iris PR worked as part of a cross agency team on a fully integrated campaign which saw Carlisle’s city’s train station undergo an ambitious transformation whereby the whole platform and waiting rooms were given an impressive makeover. A platform bridge became a rainbow of paint and passengers waited for trains on plush sofas. Travelers stepped from carriages onto a platform with a lawn, flower beds and loungers and a fully-fitted kitchen was installed as a café serving drinks and snacks to waiting commuters.

Carlisle train station bridge

iris PR had an on-set publicist dispatched to Carlisle to manage press photography and oversee media liaison including local papers, filming for TV news, radio interviews, online and rail press. The campaign has received 40 pieces of coverage to date. As interest in the station grew so did the number of members on a Facebook group ‘Keep Carlisle Train Station Like This’, with more than 8,000 people lobbying to keep the newly made-over station.

The platform

A national rollout of the transforming the nation concept gave community projects across the country the chance to win a £10,000 makeover by nominating a space they would like to see transformed. The iris PR team is now working on drumming up local media support for the nine deserving finalists. Watch this space…