gain as new jobs will be created should the Montpelier railway station, which saw a booming transport hub between 1895 and 1992, be returned to its former glory.

“I think that industry coming into Montpelier will also put Montpelier on the map and a whole lot of people will be getting jobs,” Wright said.

“Mi love the idea! For me, any country without one train system just deh back behind time!” he said, excitedly.

Starting Djoinerymen was not easy, he disclosed.

“Starting, it was just word of mouth, hearing ‘bout di building and contact the necessary people and just get it to lease and I’m here over 20 years, not so strong, but I’m still here going,” he explained.

“Right here so, mi do anything out of wood; nothing regular. Everything weh mi do is custom-built and different from all other tradesmen,” he said.

SEEKING NEW SITE

Wright explained that he oftentimes designs his own doors, which impress customers with their unique styles.

Although at the time of the interview he had not yet been approached by the authorities with a notice to vacate the buildings or with an proposed timeline as to when they would like the property to be returned to the Government, he is desperately seeking a location nearby to continue his business.

“Mi would a hope seh mi a get piece a land pon di front weh mi can do one proper business, because my business licensed and mi ready fi work and mi woulda appreciate if dem come in and do dem thing and help me out on the side just di same,” Wright said.

Jamaica’s first railway operations began in 1845 under the JRC, which was a private entity. After decades of changing hands between private and public enterprise, the Government became the sole proprietor of the railway in 1900, operating as the Jamaica Government Railway.

The service was discontinued in 1992, except for use by bauxite companies to transport products, as it had become unprofitable amid upgrades to the island’s road network and more vehicles being introduced.

ainsworth.morris@gleanerjm.com