Aberdour Station plans are blossoming for volunteers

The hard work of a group of volunteers behind the ambitious plans to transform Aberdour train station, with a programme of replanting and improvements, has seen the station shortlisted for the prestigious National Rail Award.

Aberdour now joins North Berwick and Port Glasgow in the small station category with announcement of the winner to take place at an awards ceremony in London in September.

It’s delivered a timely boost for the dozen or so volunteers, who have spent months clearing old terraced garden areas on the Northbound platform, as well as adding a number of floral hanging baskets and other plants to the station.

“It’s a national award which takes in everything from customer services, cleanliness, appearance and the gardens and planting play a part in that so we are obviously delighted to be recognised in such a prestigious award,” Bill Rennie, one of the main volunteers told the Press.

“In addition to that the station has also been nominated for a Community Involvement award, in which the heritage centre has a major roll to play,

The shortlisting announcement comes in the week that the station celebrates the first anniversary of the opening Aberdour Heritage Centre, which is also situated within the main station building.

And the first year has exceeded all expectation, said Bill.

“We’ve had over 1,500 visitors in the first year which is fantastic and way more than we’d expected, especially considering we only open for a couple of hours on two days per week.

“We’ve had people from all over the world visit and the feedback has been really positive from everyone.”

And with a new exhibition focusing on growing up in Aberdour now complete, volunteers will man the centre everyday through next week’s Aberdour Festival, as well as extending opening ours and days throughout August to accommodated tourists and those using the station during the Edinburgh Festival period.