- Gleneagles honoured with plaque after receiving award for refurbishment –
Today (Thursday 5 May) ScotRail, Network Rail, and IDP Architects were awarded with a plaque at Gleneagles station to honour winning the Taylor Woodrow Partnership Award at the National Railway Heritage Awards for the redevelopment of Gleneagles train station.
The plaque was unveiled by ScotRail Alliance’s Customer Experience Director, Jacqueline Taggart, and Taylor Woodrow’s Rail Director, Fred Garner.
The £7 million upgrade of Gleneagles station - funded by Scottish Government, Tactran, Railway Heritage Trust, and Perth and Kinross Council – took place ahead of the 2014 Ryder Cup, which attracted thousands of visitors from all over the world to the PGA Centenary Course in Gleneagles.
Building on this successful event, the venue was also awarded the rights to host Solheim Cup in 2019.
Since the station has undergone its transformation, there have been further significant developments. In December 2015, the Strathallan Community Rail Partnership was formally launched, aiming to foster greater community engagement between the railway, passengers, residents, and local businesses along the Bridge of Allan - Gleneagles corridor.
ScotRail also recently announced that the station will gain an hourly all-day Glasgow-Dundee service in 2018.
Jacqueline Taggart, Customer Experience Director for the ScotRail Alliance, said: “The plaque unveiling is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the recent successes Gleneagles station has experienced.”
Andy Savage, Trustee for National Railway Heritage Awards, said: "We were delighted to make the award for the superb restoration of this station. The high standard of the heritage works, and the most thoughtful design of the new lifts, have combined to show what can be done to make listed stations fit for today's railway whilst celebrating their history."
Fred Garner, Taylor Woodrow's Rail Director, said: "I would like to congratulate the Gleneagles team on their success in winning the Taylor Woodrow Partnership award. We're very pleased to support the National Railway Heritage Awards in recognising the role that excellent teamwork plays in revitalising and upgrading our historic and valuable railway heritage.”
Notes to editors:
The permanent plaque will be on display on platform one in Gleneagles station.
Surplus accommodation is on offer as incubator space for start-up businesses.
Both waiting rooms house an exhibition by local author Robin Bell, telling the story of Strathearn from the Romans to the Ryder Cup.