Glasgow Queen Street named Britain’s favourite railway station in public vote
- Glasgow Queen Street has been named the nation’s favourite railway station in a public poll which recorded over 95,000 votes
- 48 stations from across the country competed head to head in the World Cup of Stations with the Scottish terminal receiving most votes
- Queen Street beat Scottish rivals in the group stages before triumphing in the final over three English stations in a nail biting conclusion, pulling ahead in the final 15 minutes of voting
- Rail staff at Glasgow Queen Street and at stations across the country have been playing a key role supporting Britain’s recovery from COVID-19
Glasgow Queen Street has been named Britain’s favourite station after winning the World Cup of Stations 2020.
Out of 2,579 stations across the country, Queen Street was shortlisted as one of 48 stations participating in the week-long online poll which recorded over 95,000 votes in total. They saw off the competition in each day of public voting, beating Scottish rivals Motherwell, Aberdeen and Wemyss Bay in the group stages and heavyweights Newcastle and Crewe in the semi-final.
Two of this year’s finalists once again thought the path to victory was courting the internet’s substantial cat vote with both Huddersfield and Stourbridge Junction putting their moggy mascots front and centre. But in the end Glasgow Queen Street, coming fresh off a £120m redevelopment, proved too much for them and for London Kings Cross.
The 2020 final was a nail-biter coming right down to the wire with Queen Street eventually winning by 0.3% pulling ahead in the last 15 minutes of voting.
Maggie Hoey, Queen Street Station General Manager, said:
“We’re absolutely delighted that Glasgow Queen Street has been crowned champion in this year’s World Cup of Stations.
“The recent redevelopment work has revitalised the station, delivering a contemporary building both internally and externally. It’s created a spacious and accessible transport facility that will be a positive and prominent addition to Glasgow’s historic George square for years to come.
“We owe a huge thanks to everyone who voted for us, and to our social media colleagues who really got behind the Rail Delivery Group's campaign to drum up support.”
The competition highlighted the important role that the railway, stations and staff are playing keeping people connected and supporting communities and local businesses during the pandemic.
Robert Nisbet, Director of Nations and Regions for the Rail Delivery Group said,
“For a while it looked like nothing was going to stop Stourbridge Junction and their mascot George the cat, but Glasgow Queen Street played the full 90 minutes and have come away with the silverware. It’s a fitting tribute to the newly redeveloped station and the friendly staff there who have kept key workers moving through the pandemic and continue to support the local community.”
Rail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris said:
“I am immensely proud of the whole railway family, who have worked tirelessly throughout this pandemic to keep our railways running and passengers safe.
“My congratulations go to all the staff at Glasgow Queen Street for winning this year’s competition. They have played a key role supporting Britain’s recovery from Covid-19, ensuring that key workers and NHS staff can get to work, saving lives.”
Contact Information
Niall McGourty
Notes to editors
Notes
- Twitter polls were hosted on the twitter page of the Rail Delivery Group - @RailDeliveryGrp
- The Rail Delivery Group represents the rail industry including train operating companies and Network Rail.
- The full list of stations which competed in World Cup of Stations 2020 were as follows:
|
Station |
Region/ Nation |
Year opened |
Footfall 2018-19 |
Station owner |
|
Bedford |
East |
1859 |
4,058,190 |
Govia Thameslink Railway (Thameslink) |
|
Cambridge |
East |
1845 |
11,983,320 |
Greater Anglia |
|
Kempston Hardwick |
East |
1905 |
9,692 |
West Midlands Trains (London Northwestern Railway) |
|
Welwyn Garden City |
East |
Current site 1926 |
2,867,810 |
Govia Thameslink Railway (Great Northern) |
|
Leicester |
East Midlands |
1840 |
5,582,286 |
East Midlands Railway |
|
Nottingham
|
East Midlands |
1848 |
8,004,938 |
East Midlands Railway |
|
Bottesford |
East Midlands |
1850 |
63,628 |
East Midlands Railway |
|
Spalding |
East Midlands |
1848 |
193,034 |
East Midlands Railway |
|
Elmstead Woods |
London |
1904 |
1,213,160 |
Southeastern |
|
Falconwood |
London |
1936 |
1,045,686 |
Southeastern |
|
London Kings Cross |
London |
1852 |
34,645,924 |
Network Rail |
|
London Waterloo |
London |
1848 |
94,192,690 |
Network Rail |
|
Middlesbrough |
North East |
1847 |
1,289,866 |
TransPennine Express |
|
Newcastle |
North East |
1850 |
8,913,554 |
London North Eastern Railway |
|
Chathill |
North East |
1847 |
2,546 |
Northern |
|
Blaydon |
North East |
1835 |
21,428 |
Northern |
|
Ainsdale |
North West |
1848 |
1,016,242 |
Merseyrail |
|
Crewe |
North West |
1837 |
3,305,352 |
Avanti West Coast |
|
Hindley |
North West |
1848 |
294,844 |
Northern |
|
Wigan North Western |
North West |
1838 |
1,683,184 |
Avanti West Coast |
|
Chirk |
NRA Best Station winner |
1848 |
77,106 |
Transport for Wales Rail |
|
Norwich |
NRA Best Station winner |
1844 |
4,250,834 |
Greater Anglia |
|
Penrith |
NRA Best Station winner |
1846 |
592,462 |
Avanti West Coast |
|
Reading |
NRA Best Station winner |
1840 |
17,080,738 |
Network Rail |
|
Aberdeen |
Scotland |
1867 |
2,616,142 |
ScotRail |
|
Glasgow Queen Street |
Scotland |
1842 |
17,207,208 |
ScotRail |
|
Motherwell |
Scotland |
Current site 1885 |
1,386,976 |
ScotRail |
|
Wemyss Bay |
Scotland |
1865 |
213,988 |
ScotRail |
|
Aylesbury |
South East |
1863 |
1,235,236 |
Chiltern Railways |
|
Hedge End |
South East |
1990 |
522,492 |
South Western Railway |
|
Sandown |
South East |
1864 |
150,748 |
South Western Railway (Island Line) |
|
Sevenoaks |
South East |
1868 |
4,376,024 |
Southeastern |
|
Barnstaple |
South West |
1854 |
432,196 |
Great Western Railway |
|
Bristol Temple Meads |
South West |
1840 |
11,367,652 |
Network Rail |
|
Sherborne |
South West |
1860 |
210,170 |
South Western Railway |
|
Worcestershire Parkway |
South West |
2020 |
n/a |
Great Western Railway |
|
Cardiff Central |
Wales |
1850 |
12,934,304 |
Transport for Wales Rail |
|
Newport |
Wales |
1850 |
2,745,064 |
Transport for Wales Rail |
|
Pontypridd |
Wales |
1840 |
884,132 |
Transport for Wales Rail |
|
Swansea |
Wales |
1850 |
2156036 |
Transport for Wales Rail |
|
Leamington Spa |
West Midlands |
1852 |
2,773,782 |
Chiltern Railway |
|
Stourbridge Junction |
West Midlands |
Current site 1901 |
1,667,752 |
West Midlands Trains (West Midlands Railway) |
|
Tamworth |
West Midlands |
1839 |
1,279,204 |
West Midlands Trains (London Northwestern Railway) |
|
Warwick Parkway |
West Midlands |
2000 |
682,228 |
Chiltern Railways |
|
Cleethorpes |
Yorkshire & The Humber |
1863 |
296,002 |
TransPennine Express |
|
Huddersfield |
Yorkshire & The Humber |
1847 |
4,897,612 |
TransPennine Express |
|
Hull |
Yorkshire & The Humber |
1847 |
2,356,812 |
TransPennine Express |
|
Mytholmroyd |
Yorkshire & The Humber |
1847 |
197,640 |
Northern |