THREE years and £60 million of work to transform Nottingham's railway station into a gateway to the city finally came to fruition on Wednesday with an official opening ceremony.
Sir William McAlpine, chairman of the Railway Heritage Trust, was invited to help mark the end of the ambitious project, which is expected to boost Nottingham's local economy.
He was joined by 13-year-old Elly Blacknell, a Year 9 student at the Becket School in West Bridgford, who was named the Child of Courage at the Nottingham Post's Heroes Awards earlier this year.
Elly, who aspires to be a Paralympic swimming champion after losing part of her leg to bone cancer, accompanied Sir McAlpine on a tour of the revamped station, before unveiling a commemorative plaque.
Elly said: "It was really exciting. The best part was getting to unveil the plaque and being presented with a bouquet of flowers.
"I was very surprised when I was told I had been picked to help open the station – I was very excited but also a bit nervous."
Elly's mum Karen Doller said she was "very proud" to see her daughter take centre stage.
The 39-year-old said: "It's been quite surreal to see her as the VIP, but also a huge honour. The atmosphere has been brilliant and it's amazing to be part of something so important."
Children from schools across Nottinghamshire were also invited to be part of the event, alongside the Robin Hood Youth Orchestra.
Nine-year-old Emma Tomlinson, from the Archbishop of Cranmer CofE School in Aslockton, had the chance to meet Sir McAlpine and the Lord Lieutenant of Nottingham, Sir John Peace.
She said: "It was really amazing to get to speak to them as we didn't think we would. It's been a really good day."
The redevelopment of the station, a partnership between East Midlands Trains, Network Rail, Nottingham City Council, Taylor Woodrow and the Railway Heritage Trust, has helped transform it into an impressive "transport hub", serving more than seven million passengers a year.
It is hoped the investment will help lead the way for further regeneration across the city.
Councillor Jane Urquhart, portfolio holder for planning and transport at Nottingham City Council, said: "This shows that we are willing to invest in Nottingham. We hope it will inspire businesses and developments to start up here. This is us saying Nottingham's open for business, and we want to be the best we can be."
Sir William McAlpine added: "The revamped station is just magnificent. We can now use it as a station to suit 21st century travel."
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