Northamptonshire stations scoop National Railway Heritage Awards

Kettering station won the Greater Anglia Award for Best Overall Contribution and Wellingborough station was highly commended in The London Underground Operational Enhancement Award category at the 2022 National Railway Heritage Awards.

HRH The Duke of Gloucester presented the National Railway Heritage Awards on Tuesday 6 December at a ceremony where 51 entries from across the railway industry were judged in 12 categories.

The Greater Anglia Award for Best Overall Entry of this year’s competition went to Network Rail for the meticulous restoration and modification of the platform canopies at Kettering station to ensure their safe integration following the station’s introduction of electrification.

At Wellingborough, extensive work was carried out on the listed iron platform canopies to prepare for electrification, and refurbishment of the goods shed to provide a passenger walkway on platform 1. These upgrades have resulted in the station being highly acclaimed in The London Underground Operational Enhancement award category.

Network Rail worked closely with the Railway Heritage Trust on the £2.5 million platform canopy restoration program at both Northamptonshire stations, which included restoring lost historic details of original features such as finials and filigree gable ends and repairs to pillars and roofs.

The improvements are part of the upgrade to the Midland Main Line, the largest since the line was built over 150 years ago. The upgrade has already delivered more seating and faster, more reliable journeys for passengers traveling between Kettering and London. As key stations on the route, major changes have been made, including extended platforms at both stations, as well as improved station lighting, new bus shelters, CCTV and public announcement systems.

Colin Ramshall, Senior Portfolio Manager for Network Rail’s East Midlands route, said: “This is fantastic news for both of these stations on the Midland Main Line and it’s great for our teams to be recognized for what they have achieved.

“The improvement package at Kettering and Wellingborough included the restoration of the historic Victorian canopies, which have been lovingly delivered to preserve their original character. The program has been well received by passengers and the local community and these awards from the National Railway Heritage Awards really testify to that.”

Complete list of winners

The BAM Nuttall Partnership Award was presented by the Poacher Line Community Rail Partnership for the restoration work at Sleaford Station.
The Great Western Railway Crafts Skills Award, which recognizes the best use of traditional craftsmanship in the restoration of a building or structure, was presented to Network Rail for work carried out on the roof refurbishment of Stirling Railway Station.
The Arch Company sponsored Urban Heritage Award went to Scotrail for the work completed on the north corner building at Aberdeen Station.
The Translink Structures Award for best restored structure, such as a viaduct or tunnel, was given to Greenways and Cycleroutes Ltd for the conversion of the disused railway tunnel at Tidenham.
The London Underground Operational Enhancement Award went to Transport for London for the sympathetic way in which step-free access to Sudbury Hill station was introduced.
The Railway Heritage Trust Conservation Award for Best Restored Structure supported by Trust funding was won by the Oxford Preservation Trust for the restoration of the Robert Stephenson-designed Rewley Road Swing Bridge in Oxford.
Two Hendy & Pendle Trust Volunteers Awards went to the Talyllyn Railway Company for the restoration of the 1865 locomotive waterhole at Tŷ Dŵr and to the Staffordshire Narrow Gauge Railway Ltd for the reconstruction of the former signal box at Waterhouses station on the Amerton Railway at Stowe-by-Chartley in Staffordshire.
The Network Rail Community Award for Restoration of a Community Railway Building went to Scottish Canals for the restoration of the Bowline Viaduct.
Richard Brown was presented with the National Highways Award for Restoration for a Restoration Project on a Disused Route that emphasizes the restoration to sustainable use of a building or structure no longer owned by the railroad industry and represents a new 2022 award for the station in Wolferton.
The SouthEastern Commercial Restoration Award for projects bringing a railway building to new commercial use was given to the Station South Community Interest Company for the restoration of the former Great Central railway station at Levenshulme South near Manchester.
There were two special awards from the chairman. The first of these was made to Railway Paths Ltd for work to ensure the survival and re-use of the great Bennerley Viaduct between Derby and Nottingham. The second contract went to Network Rail on behalf of Scotland’s Railway for the refurbishment of Glasgow Queen Street station.
The Greater Anglia Award for Best Overall Entry of this year’s competition went to Network Rail for the meticulous restoration and modification of the platform canopies at Kettering station.

Photo credit: Network Rail