The long room at Fernwick station was designed for a traffic that never quite materialised. Its windows faced the platform, its fireplace could accommodate a substantial winter fire, and its bench ran almost the full length of the eastern wall. On an ordinary afternoon, two passengers might occupy it without acknowledging one another.
The room's second career began with a parcel of damaged books. Ada Pell, who kept the station accounts, placed them on a table near the door rather than return them to the sender. Travellers were invited to take one and leave it at another station. Most brought it back to Fernwick instead.
Shelves followed, then a noticeboard and a small subscription for newspapers. The arrangement remained unofficial for several years. Pell referred to it as an improvement to the waiting facilities, which avoided a discussion about who was entitled to run a library in a railway building.
When the passenger service was reduced, the room became busier. People arrived on foot with no intention of boarding a train. A joiner shortened the original bench to make space for a second table; its detached end survived as a step beside the tallest bookcase. The fireplace continued to determine which seats were most desirable.
The library eventually received its own entrance from the station yard. Visitors no longer crossed the platform, although the old clock remained above the internal door. It was kept several minutes fast, a railway habit that proved less useful to readers. The long room had ceased to be a place for passing time and become somewhere people chose to spend it.