Network Rail will soon begin major work to upgrade the glazing at both ends of Stoke-on-Trent station.

The Grade II* listed station was built between 1846 and 1848, and has three Dutch-style gables. The central gable has a prominent first-floor bay window, and above that is a parapet bearing the coat of arms of the North Staffordshire Railway Company (NSR).

H A Hunt designed the station in a Neo-Jacobean Manor House style, constructed from dark red and black brick and stone dressings. The building was first listed in 1972, acknowledging that it is of national interest and is protected by planning rules. While Avanti West Coast operates the station, while Network Rail is responsible for the building itself.

Network Rail will replace the gable ends (glazed) walls, which span twenty-five metres over the tracks on the north and south sides of the train shed, which was also built during the Victorian era.

The wooden and wrought iron frames hold more than two hundred glass panels, and have deteriorated due to prolonged exposure to the elements. Some of the glazing has already had to be removed.

Heritage experts and engineers have spent several months planning the project and obtaining consent from Stoke-on-Trent City Council.

On Christmas Day and Boxing Day, when no trains will be running, workers will begin the project by turning off the 25,000-volt overhead electric lines which power trains, and scaffolders start covering both gable ends with a temporary work platform above the tracks, which will give the project’s workforce aerial access throughout next year while allowing freight and passenger trains to run as normal.

Stoke-on-Trent station is on the West Coast main line, one of the busiest mixed-used passenger and freight rail routes in Europe, so both gable ends will being overhauled in one go in order to complete this once-in-a-generation upgrade with minmial disruption.

Work next year will include:

• replacing the timber frames replaced with Accoya wood, a specially-treated timber which lasts longer than traditional softwood
• replacing all 220 panes of glass
• cleaning, repairing and repainting the wrought iron support frames of both gable ends
• repositioning the overhead power lines so that trains can continue to run while the work is carried out.

The council has authorised the use of modern materials which match the look of the original Victorian features, but which are much more durable. They are expected to last for decades are require little maintenance. Workers will paint the timber in heritage colours, and are due to complete this by next autumn.

In the New Year, repairs will continue to the historic stonework across the station building, following the temporary removal of decorative stone ‘finials’ on the station’s roof in August 2022.

Scaffolders will erect structures to support further repairs to be carried throughout 2024.

The work will affect the look and the ambience of the station, but will not affect train service.

More on how Network Rail carries out work on its heritage estate is available here.

Andrew Magee, Network Rail principal route engineer, said: “Stoke-on-Trent station is a beautiful example of Victorian railway architecture, so we’ve been working really hard to achieve a balance between maintaining the original visual appearance of the building whilst incorporating modern materials and construction techniques. This will ensure the new glazed gables remain functional and in top condition for years to come. The original wooden-framed gables have been battered by the elements for many years, so now need a 21st century solution to keep them protected.

“We worked closely with Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s conservation teams to make sure our upgrade strikes that right balance. We’ll now get cracking with the renovations, and I’d like to thank passengers in advance for their patience while the scaffolding goes up over the coming months and we’re working above the trains to get the gable ends looking as good as new.”

Laura Harper, Avanti West Coast station manager at Stoke-on-Trent, said: “It’s great news that the station will be treated to a present of its own this Christmas with the beginning of renovation work to make the gable ends as good as new. Stoke-on-Trent has a rich railway history of which the station is a key part of, so we’re pleased it is being preserved to ensure it can be enjoyed for many more years. We would like to thank our customers in advance for their patience and understanding while Network Rail sympathetically restore this beautiful feature in keeping with the station’s heritage.”