Railway restoration wins a prize

A project to restore an Edwardian railway turntable has won an award.

The Ferryhill Railway Heritage Trust was awarded the Aberdeen Civic Society’s Principal Award for 2019 for the work done to restore the facility in Aberdeen.

The turntable, located adjacent to the Duthie Park, had been abandoned by the national railway system; Network Rail no longer had a need to turn railway locomotives in Aberdeen.

The Ferryhill Railway Heritage Trust was formed in 2007 and subsequently took over control of the Grade ‘A’ listed turntable. The turntable has been restored to full working order and is used on a regular basis to turn steam locomotives that now come up to Aberdeen using the mainline tracks.

The Society is giving Commendations to two other projects; the P&J Live Event Complex at Bucksburn and the refurbishment of Aberdeen Music Hall in Union Street.

Dominic Fairlie, chairman of Aberdeen Civic Society, said: ‘It gives us great pleasure to give our Principal Award this year to the Ferryhill Railway Heritage Trust.

‘The work done by the Trust to bring the historic turntable back into use is inspirational and is a great example of caring for our heritage and important buildings without it costing a fortune. Aberdeen is now on the map when it comes to national railway tours. A project that fully deserves our main award.

‘The winners of Commendations were strong contenders in our deliberations this year. The P&J Live Event complex is huge and will undoubtedly give Aberdeen presence when it comes to hosting events. The refurbishment work to Aberdeen Music Hall has been done sensitively with a strong priority on improving access to a much-loved building in the heart of Aberdeen. Well done to them all.’

Aberdeen Civic Society is a charity set up to stimulate public interest in and care for the beauty, history and character of the city of Aberdeen and its surroundings.

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