The abandoned Essex train station building that's now a hairdressers

We all have our nearest railway station that we use to travel to places across Essex or further afield. But there are still many towns and villages in our county that don't have one.

That wasn't always the case though, Essex was once filled with train stations that used to be a key part of our transport system. There are many abandoned railway lines and stations across the county.

Some of them have been transformed into attractions whereas others lie forgotten. Some stations were used for freight, most for passengers, and there were even lines that were used to transport soldiers and firearms.

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Nowadays, the abandoned train stations are used as something completely different all together, whilst others have been left to rot. One abandoned station has now been transformed into a hairdressers.

Mistley Railway Station opened to the public for the first time back in 1854. After serving the community over the decades, the station building fell into disrepair and was boarded up and left to ruin for years.

Trains continued to serve the station but the building itself started to fall apart - mould was left to grow, flooring fell through and squatters moved into and vandalised the empty building. The future of the Grade II listed building was looking bleak until Glynne Gerrard and Jessica Wilson set their eyes on the building with big ambitions.

After peering around the abandoned building, Glynne, 52, and Jessica, 40, decided to take on the property and transform it into The Station Hair and Beauty Salon. And the results are truly incredible - once blackened and battered rooms have been restored and brought back to life to serve the community once again.

Now commuters can hop off the train and straight into a reclined chair for a hair cut, massage or beauty treatment. The Station Hair and Beauty offers a wide range of hair and beauty services, including haircuts, styling, colour, nails, waxing, and massage.