Temp station triumphs at Rail Awards

The partnership behind the temporary station at Workington North has won the outstanding teamwork category of the National Rail Awards.

Passengers using the temporary station

Network Rail, Northern Rail, DRS, the Department for Transport, Cumbria County Council and Allerdale Borough Council were jointly awarded the honour in a glittering ceremony in front of 1,200 guests.

The judges said: “This must be one of the finest examples of teamwork the rail industry has ever seen. In the midst of chaos and unprecedented hardship for the community of Workington, the rail industry, together with the partnership of local councils, authorities and central government, managed to engineer a solution beyond comprehension.”

The award was collected by Jo Kaye, Network Rail’s route director who came up with the idea for the temporary station, and Kathryn O’Brien, head of stations and external relations at Northern Rail.

Mrs Kaye commented: “When Workington was devastated by floods last November, it was clear in my mind that Network Rail should offer any help it could.

“This award is in recognition of how rail can bring people together, and on behalf of everyone who made it happen I am proud to accept it.”

The station was conceived, constructed and open for passengers in just six days, following the devastation caused in Workington by torrential rain and floods that washed away roads and bridges last November. The rail bridge across the River Derwent was unaffected and building a temporary station provided a link to the two halves of the town.