NEWCASTLE CENTRAL STATION WINS TOP AWARD

Tuesday 21 Dec 2004

NEWCASTLE CENTRAL STATION WINS TOP AWARD

Region & Route:

Newcastle Central station, which is owned by Network Rail and managed by GNER, has won a prestigious Railway Heritage Award for a multi - million pound refurbishment project. The judges awarded the Ian Allan Publishing Award for Best Overall Project to the station due to the “skill, patience and sheer dogged determination to see this long-term project through, shown by all those responsible for it, [who] are worthy of our commendation and thanks”. The judges said: “The project is a tremendous achievement and the use of traditional techniques, which are costly and difficult is to be particularly commended. The station now presents an attractive exterior and interior to the user and the general public and is a flagship for the modern railway.” Dyan Crowther, Route Director, Network Rail said: “We are absolutely delighted that Newcastle Central station has received this award. “Network Rail is custodian of thousands of buildings across the rail network, many of which, such as Newcastle Central station, hold significant historical value. This project is a real testament to how we can restore and preserve such structures while improving the environment for passengers and railway employees.” The project, which has taken more than seven years to complete, has included:

Refurbishment of the main station roof and portico
Improvements to platforms including installation of new lighting
Restoration of 80 rooms and 120 ceilings to their former glory using original materials

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We own, operate and develop Britain's railway infrastructure; that's 20,000 miles of track, 30,000 bridges, tunnels and viaducts and the thousands of signals, level crossings and stations. We run 20 of the UK's largest stations while all the others, over 2,500, are run by the country's train operating companies.

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