Passengers are being asked to decide which railway station has had the biggest positive impact on their lives, by taking part in a vote.
Rail Delivery Group (RDG), which represents train operating companies, is running its annual World Cup of Stations competition and has drawn up a shortlist, after receiving 330 entries from all over the country.
There are now 20 competing for the title of “most life changing station” and two – Ashington in Northumberland and Ribblehead in North Yorkshire – are run by Northern.
Jacqueline Starr, chief executive of RDG, said the competition shines a light on the stories behind the stations which “remind us of their enduring value — connecting towns, people and possibilities”.
Passengers have been told they can submit their votes on the RDG website up until 11.59pm on Friday, 17 October.
Ashington is one of the country’s newest railway stations, opening in December last year when passenger services began running on the Northumberland Line for the first time in 60 years.
Locals are now making the most of fast and affordable services, which allow them to travel into Newcastle in around 35 minutes for work, school and days out with their friends and family.
Northumberland Council Council said the station is “providing a lifeline” by reconnecting the former coal mining town to the wider world and “helping to drive wider regeneration”.
Ribblehead station was known as Batty Green when it first opened on the picturesque Settle-Carlisle railway line in 1876.
Thousands of people travel by train to the village each year so they can explore the Yorkshire Dales National Park and marvel at the iconic Ribblehead Viaduct.
The station waiting room, once used for church services, and ticket office were fully restored in 2017 by the Settle & Carlisle Railway Trust, which also created exhibition about the fascinating history of the railway line.
Kerry Peters, Northern’s director of stations, said: “We’re delighted to see that two of our stations have been named as finalists in this competition.
“Ribblehead has been welcoming visitors and allowing a rural community to access a vital public transport link for almost 150 years, while Ashington is opening up a range of new opportunities to the local community.
“If you have ever used either of these stations, you will know just how important they are, so please cast for vote before the deadline on Friday.”
The competition is part of this year’s Railway 200 celebration, marking 200 years since the birth of the modern railway.
Northern is the second largest train operator in the UK, with 2,650 services a day to more than 500 stations across the North of England.
Image credit: Northern
