A well-attended unveiling ceremony was held in the booking hall of Sudbury Hill station –one of the iconic European style art deco designs by Charles Holden constructed for the transfer of the route from District to Piccadilly lines in 1932 – on Monday 29 June 2023. The project, part of the programme to provide step-free access to stations in London, saw the station awarded the London Underground Operational Enhancement Award at the 2022 National Railway Heritage Awards, which were announced in December last year.
Andy Savage MBE (NRHA Chairman), Malcolm Wood (NRHA Awards Manager & Trustee) and Robert Hayward (NRHA Awards Manager & Trustee) represented NRHA.
Robert Jones (Area Manager, Ealing Common Group TfL) welcomed guests to the station on behalf of the station staff, with several in attendance, and after giving a brief safety message and explaining something of the station history handed over to Nick Dent (Director of Customer Operations TfL).
In his speech, Nick Dent recognised the importance of the award to TfL, and also of the sponsorship of the Awards by TFL and spoke of the significant benefits that the scheme brings to the accessibility of customers.
Andy Savage then spoke on behalf of the National Railway Heritage Awards, explaining how the awards are a charity supported by the wider railway community and industry. He congratulated TFL on their success, highlighting the attention to detail which had been a great impression on him when he had judged the scheme. He commented particularly on the brickwork coursing and the appropriate interventions and spacings and locations of elements, respecting existing features of the iconic station design. He continued with thanks TfL for their much-appreciated sponsorship of the awards, noting that without the support of the sponsors there would be no awards.
Edmund Bird (Heritage Manager TfL) spoke on the importance of the heritage estate of which TfL are custodians. He described the care required in the careful integration of modern facilities, and in particular the physical integration to achieve the accessibility level required.
Finally, Councillor Paul Osborn, Leader of Harrow Council spoke about the importance of the scheme to the local community, describing the large number of interfaces with the TfL rail network within Harrow, and hoping that the successful scheme at Sudbury Hill would act as a catalyst for further accessibility projects being generated across the borough.
The plaque was then unveiled by Nick Dent, Andy Savage MBE, Paul Osborn and Sanjay Shah (Customer Service Manager, Ealing Common Group TfL).
Following the unveiling group photographs were taken and the guests retired for refreshments organised by the station staff.
The plaque is about to be unveiled by Paul Osborn, Andy Savage MBE, NIck Dent and Sanjay Shah. © Luca Marino/TfL Visual Services
The plaque in situ. © Luca Marino/TfL Visual Services
The lift shaft on the southbound platform at Sudbury Hill station. Andy Savage/NRHA
The lift shaft on the northbound platform. The work in providing step-free access at the station won the project the London Underground Operational Enhancement Award at the 2022 National Railway Heritage Awards. Andy Savage/NRHA