The restoration of Richmond station has been recognised on the national stage, winning a National Railway Heritage Award for its transformation back to Art Deco.

South Western Railway (SWR) and Network Rail received the Railway Heritage Trust Conservation Award at the 46th National Railway Heritage Awards, held at Merchant Taylors' Hall in the City of London.

The award was presented by Rail Minister Lord Hendy to SWR project leads Chris Gregory and Bryan Robilliard, who were joined by Councillor Chris Varley and Nick O'Donnell from Richmond Council, as well as representatives from the Railway Heritage Trust.

The National Railway Heritage Trust Award for Richmond (credit: South Western Railway).

The restoration project, which began in 2023 and was completed in September, revived the station's historic features after decades of alterations and weathering.

The work focused on both the exterior façade and canopy, as well as the interior booking hall.

Restoration features include:

• Bronze fascia panels
• A "Glasscrete"-style canopy
• Timber frieze and green glass signage
• Art Deco-style chandeliers in the booking hall

Despite the scale of the project, Richmond station remained fully operational throughout, handling almost 8.9 million entries and exits in 2023–24.

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(Left to right) Richmond Society Award - Benedict O'Looney, Bryan Robilliard, Chris Gregory, David Wilby, and Dean Pettitt (credit: South Western Railway).

Chris Gregory, SWR's Asset Enhancement Manager, said: "It's an honour to receive this award for the restoration of Richmond station.

"The station is one of the architectural jewels of our network and the project to bring it back to life has been a labour of love by SWR and Network Rail, our partners Richmond Council and the Railway Heritage Trust, as well as many talented contractors and craftspeople.

"The greatest reward, however, has been providing Richmond with the gateway it truly deserves; one that will make our customers, colleagues, and the local community proud. If you haven't been to see the station yet, hop on a train and pay it a visit!"

The revamp of Richmond Station took two years and finished in September 2025 (credit: South Western Railway).

Designed by architect James Robb Scott and opened in 1937, Richmond station shares its Art Deco heritage with other notable stations on the SWR network, including Surbiton, Woking and Chessington South.

The project also received a Richmond Society Award in October for its contribution to the town's built environment.

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