Barnstaple station wins gold

Barnstaple Railway Station has been awarded the Gold Award at the national Stations in Bloom competition, recognised for its remarkable efforts to rejuvenate and transform the station's grounds using recycled materials.

In July 2024, judges from Stations in Bloom visited Barnstaple railway station, where they were greeted by the station’s volunteers, all of whom had received formal training and permissions from Great Western Railway and Network Rail. 

Their efforts culminated in the October 16 awards ceremony held in the Castle Gardens, Sherborne, Dorset, where Barnstaple’s achievements were formally recognised.

ABOVE: The awarded trophy

Barnstaple station’s volunteers were praised for taking on a “Herculean task,” as noted by  Britain in Bloom judge and chairman of Blackmore Vale CRP, Derek Beer.

He commended the team for their innovative use of recycled materials, which included transforming a redundant platform and repurposing retired railway infrastructure to create sustainable planters and rockeries.

In addition to the Gold Award, the station also won the Judges' Special Award for its extraordinary recycling effort, which saw the old waiting shelter and platform footbridge reimagined into beautiful displays.

The awards were presented by Derek Beer and Peter Williams, Customer and Commercial Director for South Western Railway. 

Station volunteers Tim Steer and Graham Hayward proudly accepted the accolades on behalf of Barnstaple station, celebrating the team's hard work and commitment to sustainability.