21 Years of Awards as Fifteen Cheshire Stations take the honours

FIFTEEN stations in the former county of Cheshire were winners as Cheshire Best Kept Stations celebrated 21 years of awards on Tuesday 12^th March. The event was attended by HM Lord-Lieutenant of Cheshire, Lady Alexis Redmond MBE, Mayors from all eight Boroughs that constitute the former County of Cheshire, and several Town Mayors.

The Awards were presented before 170 guests at The Grange Theatre, Hartford, Northwich by

Professor Paul Salveson MBE, a leading figure in the community rail movement.

A commemorative booklet was published to celebrate 21 years of achievements of Station Friends Groups.

Alderley Edge won the coveted overall winner’s  “Best Kept Station Award”, the first time the top award has gone to this station. 

Romiley won the King’s Coronation Award.

A special commendation was presented to fourteen year old volunteer Ross Boardman for his work at Runcorn East Station

On presenting the awards, Prof Salveson said:

‘Cheshire Best Kept Stations is something very special – I am amazed it has been going for so long, a wonderful achievement. Very often station awards just focus on the gardens – and Cheshire has some superb examples. But its great to see support for both station staff and volunteers at stations big and small. Covid could so easily have killed off so many community projects, but Cheshire Best Kept Stations has emerged with renewed vigour and in so doing helped to strengthen station friends groups.’

On announcing the Awards, Mark Barker, Chair of Cheshire Best Kept Stations said:

What volunteers do is amazing; the passion, commitment, ingenuity, resourcefulness and sheer hard work has improved your stations for passengers, the community, the railway and for yourselves. Team working,  meaningful activities, using your skills, and  exercise. So you can be certain of this; whether or not you pick up an award tonight – You really are all winners!  Please keep on doing what you are doing!”

Alderley Edge won the top ‘Cheshire Best Kept Station Award’:

The Friends Group is hard working, ingenious and ambitious for its station, giving much TLC to transform it’s image. Supported by Northern  and the C2M CRP, there is plenty of planting on forecourts and platforms, including a herb garden on a pallet, and upcycling a sandbox.  High quality artwork shows the beautiful natural environment of the village, local maps and the history of the Manchester-Crewe line. The Group are keen to develop a redundant building and are engaging with the industry.  This is clearly a station that the community cares for and about.

Kelvin Briggs Chair of Friends of Alderley Edge Station said: “ We have worked consistently all year round and tried our best to deliver quality and innovation in everything we do. To win the award will inspire us to keep up the efforts and challenge the status quo at Network Rail and Northern Trains with regard to our depressing building. We would like to thank everyone involved in organising the competition , the Judging and the delivery of a brilliant night at Hartford.

Delamere Station won the Cheshire West & Chester Award

This is a picture-postcard country station that is cared for by students with learning difficulties from the nearby Petty Pool college. It has a lovely cafe that is popular with the many walkers enjoying the surrounding forest

Nantwich Station won the Cheshire East Award

It is the superb gardening that catches the eye here, which our judge succinctly summed up as ‘An ongoing horticultural triumph’. Moreover, the station has good facilities for its size and is a gateway that the town can truly be proud of.  A stalwart member of the group, Hilary Slack, who passed away last year was remembered.

Gina Haigh of Nantwich Station Adopters said: “ Receiving Cheshire East Best Kept Station at the Cheshire Best Kept Stations 21st Anniversay Awards is something special and that is what happened to Nantwich Station Adopters on Tuesday Evening. Seven out of the eight volunteers were in Northwich for the presentation and we were absolutely delighted. We all enjoy our time spent on the Station. Thank you for liking what we do.”

Sandbach Station was Highly Commended in this category

Heaton Chapel Station won the TfGM Award

This is a station that shouts the identity of it’s communities not only to station users but also to passengers on passing trains. Traditional station name signs, poetry displays and well stocked planters, one produced by the local Men in Sheds group, make this an attractive station. Their signature is bold, eyecatching artwork.  The latest artwork is a dramatic image of the iconic local viaduct. In short, a welcoming and well cared for station that is a credit to the Friends Group .

Ross Evans, Chair of Friends of Handforth Station said:  “ It was a pleasure to receive the TfGM Award on behalf of the supporters and the band of workers who have achieved a lot, since the group began.”

Hoylake Station won the Wirral Award

“A busy and spacious station graced with a classic art deco station building. Attractive and well maintained planters and some art work demonstrate a strong community involvement that not only improves this station but has led to Station Adoption groups forming at other stations on this line. This year the station was looking at its best as it played host to thousands of Golf fans visiting the British Open“

Jan Foster, Chair said:

“The Friends of Hoylake and Meols in Bloom were once again thrilled to receive these prestigious awards for Hoylake and Meols stations. This was the first time we were able to attend the awards ourselves and thoroughly enjoyed the evening. We take great pride in our stations and our community is delighted we have once again been honoured.”

Glazebrook Station won the Halton & Warrington Award

A relatively new group has made a huge impact with excellent planters, clearing debris behind the station building to reopen a right of way, a commemorative bench and a community event with a neighbouring Friends Group to mark the opening of the Cheshire Lines railway. If the group can achieve this much in just over a year, I am really looking forward to what they can do in the coming year. Well done!

Julie Eastty of Friends of Glazebrook Station said: “The Friends of Glazebrook Station are very proud to have won the award for Halton and Warrington at the Cheshire Best Kept Station awards.  It’s recognition of our hard working volunteers and all the group has achieved during our first year. A big thank you to our supporters and especially Northern and TfGM.

Macclesfield Station won the Chris Dale TravelWatch Award for Large Stations

A railhead for long distance trains to London and the south as well as for local services, this station located in the heart of the town. It is clean and bright with welcoming staff and a good cafe. Artwork around the station gives it a community feel.

Laura Warwick, Avanti West Coast Station Manager at Macclesfield, said: “We’re delighted Macclesfield has been recognised for this prestigious award and couldn’t be prouder of the team. They take immense pride in the station and this lovely Cheshire town – providing a warm and friendly service to our customers, as well as supporting causes that matter most to local people. This award is a testament to the team’s hard work over the past 12 months.”

Brinnington Station won the Northern Best Staffed Station Award

A station that was once a by-word for anti-social behaviour has been transformed by a community art project that gives identity to the area. What has really put the station at the heart of the community is a Community Swap Shop set up by the station staff which enables locals to obtain and donate homewares, books, clothing, DVDs etc as a response to the cost of living crisis. A fine example of staff going above and beyond the call of duty. Congratulations!

Stewart Hall Northern station staff member at Brinnington said: “Its great to be recognised for all the hard work we and the local community do to make the swap shop so successful. We are all so proud to be awarded best staffed station at the 21st Cheshire best kept station awards. This is a real credit to all our volunteers.”

Handforth Station was Highly Commended in this category

Greenbank Station won the Best Unstaffed Station Award

A small dedicated group of volunteers with special needs keep the station in tip-top appearance with planters, a memorial garden and a mural commemorating those fallen in war.

Graham Hallett of Friends of Greenbank Station said:  ‘This win was a wonderful surprise and reflects the persistent hard work of our volunteers.’ 

Meols Station won the Merseyrail Best Kept Garden Award

A commuter station that has been transformed by the group with attractive, colourful and skilfully planted beds and planters. The mature rose bushes are particularly fine.

Jan Foster, Chair said:

“The Friends of Hoylake and Meols in Bloom were once again thrilled to receive these prestigious awards for Hoylake and Meols stations. This was the first time we were able to attend the awards ourselves and thoroughly enjoyed the evening. We take great pride in our stations and our community is delighted we have once again been honoured.”

Rose Hill Station won the In Bloom Award

Gardening is one of the key activities at this station and the effort that has been put in clearly shows in the hanging baskets, beds and landscaped areas around the station.

Rachel Singer, Chair of Friends of Rose Hill Station said: “The Friends of Rose Hill Station greatly value the support and acknowledgement we have received from the CBKS committee over past years and we are especially delighted to have achieved an award in this, the group’s 21st anniversary year. The In Bloom award is an inspiration to the continuing efforts of our volunteers.”

Disley Station won the Avanti Sustainability Award

The excellent garden area has continued to develop with perennial pollinator-friendly plants and shrubs complementing the wild flower garden. Birds have not been forgotten with bird feeders and a bath provided and ‘Bugingham Palace’ is home to many insect species. Congratulations to the Group for keeping up thir good work.

Jean Windsor of Friends of Disley Station said

I was amazed and delighted to be presented with the award, our third year running. We have a wonderful team of volunteers and the whole community is proud of our station.

Alsager Station won the Community Rail Network Award for Community Engagement

The station was awarded Dementia Friendly status by the Alzheimers Society in 2021, and to  continue this support, a trip was arranged for members of the town’s Memory Cafe to show that the railway can be inclusive and to give dementia sufferers and their carers more confidence in using the train. The group were entertained on the train with live music from the 50s, 60s and 70s, and a free lunch was provided on arrival at Derby. The event was supported by North Staffs CRP and EMR.

Claire Sandys, North Staffordshire Community Rail Officer said: “ I was  delighted to see that Alsager won an award in the community engagement category for Memory Cafe on a Train event.”

Marple Station was Highly Commended in this category

Goostrey Station won the Art Project Award

Projects to commemorate the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth and the Coronation of King Charles brought sixty adults and children together to design, paint and decorate clay discs, each of individual design. Once fired, the Platinum discs were displayed in a waiting shelter in Spring 2023 and the Coronation discs on planters throughout the station last August. It was a busy year for community artist Debbie Goldsmith!

Chris Burgess of Friends of Goostrey Station said: “ Friends of Goostrey Station are thrilled to receive a ninth award from Cheshire Best Kept Stations. It’s a remarkable achievement for a small group of volunteers.  Artist Debbie Goldsmith makes good use of the restored station building and FoGS work to ensure that passengers enjoy using Goostrey station. But we’re really proud that our enthusiasm has been recognised by the wider community. “

Romiley Station won the King’s Coronation Award

The community were asked to produce scarecrows made from recycled materials, in keeping with the King’s support for sustainabilty. The first scarecrow, of King Charles himself, arrived at the station on a scheduled bus service with students from a special needs school that had made it. It was soon followed by Queen Camilla. The group joined forces with the community for a huge street party on the main road near to the station. The party appropriately took the theme ‘ Coronation Street’

Angie Clark of Friends of Romiley Station said: “ The Friends of Romiley Station are delighted to have been awarded the King’s Coronation award by Cheshire Best Kept Stations, we look forward to erecting the handsome totem at the station. We very much appreciate the hard work carried out by CBKS to celebrate the efforts of volunteers at Cheshire stations. We congratulate all those who took part and especially CBKS on reaching your 21st year. Here’s to the next 21 years of proudly volunteering”.

Hale Station was Highly Commended in this category

For further information please visit www.bestkeptstations.org.uk

Walkaday is a scheme that offers friendly walks exploring parks and green spaces.

The aim is to encourage people who are new to walking by offering leisurely walks through some of the borough’s best outdoor spaces.

Each walk is paced to suit the needs of everyone in the group. You do not have to worry about the going being too tough.

You can download the Walkaday calender here :- https://www.stockport.gov.uk/documents/walkaday-calendar-documents

Today we launched our £1 train ticket sale, we’ve got a whopping 1 million TransPennine Express Advance Purchase tickets at just £1 for adults and 50p for children for travel between 22^nd January and Friday 8^th March 2024 (Inclusive).

The sale opened at 09:00 today and will run up until 23:59 on Friday 19 January 2024. Tickets will be available on TPE Website (http://www.tpexpress.co.uk/sale ) TPE App and All Transpennine Express managed stations. Please note £1 fares are not available for journeys between Monday 29 January and Tuesday 6 Feb 2024 (inclusive) due to industrial action https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/travel-updates/strike-action.

Customers with additional needs or who cannot access digital channels should call the dedicated £1 Sale number to book: 0330 095 4073 or Text Relay 18001 0330 095 4073. The number will be staffed 8am-8pm during the 4 days of the sale with a call back service for customers calling outside staffed hours.

Be quick – the sale ends 19th January so get them before they’re gone! 

Although our play is set in Yorkshire, many believe that the inspiration for The Railway Children came from Strines, a village in Stockport Borough, between Marple and New Mills.

The author, Edith Nesbit, had a sister, Saretta, who lived high above Strines at a house called ‘Paradise’. Edith stayed with Saretta often and got to know the area and its people well. Next door to Paradise is a house called ‘Three Chimneys’, both still there today. In The Railway Children she writes, ‘It was hilly country. Down below was the line of the railway, and the black yawning mouth of a tunnel. There was a great bridge with tall arches across the valley’. All are visible from Three Chimneys.

In the book the children have adventures on the canal with its coal wharf, the flight of 16 locks and the aqueduct, all still there. In 1893 there was a major landslip on the railway near Strines, surely the inspiration for the famous landslip adventure.

The final piece of the Strines jigsaw is the ‘Old Gentleman’. Edward Ross, Company Secretary of the Manchester Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway lived at Beechwood, above Marple South tunnel, visible from Three Chimneys. Edith would have known him as he was celebrated in the area for helping the poor in times of need and helping young men of the area to find jobs on the railway. The kind and generous Old Gentleman of the play turns out to be a director of the railway company, so the parallels with Edward Ross are clear.

There is a walks leaflet that pinpoints the ten places in the Strines and Marple areas that are linked with Edith Nesbit and The Railway Children.

Click here for more information

The FLASH SALE ⚡ is back!

@northernrailway are offering up to 5 million train tickets from just £1 for travel between 10 Jan & 01 March. Be quick! Once they’re gone, they’re gone! Find your cheap fare and book today at https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/offers/sale  T&C’s apply. Northern services only.

Facebook – https://bit.ly/47lIpsZ

Twitter – https://bit.ly/49J74Jr

We are pleased to share the shortlisted CRN Award entries across both CRP areas. Don’t forget to vote for the photo competition – the link is below.

The Community Rail Awards 2024 shortlist

Community Creative Projects and Station Arts – sponsored by Avanti West Coast

Small groups

• Woodsmoor Station Friends – Woodsmoor Station Art Project

Small Projects Award (£500 or less) – sponsored by Community Rail Lancashire

• The Friends of Romiley Station – Romiley Station Sign Highlighting Sensory Diversity

Best Community Engagement Project – sponsored by SLC Rail

• South East Manchester CRP and Brinnington Station Adopters – Brinnington Community Engagement

Photo Competition: Capturing the essence of community rail – sponsored by Porterbrook

• Friends of Goostrey Station – Beavers Doing Their Best
• Friends of Reddish South Station – Tai Chi Evening on the Station Platform

Vote now at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CRA2024

Most Enhanced Railway Spaces – sponsored by Greater Anglia

• Friends of Guide Bridge Station – Memorial Garden Project

It’s Your Station – sponsored by Merseyrail

Silver

• Friends of Reddish South Station

Platinum

• Friends of Goostrey Station

Well done and good luck to all the shortlisted groups.

Crewe Heritage Trust are looking for seven new trustees to help shape the Crewe Heritage Centre into a museum for the 21st century. This is a significant step which will see Crewe’s heritage back in the spotlight.

Established in 1987, the Crewe Heritage Centre has ambitious plans for its future. The trustees and volunteers, supported by Crewe Town Council, are Working towards Museum Accreditation with an application due in September 2025. They are also in the early stages of developing a major capital project, building on the successes of our jointly funded exhibition Forging History: 180 years of Crewe Works.

The Trust is particularly looking for expertise in (1) finance (2) legal (3) curatorial (4) marketing & communications (5) visitor operations (6) project management and (7) health & safety. The monthly commitment is approximately 10 hours for up to two terms of three years each.

To find out more, visit: https://www.crewehc.co.uk/trust/vacancies or get in touch via heritage@crewetowncouncil.gov.uk