Network Rail plans for Newcastle Central Station

[Kryten2340]

This was mentioned in a thread a while back of which I can't remember but Network Rail have announced their plans to upgrade Newcastle Central Station.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-21734489

Plans have been revealed for a £8.6m upgrade for Newcastle Central Station.

During the year-long project, a glazed pedestrianised area will be created in the front portico, with a new taxi rank to the east of it.

Its internal layout will be simplified and will include more shops, a new information centre and toilets.

The Grade I-Listed building was designed by John Dobson, and Queen Victoria attended its official opening in 1850.

Work is due to begin in May, and the station will operate as normal throughout.

'Better impression'
Newcastle Central Station is managed by East Coast, and the building is owned by Network Rail.

Phil Verster, from Network Rail, said: "Newcastle station is an incredibly busy and important transport hub for the North East.

"These improvements will help passengers to get the best from the listed building.

"Significantly, the finished station will also give a better first impression to visitors to the city."

 

[yorksrob]

Sounds similar to the work done on Sheffield Midland a few years back.

 

[Stats]

Full press release and images: http://www.mediacentre.eastcoast.co...EW-ERA-FOR-NEWCASTLE-CENTRAL-STATION-370.aspx

Exciting plans to transform Newcastle Central station into an impressive new gateway to the city and the wider North East region are unveiled today by station and train operator East Coast.

The £8.6 million project will provide a stunning new facility for thousands of passengers, and will enhance the historic original Victorian station design. The new-look station will provide a welcoming first impression for visitors to the city, and will be a key part of wider regeneration in the surrounding area of Newcastle city centre.

Its centrepiece will be the pedestrianisation and glazing of the station’s front portico, to create a dramatic new public and retail space.

East Coast, which manages Newcastle Central station, today unveils plans for the new-look building. The project is in partnership with Network Rail, the rail infrastructure provider which owns the station building.

Station users are being invited to view the plans, including artist’s impressions, at an exhibition at the station between 3.30pm and 7.30pm on Tuesday and Wednesday (12 and 13 March).

The improvements for station users include:
• A new, pedestrianised public and retail space in the front portico, with glazing in the arches to enclose the space and provide weather protection
• A doubling of the retail space to offer exciting new retail and leisure choices – similar to those now available at the refurbished London King’s Cross
• Improved passenger facilities including a new travel centre, better toilet facilities and clearer signage
• The amount of covered cycle storage space will more than double, compared with existing facilities
• A simpler layout that will give new prominence to the original building design and improve sightlines across the station's main concourse.

The architectural heritage of the station is at the heart of the new design. The station’s simplified layout will open up sightlines towards the Castle Keep, whilst showcasing the distinctive curvature of the arched roof.

Continued at above link

 

[yorksrob]

It will certainly be an improvement on dodging the taxis.

 

[gimmea50anyday]

Well I sincerely hope that leaky roof is fixed as part of the work...

 

[Greenback]

The new portico looks good, and I am sure that the new shops will do well, though every time I visit Newcastle there seems to be more retail units than the last time!

A new ticket office/travel centre is a priority in my view.

 

[Cherry_Picker]

It says in that press release that Newcastle Central is one of only six Grade I listed railway stations in the UK.
I was going to ask what the others were. I know that Birmingham Curzon Street is Grade I listed, but I'm not sure that it counts as a station these days because it is unused so I thought I'd have a quick search on the internet for an answer and found it easily. So for the sake of an interesting tangent, the Grade I listed stations:

Current stations -

Bristol Temple Meads
Huddersfield
London Kings Cross
London Paddington
London St Pancras
Newcastle Central

Former stations -

Birmingham Curzon Street
Manchester Liverpool Road


I guess it is a predictable list, but I am surprised it is so small. I'd wager the number of Grade II listings is significantly higher though.

 

[tbtc]

Sounds similar to the work done on Sheffield Midland a few years back.

It does - that was a good upgrade - good to keep passengers away from the path of taxis where possible (see also Waverley!)

It says in that press release that Newcastle Central is one of only six Grade I listed railway stations in the UK.
I was going to ask what the others were. I know that Birmingham Curzon Street is Grade I listed, but I'm not sure that it counts as a station these days because it is unused so I thought I'd have a quick search on the internet for an answer and found it easily. So for the sake of an interesting tangent, the Grade I listed stations:

Current stations -

Bristol Temple Meads
Huddersfield
London Kings Cross
London Paddington
London St Pancras
Newcastle Central

Former stations -

Birmingham Curzon Street
Manchester Liverpool Road


I guess it is a predictable list, but I am surprised it is so small. I'd wager the number of Grade II listings is significantly higher though.

If you'd said there was one Yorkshire station on there I'd have guessed York ahead of Huddersfield - not that Huddersfield is an ugly station of course - far from it.

 

[swt_passenger]

The picture of the concourse on the NR site suggests that the current travel centre (with its external framework) might be replaced, or might that just be artistic licence?

IIRC some of the waiting areas on the new island platform were designed to be similar to the travel centre for supposed heritage reasons...

 

[ian1944]

It's predictable that more shops will be there, given the rental income these will generate. I'm old enough to think of stations as places where you catch a train, needing only a ticket/enquiry office and, if it's somewhere you may have a fair wait, a refreshment room and lots of platform seats. Now, I just ignore the overpriced on-site franchised coffee and fast food outlets.

 

[LE Greys]

I haven't got off at Newcastle since my brief time at the university in 2010, but I remember a place near the booking office under the main roof that did sausage rolls and cups of tea. Currently, there is something called the Centurion Cafe on the site, but that doesn't look like it would do decent sausage rolls for anything less than £5, so yet another convenient little spot seems to have tried to turn itself upmarket, and probably just become pretentions. However, I'd be glad to see the Travel Centre moved to the old booking hall, and the building replaced with something more in keeping with the original station design.

 

[Kryten2340]

I haven't got off at Newcastle since my brief time at the university in 2010, but I remember a place near the booking office under the main roof that did sausage rolls and cups of tea. Currently, there is something called the Centurion Cafe on the site, but that doesn't look like it would do decent sausage rolls for anything less than £5, so yet another convenient little spot seems to have tried to turn itself upmarket, and probably just become pretentions. However, I'd be glad to see the Travel Centre moved to the old booking hall, and the building replaced with something more in keeping with the original station design.

The Centurion (the bar) has been there for a good number of years. If I'm not mistaken so has the cafe.

 

[LE Greys]

The Centurion (the bar) has been there for a good number of years. If I'm not mistaken so has the cafe.

Maybe the website picture makes it look different from how it is. I haven't been there for three years.

 

[Waverley21]

It says in that press release that Newcastle Central is one of only six Grade I listed railway stations in the UK.

That's not entirely correct! Scotland has its own listing system, where Category A is the rough equivalent of the English Grade I.

Waverley Station is Grade I:

http://data.historic-scotland.gov.uk/pls/htmldb/f?p=2200:15:0::::BUILDING:30270

There are quite a number of others - Glasgow Central, Aviemore, Bo'ness, Broughty Ferry, Dumbarton, Dunkeld and Birnam, Aberdeen, Haymarket, Ladybank, Melrose, Glasgow Queen Street, Pitlochry, Stirling and Wemyss Bay - think that makes 15!

 

[AndyHudds]

It does - that was a good upgrade - good to keep passengers away from the path of taxis where possible (see also Waverley!)



If you'd said there was one Yorkshire station on there I'd have guessed York ahead of Huddersfield - not that Huddersfield is an ugly station of course - far from it.

Its listed on its outside appearance only, as inside its nowt to look at to be fair. Even the current booking hall is a bit bland despite its recent renovation.

As someone who is born and bred in Huddersfield the station facade is magnificent and I for one am well proud of it and its a iconic building in the town.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I presume the inside not being the reason for the listing is why ticket gates have now been approved by all concerned parties for Huddersfield - look at the malarkey they caused at, coincidentally, Newcastle because of the building's listed status!

 

[yorksrob]

As someone who is born and bred in Huddersfield the station facade is magnificent and I for one am well proud of it and its a iconic building in the town.

It is very impressive. I always half expect to see Michael J Fox hanging off of it with a Delorean whizzing around somewhere near by

 

[JohnCarlson]

Newcastle Council had at one point plans to take everything but buses and taxis away from the front of the central station and glass in the portico putting in a messene floor.

There were also plans around twenty years ago to put in a subway connecting the Metro concourse directly with all of the platforms and then out of the back of the station to improve access to the developments to the south.

I wonder if there plans if the ticket office goes to join up some of the bay platforms in eventual redness for HS2 Traffic?

John

 

[LE Greys]

Newcastle Council had at one point plans to take everything but buses and taxis away from the front of the central station and glass in the portico putting in a messene floor.

There were also plans around twenty years ago to put in a subway connecting the Metro concourse directly with all of the platforms and then out of the back of the station to improve access to the developments to the south.

I wonder if there plans if the ticket office goes to join up some of the bay platforms in eventual redness for HS2 Traffic?

John

That would be an excellent reason to remove the Travel Centre structure, although I think the footbridge is in the way and that's probably original and so cannot be removed.

 

[Stats]

Newcastle Council had at one point plans to take everything but buses and taxis away from the front of the central station and glass in the portico putting in a messene floor.

The redevelopment of the station is part of a wider scheme called the Newcastle Central Gateway to redevelop the public realm around the station. Work has started on improving the area around the station for pedestrians, cyclists, redesigning the road layout and provide a direct link for pedestrians to the city centre. Unfortunately there are no detailed plans online of this work - that I can find anyway.

There were also plans around twenty years ago to put in a subway connecting the Metro concourse directly with all of the platforms and then out of the back of the station to improve access to the developments to the south.

Although this won't be happening, the Metro Station will be refurbished as part of the Metro reinvigoration project. This was supposed to have happened last year but was postponed to fit in with the Central Station redevelopment.

I wonder if there plans if the ticket office goes to join up some of the bay platforms in eventual redness for HS2 Traffic?

No. The existing travel centre is being replaced by retail facilities.

 

[JohnCarlson]

That would be an excellent reason to remove the Travel Centre structure, although I think the footbridge is in the way and that's probably original and so cannot be removed.

While it is old I dont think its by any means original.

http://www.tomorrows-history.com/images/content/UN/UN0300070001.jpg

IIRC much of that footbridge was actually built during the the Thatcher years.

The interior and patterns of use have altered dramatically over the years.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

The redevelopment of the station is part of a wider scheme called the Newcastle Central Gateway to redevelop the public realm around the station. Work has started on improving the area around the station for pedestrians, cyclists, redesigning the road layout and provide a direct link for pedestrians to the city centre. Unfortunately there are no detailed plans online of this work - that I can find anyway.

Although this won't be happening, the Metro Station will be refurbished as part of the Metro reinvigoration project. This was supposed to have happened last year but was postponed to fit in with the Central Station redevelopment.

No. The existing travel centre is being replaced by retail facilities.

Last year I was at the castle and looking down on the CS there is really quite a lot of potential to extend the platforms. In doing so the line across the High Level might be lost but not sure if that might happen eventually anyway. Thanks for the info. I would hate to have the job of sorting out all the conflicting road traffic flows in the area. A few weeks ago late at night we were waiting for a taxi in the portico and the cars coming out of the car park were consistently blocking the flow of taxis up to the rank.

 

[Stats]

The Listed Building application has now gone online on Newcastle CC planning portal. http://publicaccess.newcastle.gov.u...s.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=MJUXQXBSAP000

2013/0383/01/LBC | Listed Building Application: Alterations to the existing porte-cochere to pedestrian use consisting of glazing in existing arched openings, new stone flooring, flush soffits, installation of freestanding retail units and self service ticket machines including new service connections and lighting. Demolition of the existing ticket office on the concourse and construction of a new fully glazed building accommodating retail units. Relocation and realignment of ticket barriers and removal of free standing retail units. Refurbishment and alteration to part of the existing station building at the west end for the travel centre and public ticketing, public toilets, back of house staff accommodation and retail units including creation of new openings. Alterations and refurbishment of first floor accommodation for staff training on platforms 3 / 4.

I am not sure about locating the travel centre past where Sainsburys is, or whether a "destination pub" at that end of the station would work. It is a bit out of the way.

 

[fireftrm]

A completely new footbridge was built, during the latter part of the 20th century, to give access to the new platforms 5-8. Thus extended the existing bridge, which is anything but modern. I can't find out how old, but it is cast iron and I guess we'll over 100 years old. It will date back to the dawn of footbridges, JC's link is to a drawing if the station well before the raised platforms became the norm - anyone know when railway rules/legislation made these mandatory? When the new bridge was installed it had to be built to look exactly like the original and has false rivet heads and steel columns of cast iron look so as appear so.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I am not sure about locating the travel centre past where Sainsburys is, or whether a "destination pub" at that end of the station would work. It is a bit out of the way.

I don't think the plan will be for 'past where Sainsbury' is in reality. The existing retail units will all have to move, which means the mini market and the scruffy pub, whatever its latest name is. Also I cannot make out where the main entrance is to be, where taxis will drop off. If this is in the area to the west of the portico then new travel centre and pub at the west end will be very much in the way if public footfall.

The renderings of the new concourse and portico look fantastic, bring this in ASAP

 

[JohnCarlson]

A completely new footbridge was built, during the latter part of the 20th century, to give access to the new platforms 5-8. Thus extended the existing bridge, which is anything but modern. I can't find out how old, but it is cast iron and I guess we'll over 100 years old. It will date back to the dawn of footbridges, JC's link is to a drawing if the station well before the raised platforms became the norm - anyone know when railway rules/legislation made these mandatory? When the new bridge was installed it had to be built to look exactly like the original and has false rivet heads and steel columns of cast iron look so as appear so.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---



The renderings of the new concourse and portico look fantastic, bring this in ASAP

When the extended the footbridge they also cut a walk way in that stone building on the platform which surprised me considerably.

 

[gimmea50anyday]

There are rumblings suggesting platforms 1 and 9 will be knocked through to create two more through platforms

 

[JohnCarlson]

Some time soon thy may have to consider how HS2 trains will fit into Newcastle. I would think bridging the bay platforms and then extending way up towards the castle keep would be the way to go. I have not been over the area with a tape measure but presume three long platforms could be created with relatively little disruption to existing services.

 

[william]

The cavernous taxi infested frontage is my favourite bit of the station. I'm not particularly keen on flashy, shiny, overpriced redevelopments. Oh well. I'm all for a complete rethink in the design of the current travel centre however.

 

[JohnCarlson]

The cavernous taxi infested frontage is my favourite bit of the station. I'm not particularly keen on flashy, shiny, overpriced redevelopments. Oh well. I'm all for a complete rethink in the design of the current travel centre however.

The problems with the Portico at the moment are that it looks scruffy, there are conflicting movements of cars coming out the on platform car park and taxis trying to pick up passengers and other than a relatively small taxi pick up point it servers no purpose. Most cars just drive through it.

I think they want a return on investment but how they will sort out traffic flows I really dont know.

 

[swt_passenger]

There's quite a bit of detail in a thread in 'skyscraper city', includes plans from the public display etc:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1600715&page=3

Posters there reckon taxis will be to the right of the portico, and short stay to the left, as viewed leaving the platforms.

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Some time soon thy may have to consider how HS2 trains will fit into Newcastle. I would think bridging the bay platforms and then extending way up towards the castle keep would be the way to go. I have not been over the area with a tape measure but presume three long platforms could be created with relatively little disruption to existing services.

In my opinion, this wouldn't work. You might theoretically get a pair of tracks through, roughly in line with current P9/10 (ie connect the P9 face to the P1 face) but a third platform would be awkward on its own, it would need the footbridge ramp to be removed, and would definitely leave you with insufficient concourse space, and it's that space they are trying to find in the current project.

With a pair of tracks linked through from P9/10 as above, the current P2 would then be the south side of a new island, which would need to be wide enough to take the necessary stairs, ramps, lifts etc, and a certain number of platform buildings.

And this is also going to need to be sufficiently wide to deal with intercity arrival numbers, so you need something much wider than the existing gaps between P2 and P9, or P2 and P1, if that makes sense.

But lastly, the possible position of tracks and platforms is predetermined by the rows of columns supporting the roof - and the barrel roof sections are the key architectural feature of the whole station, so I expect no alterations to the basic alignment of the current platform faces is possible.

My solution would be to just alter P5-P8 to provide two long through platforms, and then build another simple island further south - who knows they might even build a decent canopy over it this time...

 

[JohnCarlson]

There's quite a bit of detail in a thread in 'skyscraper city', includes plans from the public display etc:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1600715&page=3

Posters there reckon taxis will be to the right of the portico, and short stay to the left, as viewed leaving the platforms.

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---



In my opinion, this wouldn't work. You might theoretically get a pair of tracks through, roughly in line with current P9/10 (ie connect the P9 face to the P1 face) but a third platform would be awkward on its own, it would need the footbridge ramp to be removed, and would definitely leave you with insufficient concourse space, and it's that space they are trying to find in the current project.

With a pair of tracks linked through from P9/10 as above, the current P2 would then be the south side of a new island, which would need to be wide enough to take the necessary stairs, ramps, lifts etc, and a certain number of platform buildings.

And this is also going to need to be sufficiently wide to deal with intercity arrival numbers, so you need something much wider than the existing gaps between P2 and P9, or P2 and P1, if that makes sense.

But lastly, the possible position of tracks and platforms is predetermined by the rows of columns supporting the roof - and the barrel roof sections are the key architectural feature of the whole station, so I expect no alterations to the basic alignment of the current platform faces is possible.

My solution would be to just alter P5-P8 to provide two long through platforms, and then build another simple island further south - who knows they might even build a decent canopy over it this time...

Hi there

What I am suggesting doing is linking platforms one and nine, as you say, and also extending the track running through what is now platform ten all the way to make it a through platform. The demolition if the existing ticket office would actually make the concourse bigger. See the picture at

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/sjp/NCL/images/photos/800/o2598-0000129.jpg


These two platforms along with what is now platform two would be vastly extended up towards this area here.

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1104600

Not sure abut the listed status of the footbridge but judging by the modifications that went in during electrification I would imagine the following would be possible.


The ramp at the south end would be swung round 90 degrees clockwise to serve the new island platform. Put in an extra "hump" to bridge the island platform and the entrance.


The area that is now the on platform car park would be redeveloped for retail and hopefully covered. Removing that car park would eliminate some traffic flow issues at the front of the station. I understand the car park here can be convenient but its still seems wrongly sited to me.


If car parking space were needed some of that derelict land to the south of the station could be used and maybe linked in by a walkway. Of course Gateshead Team Valley parkway station might take away some of the need to park around the Central Station but that would be some time away.