Back on Track: Tilbury Riverside Station – Restoration and Community Reinvigoration

by | Jan 22, 2025 | 0 comments

Client: Tilbury on the Thames Trust

Dates: 2023-2024 (Development Phase)

Budget: £4,478,310 (Delivery Phase Grant)

Project: Transformation of Tilbury Riverside Station into a Community and Cultural Hub

“Back on Track” is a transformative project to restore the Grade II* listed Tilbury Riverside Station, a site central to Tilbury’s rich maritime history and renowned as the 1948 docking location of the SS Empire Windrush. Designed by Sir Edwin Cooper in the 1920s, this historic station has been a gateway for goods, people, and culture along the Thames Estuary, connecting Tilbury to national and international heritage.

As the appointed Activity Planner for the development phase, Alix Slater Consultancy collaborated with Tilbury on the Thames Trust and Forth Ports to create an ambitious activity plan laying the foundation for long-term community engagement. This plan included programs with local schools and charities supporting isolated individuals aged 75+ and initiatives to celebrate the station’s significance as a historic point of arrival and departure.

After successfully completing the development phase, the project was awarded a £4.4 million delivery grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. This funding will enable a full-scale restoration of Tilbury Riverside Station. It will be transformed into a thriving community hub with artist studios, a community café, event spaces, and exhibition areas dedicated to Tilbury’s role in major historical events. A four-year engagement programme has begun, which will bring Tilbury’s heritage to life through workshops, exhibitions, and community research, providing nearly 18,000 heritage engagement opportunities, 9,000 volunteer hours, and extensive skills training for the local community.

“Back on Track” will re-establish Tilbury as a cultural destination, integrating the station’s historical significance with the needs of modern audiences and creating new pathways for community involvement, economic growth, and cultural celebration along the Thames.