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Thursday 14 May 2020

Shrewsbury railway station lighting up blue for NHS and all critical workers

Region & Route:

Wales & Western: Wales & Borders

| Wales & Western

Network Rail is lighting up the iconic grade II listed Shrewsbury station tonight (14 May) in honour and gratitude to all NHS staff and other critical workers who continue to battle the coronavirus crisis.

The lighting of the station is also in recognition of railway colleagues, who themselves are classed as critical workers, as they have ensured passengers who need to travel are able to do so, whilst enabling vital freight is moved across the country.

Built in 1848, it was designated a grade II listed building in 1969. The architect was Thomas Mainwaring Penson of Oswestry. The building is unusual, in that the station was extended between 1899 and 1903 by the construction of a new floor underneath the original station building. The building style was imitation Tudor, complete with carvings of Tudor style heads around the window frames. This was done to match the Tudor building of Shrewsbury School (now Shrewsbury Library) almost directly opposite. It is the busiest station in Shropshire and was the 14th busiest in the West Midlands in 2014-15.

As an ongoing symbol of continued support and thanks to all NHS and other critical workers, Swansea station will light up blue every night, following Thursday’s inaugural event, for the foreseeable future.

Bill Kelly, Network Rail’s Route Director for Wales and Borders, said:

“Every Thursday, for the last couple of months or so, we come together as a nation to pay tribute to all our critical workers who continue to work every minute of every day to keep us safe and to keep the country going. It is an absolute honour for the Wales and Borders route of Network Rail to be part of this weekly event that gives so much love and appreciation to our wonderful NHS workforce and indeed all critical workers, including our very own railway family.

“The lighting up of our infrastructure, which we do on a weekly basis, is a simple yet effective way of showing all our critical workers that we understand, appreciate and applaud all their efforts during this difficult period.”