Lowestoft train station loses out to Wemyss Bay station in ‘World Cup of Stations’
A Suffolk train station has been overtaken in its bid to be crowned the UK’s best loved station.
Lowestoft train station was on-track for glory, but Saturday saw Wemyss Bay station in Scotland announced as the final winner of this year’s ‘World Cup of Stations’ competition.
The regional heats last Thursday had seen Lowestoft’s station come out on top in East Anglia – having beaten its Suffolk rival of Beccles, alongside Southminster station in Essex and Thetford station in Norfolk.
The contest coincided with Community Rail Week, which ran between the May 22 and May 26.
Jools Townsend, chief executive of Community Rail Network, said: “Community Rail Week is all about connecting communities and bringing people together, while supporting and enabling more people to travel sustainably by train.
“Community rail has an inspiring track record of doing just that: promoting travel confidence and broadening mobility horizons, sometimes with life-changing effects, while giving communities a voice on transport, and putting railways and stations at the heart of community life.
“Well done to all the stations that were shortlisted and congratulations to this year's winner Wemyss Bay station.”
Out of 100 nominated stations, an initial shortlist of 48 – including Lowestoft, Beccles, Southminster and Thetford in East Anglia – were chosen by TV presenter Tim Dunn.
After the regional heats, the final decision was put to public vote. Out of 70,000 votes, 8,403 backed Wemyss Bay.
Lowestoft station has recently seen the development of a community hub, with a room that can be used for exhibitions or meetings.
Events like craft fairs, meetings and lectures are now held in the community space. It hosts many local organisations, and held a weekly warm room initiative during the winter months.
Work has also included installing a heritage livery, replacing 1980s lamps with low energy lighting housed in Victorian style casement lamps, and reinstating doorways that had been closed for half a century.
Former wartime evacuees are reunited at the station each year. In 2022, it hosted ‘confidence to travel’ visits for refugee families, school children and members of the local community.
