Stalybridge railway station honoured at Cheshires best let stations awards

Stalybridge railway station has once again been recognised for excellence, winning the prestigious Chris Dale TravelWatch Award for Large Stations at the recent Cheshire Best Kept Stations Awards Evening.

It marks the fifth time the station has claimed the accolade, underlining its reputation as one of the region’s standout transport hubs.

A record audience of 200 guests gathered at the Crewe Alexandra Hybrid Lounge on Thursday 5 February to see nineteen stations from across the former county of Cheshire honoured at the annual ceremony. Awards were presented before twelve Borough and Town Mayors by respected transport journalist and rail industry commentator Tony Miles.

Among those in attendance was the Civic Mayor of Tameside, Councillor Shibley Alam, accompanied by her consort.

The coveted overall Best Kept Station Award went to Romiley railway station, the first time the station has taken the top honour.

Presenting the awards, Tony Miles praised the visible impact of community involvement at stations across Cheshire.

“While recently updating an image bank of stations, I was especially struck by those where the community, alongside staff, had clearly made a real difference,” he said.

“There were flower beds, restored waiting rooms filled with pictures and historical artefacts, better information, and notices from the groups involved inviting others to come and join them. A great many of those examples were in Cheshire. The dedication shown by volunteers across these stations in Cheshire is simply amazing.”

Mark Barker, chair of Cheshire Best Kept Stations, described the evening as a celebration of volunteer dedication.

“The care, commitment and pride you show make a tremendous difference, not only to the stations themselves but to the communities they serve,” he said.

“Stations are part of our daily lives. They are where journeys begin and end - the routine trips to work or the shops, a day out, a night out, or the important departures for holidays and university. They are where loved ones are welcomed home or waved on their way. They are gateways to our communities and to our lives.”

He added that working together on meaningful, shared projects brings real benefits to physical and mental wellbeing, self-esteem and confidence, with that pride radiating into the wider community.

An historic main line stop, Stalybridge has benefitted from major improvements to track, signalling and electrification in recent years, alongside significant investment in bright, modern passenger facilities. These include a Changing Places toilet, ensuring the station is accessible and welcoming to all.

However, it is perhaps best known for its characterful real ale Station Buffet, a much-loved feature that has made the station a destination in its own right.

Graham Meiklejohn, Head of Regional Development, Stakeholders & Communities at TransPennine Express, said: “We are delighted that Stalybridge station has been recognised in the Cheshire Best Kept Station Awards, with the success down to the hard work of the station team to create a welcoming environment for all customers.

“Chris Dale was renowned for his attention to detail to ensure the delivery of high-quality public transportation by operators and we are deeply honoured to have received an award in his name.”

John Hulme BEM, President and Founder of Cheshire Best Kept Stations, said the recognition would have meant a great deal to Chris Dale, in whose memory the award is presented.

“Stalybridge receiving this honour would have meant a great deal to Chris Dale,” he said. “I was fortunate to visit the station with him several times, even in the depths of winter, and I saw for myself how highly he regarded the welcome offered by the staff. He never missed the chance to spend time in the Station Buffet. Very well done, Stalybridge.”