Chirk Railway Station Earns ‘Highly Commended’ at the National Rail Awards 2024

Published: 11/10/2024

The prestigious National Rail Awards took place on Thursday, 12th September, at London’s prestigious Grosvenor House Hotel, celebrating outstanding achievements across the railway industry.

Renowned for recognising excellence across all sectors of the rail network, the awards honour everything from frontline contributions to major engineering accomplishments.

We are delighted to announce that Chirk Railway Station received a ‘Highly Commended’ award in the ‘Small Station of the Year’ category. This nomination for Chirk follows their win in 2020 and is a result of hard work by six station adoption volunteers, who look after the gardens and have arranged six station artworks, transforming the station into a welcoming community hub for both the community and passengers.

Melanie Lawton, Community Rail Strategy Lead, expressed her pride in the recognition: 

“It’s always heartening to see our stations and partnerships recognised, especially our station adopters at Chirk. These volunteers freely give their time to make the station a vibrant and welcoming place for the community and visitors alike. This year’s commendation is particularly special as it marks 20 incredible years of station adoption at Chirk.”

The National Rail Awards, regarded as the railway industry’s premier awards scheme, celebrate the exceptional work carried out across the sector—from individual contributions on the front lines to engineering triumphs on some of the network’s largest projects. Receiving such recognition for Chirk Railway Station underscores the impact that local community efforts can have in enhancing the passenger experience.

Josie Rayworth, Community Rail Officer for the 3 Counties Connected Community Rail Partnership, also shared her excitement: 

“We are incredibly proud to celebrate this achievement alongside our dedicated volunteers, who make Chirk Railway Station such a warm and welcoming space for passengers and the local community.”

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to everyone involved in this fantastic achievement and look forward to continuing the work that makes Chirk such a beloved part of our railway network.