James Cook Station Officially Opened

[northernchris]

James Cook station was officially opened today by Baroness Kramer

http://http://www.northernrail.org/news/7500

Minister of State for Transport, Baroness Kramer, has officially opened a new £2.2m Tees Valley rail station that is vital to the area’s transport infrastructure.

Baroness Kramer named the train she arrived on – Captain James Cook, Master Mariner - and unveiled an official opening plaque to mark the development of the James Cook station behind The James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, which has been achieved through a partnership involving Tees Valley Unlimited, Northern Rail, Network Rail, Middlesbrough Council and South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust,.

Up to 17 Northern Rail trains on the Esk Valley line call at the new stop, which has been established following a successful Local Sustainable Transport Fund bid from the Department for Transport by TVU, the Local Enterprise Partnership for Tees Valley.

Transport Minister Baroness Kramer said: “I am very pleased that we have been able to contribute £2million towards the new station at The James Cook University Hospital, which will serving staff, patients and visitors as well as enhancing the wider transport network. Good transport connections act as an engine for economic growth, and link local people to vital services.

Any ideas which 156 has been named?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Why the need for an official opening. Were train services not stopping at that railway station previously ?

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Why the need for an official opening. Were train services not stopping at that railway station previously ?

We are less than 12 months from a General Election perhaps?

 

[David Goddard]

Any ideas which 156 has been named?

Flick though the pictures here, interesting to note that the station sign actually says "James Cook University Hospital Station", implying that the word station is part of it's name.

469 is shown as the first train to serve the station, but one cant tell if it was this one which was named.
http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/james-cook-hospital-train-station-7455995

 

[Gathursty]

This Baroness is a bit late to the party, isn't she? I and countless others have graced the platform at the hospital already. Still, I like the name of the train.

 

[Crossover]

Any ideas which 156 has been named?

Flick though the pictures here, interesting to note that the station sign actually says "James Cook University Hospital Station", implying that the word station is part of it's name.

469 is shown as the first train to serve the station, but one cant tell if it was this one which was named.
http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/james-cook-hospital-train-station-7455995

Those photos are from opening day when it was a building site. If you look at later pictures (many on the previous thread about JCH) you'll find they were replaced with ones that just say. 'James Cook' IIRC. The change happened back last month as one day I visited and the old signs were there, with the new ones in place on a visit just 6 days later!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Those photos are from opening day when it was a building site. If you look at later pictures (many on the previous thread about JCH) you'll find they were replaced with ones that just say. 'James Cook' IIRC. The change happened back last month as one day I visited and the old signs were there, with the new ones in place on a visit just 6 days later!

Is that because the local populace are not used to such a large groupage of words together and that this was done to reassure them ?....:roll:

 

[swt_passenger]

We are less than 12 months from a General Election perhaps?

OTOH it is pretty much normal at any time for new stations such as this to be opened by someone such as a fairly lowly Minister at the DfT. As far as I can see it can happen at any time in the electoral cycle...