Well, our Maghull secret is out across the UK, Maghull train station is the best. Thank you to all of you associated with the train station, we are not only immensely proud of you, but you have made us all prouder about Maghull.
The station not only boasts a rich history concerning Frank Hornby ( www.frankhornby.co.uk ) who lived several doors down with his old house adorned with a blue plaque, and based his train sets on the station but also has the most dedicated and unrivalled multi-award-winning volunteers over the last 20 years. They have created an uplifting, welcoming picturesque feast with artwork and flowers throughout the year. Their trophy cabinet near the ticket office already bulges with awards comparable to Liverpool Football Club! However, the Coffee Carriage delicatessen has now provided an equally warm community orientated beating heart ( www.facebook.com/profile.php/?id=100090116318471 ).
We think the voting was a real testament to the love and esteem that the station is held in, that the community including ourselves canvassed large community groups including schools, employers, media, all contacts and voted obsessively non-stop for hours on multiple devices! Doreen commented that they had received votes from all over the world!
For those who don’t know, Maghull was nominated by Merseyrail for the World Cup of Railway Stations and competed initially against 48 stations in three knockout rounds, over three days and decided on public online votes. In the first round they beat the Northwest nominees, in the second round they beat the winners from Scotland and Wales. In the final they beat the strongest final contenders from King’s Lynn and Dorridge, with the latter making a surprisingly late surge before the votes continued in earnest in the absence of any percentage markers, hence the frantic voting until midnight. The drama continued, following a one-week delay of the result, before being crowned winners on the 25.10.24 and celebrated across national media (Winner Announcement video https://vimeo.com/1023155653 )
Finally, whilst recognising everyone that contributed there is probably no one more deserving than the Maghull Station Volunteers (MSV) under the leadership of Doreen Bird (MSV background: https://www.fomd.co.uk/maghulls-best-welcome-celebrating-the-maghull-station-volunteers-msv/ )
A huge thank you from our grateful community and best of luck for next year!
Friends of Maghull & District (FOMD).