MID CHESHIRE LINE WINS FOUR ACCOLADES
19th January 2010

Four railway stations on the Mid Cheshire Line have won awards at the recent Cheshire Best Kept Station Awards Evening.

Held at the Salt Museum, Northwich, the evening was attended by over 90 guests from the community including visiting Mayors, local community groups and staff representing the rail industry.

The awards were presented by Helen Carey, OBE DL, who is Chairman of Cheshire Landscape Trust and Vice Chair of Keep Britain Tidy.

Cuddington was the Tidiest Station in Cheshire, Greenbank Station won the Cheshire Youth Challenge Award, Chester won the Roberts Bakery Award and Knutsford was named Best Kept Station in Cheshire East.

John Hulme, Organiser of Cheshire Best Stations, on announcing the awards said:

The Mid Cheshire Line has won more awards than any other line in Cheshire and this is down to volunteers - those unsung heroes in our community.

At Cuddington the parish volunteers work on the station to keep it tidy, at Greenbank the Cheshire Crimebeat Youth Challenge has been awarded to the local Church and at Knutsford it is the local High School that have contributed to the station's upkeep.

Those volunteers that come out in all weathers to make our railway stations tidier and more hospitable should be thanked and commended.

On the Mid Cheshire Line success come from the unique partnership we have between the rail operator Northern Rail, the Community, the Community Rail Partnership and the Mid Cheshire Rail Users Association. It is a winning combination that makes things happen".

Sally Buttifant, the Mid Cheshire Community Rail Partnership Officer said, "I am thrilled that four stations on the Chester to Manchester Line won awards. Many rail travellers do not realise it is the community groups that make the difference at our local railway stations. On our line local village volunteers, a local church, and local schools have been involved - they all need to be thanked for their effort in the community. On the Mid Cheshire Line we plan to do more in 2010 and pick up more awards".

Handforth Railway Station, where the Friends of Handforth Station have looked after station since 1998, scooped the top award of Cheshire's Best Kept Station.

Click here for further details of Cheshire Best Kept Stations