On 21st March 2023, Cheshire Best Kept Stations celebrated 21 years of Station Awards in Cheshire with the publication of as 28 page full colour booklet tracking its history narrated by our President John Hulme BEM.

In the booklet, Professor Paul Salveson MBE, the Founding Father of Community Rail writes:

Cheshire Best Kept Stations is something very special.  I’m amazed that it has been going so long – a wonderful achievement!   This booklet outlines the outstanding work that has been done over the years going back to its early days under the inspiring leadership of John Hulme BEM.  Mark Barker, a highly respected figure in the railway world, has picked up the baton and taken the awards in exciting directions, building on John’s pioneering work.

Very often station awards focus just on the gardens – and Cheshire has some superb examples.   But it’s great to see support for station staff as well as volunteers, at stations both big and small.   COVID could so easily have killed off so many community projects, but Cheshire Best Kept Stations has emerged with renewed vigour.

I often wonder why there are not more ‘regional’ community rail awards.  Cheshire has led the way and it would be good to see other counties or regions copying Cheshire’s example.  I hope this booklet will help spread the word and help inspire other parts of Britain – and who knows, even further afield.

Like the railways, Britain invented ‘community rail’ but it would be good to see it spreading.

With all good wishes for the next 21 years

Click here  to download and read the booklet