19 railway stations in the former county of Cheshire have scooped awards at the 22nd Cheshire Best Kept Stations awards evening.
Held on Thursday 5 February, the awards were presented before a record-breaking 200 guests at Crewe Alexandra Hybrid Lounge by Tony Miles, transport journalist and rail industry commentator.
Styal Station won the Community Rail Network Award for Community Engagement, and Romiley Station won the coveted overall Cheshire Best Kept Station Award, the first time the top award has gone to this station.
Both Handforth and Sandback stations received special Railway 200 Awards in recognition of their imaginative programmes of activities and events marking 200 years of the modern passenger railway, and Hyde Central Station won an award for the very first time in the 23-year history of Cheshire Best Kept Stations.
On announcing the awards, Mark Barker, chair of Cheshire Best Kept Stations, said: “Stations are part of our daily lives, and the care and commitment all our volunteers show makes a tremendous difference, not only to the stations themselves, but to the communities they serve. The pride you all take in your stations shines out into the community and is felt by everyone who passes through.”
Gemma Nichols from the Friends of Styal Station, said: “It’s wonderful to see our little village and station recognised, and to celebrate the fantastic people and organisations that make them so special. We love what we’re achieving as a group, and winning this award is the cherry on top.”
Angie Clark, secretary of the Friends of Romiley Station, said: “We are surprised and delighted to be awarded Cheshire Best Kept Station 2025, something we had dreamed of winning but never thought we would achieve. This award reflects the efforts of the entire community who readily help us turn our ideas into reality. For more of them, watch this space!”
Paul Webster, regional support manager at Community Rail Network, said: “Making railway stations a welcoming environment for passengers and a link with their local community is central to what community rail is all about.
“I was delighted to attend the fabulous Cheshire Best Kept Stations awards ceremony, to witness the many groups within our Community Rail Network family being honoured at this unique ceremony. The work of all station adoption volunteers is truly outstanding, and the winners showcased this evening were really inspirational.”