Is it the end of the line for station improvements?

Administrators moved in on Monday after Stephen Byers, transport secretary, stunned the rail industry by forcing the company into liquidation after refusing a 3.3bn bail out.

Railtrack s new administration has pledged on-going projects will be honoured, though doubt remains whether smaller refurbishment work will go-ahead.

A spokesman for administrators Ernst and Young told the Observer this week: "At the moment it is too early to say what is going to happen.

"It is very much business as usual and on-going projects will be reviewed further down the line during a review of the company.

"I cannot say whether work at Bexhill station will be continuing. It is impossible to say. But it is not something we will be looking at immediately."

Efforts to tidy up Bexhill and Cooden Beach stations were triggered by an Observer campaign in 1998. Hundreds of readers backed the move.

Rother District Council leader Graham Gubby this week stressed how important it was to have Bexhill station work completed as soon as possible and to a very high standard. He was also seriously concerned that the town would end up back at square one with an ugly station.

"So far the council has heard nothing about the on-going work but would be bitterly disappointed if it does not go ahead," he said.

"At best it looks like it is going to be delayed for months. At worst it may not be finished at all."