LOL The Irony
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I've not been down that way since before the collapse and haven't seen the keystone. Thanks for posting these images. The keystone appears to have taken some damage from somewhere though.
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Northwich Station Roof Collapse - 18/05/2021
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Yes, it bears a couple of scars !
Hopefully its retention marks an intention to rebuild to something architecturally in keeping with what collapsed.
The rest of the building and canopy look in need of some maintanance, but sound.
D821
Member
The keystone looks like sandstone, I'd guess it had weathered quite a bit since it was installed.
caplimilan
New Member
Perhaps this collapse could have been avoided if the builders or architects had worked more responsibly. Or did I miss a fundamental reason for this fiasco? It all starts with little things. Even an eavestrough can break down over time because of a small crack. Plus, you can add weather conditions to the mix. I think they need more experienced professionals to fix this roof collapse. I went to one company that "fixed" the problem in my roof. After that repair, I had to go to another company that fixed the job. This is why you should be more attentive to this issue, even the little things.
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I would imagine the builders or architects would be pretty impressed it lasted as long as it did what with being 140 odd years old by now.
As with most things on the modern railway getting access to fix things is hard work. More than likely the problem started small and went unnoticed until it fell down. It might have been as simple as blocked gutter between the building and the canopy. Again how do you get someone safely in there to clean it?
As with most things on the modern railway getting access to fix things is hard work. More than likely the problem started small and went unnoticed until it fell down. It might have been as simple as blocked gutter between the building and the canopy. Again how do you get someone safely in there to clean it?
Not really. Buildings can often last many hundreds of years when maintained properly.
Yes, the tree growing out of the masonry.
Mcr Warrior
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Post #7 upthread shows a picture of shrubbery (Buddleia?) clearly growing in the gap between the gable end that collapsed and the platform canopy roof.
357
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Looking at historical Google Street View - the tree was well established in 2009 (the earliest image available).
Having worked with stations older than Northwich, and dealt with the issues related to maintenance, the normal excuses are "it's too expensive" or "we can't get access".
The reality is there are many stations like this, with these same issues, all over the country. This incident did not shock me at all, and I do not expect it to be the last incident of this type either.
Having worked with stations older than Northwich, and dealt with the issues related to maintenance, the normal excuses are "it's too expensive" or "we can't get access".
The reality is there are many stations like this, with these same issues, all over the country. This incident did not shock me at all, and I do not expect it to be the last incident of this type either.
LOL The Irony
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No, it was entirely caused by a combination of lack of maintenance and heavy rain before and during the collapse.
Xenophon PCDGS
Veteran Member
Look at the well-established Buddleia Davidii specimen that grows out of the masonry entrance to the tram entrance to Manchester Victoria railway station above the overhead line level that is known about, but never dealt with.
I wonder if that comes under Metrolink.
They certainly didn't look after their half of the old trainshed, otherwise they wouldn't have needed to replace it.
Committee man
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Here is a picture I took from the train this afternoon. It looks like the booking office wall is being insulated, and re faced (in matching bricks), I assume this is now going to be an outside wall with, perhaps, some sort of steel and glass shelter/waiting room/booking hall attached.
ServerHoster
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Still no ticket buying facilities? I’m not surprised.
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Will they use it as an opportunity not to reinstate ticket facilities I wonder !
From an architectural point of view, it will be a shame if they don't rebuild the remaining section as was. Hopefully the rest of the building and canopy will be fully restored !
From an architectural point of view, it will be a shame if they don't rebuild the remaining section as was. Hopefully the rest of the building and canopy will be fully restored !
Xenophon PCDGS
Veteran Member
Is the original distinctive yellow brickwork in the station building from the same company who supplied much of that product when large residences were built in the Bowdon area of Altrincham in Victorian times?
Xenophon PCDGS
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What is the current position concerning the matter of required works at Northwich railway station.
Rail Ranger
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Northern are making an application under the DfT Access for All scheme to combine providing disabled access to the Chester-bound platform with the rebuild.
LOL The Irony
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Indeed they are. They got in trouble with the MP for not relaying this information to his constituents.
ServerHoster
Member
A quick trip to the station this evening shows that the station building has been replaced with… just a fence and a gate. There is a “hole in the wall” for the ticket office. Ticket machines and PIS screen in working order.
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As a newly joined member living in Northwich, I wondered if there would be a thread on this, and indeed there is. It will be good to see the booking office rebuilt hopefully to the plan in the planning application. And we have only just got the two TVMs back although they are sometimes temperamental. So if all goes to plan a few months time might see all the nice shiny tarmac dug up and work undone to start building the new booking office. Interestingly, I was told by a contractor if the collapse or aftermath had in anyway damaged the footbridge, then that might have counted in favour in making the station more accessible for all.. oh well.
My money is on the Arpley to Tunstead empty hoppers that passed through the station not long before as I saw it just down the line at the Greenall Road footbridge the same morning.
Cheers Paul
My money is on the Arpley to Tunstead empty hoppers that passed through the station not long before as I saw it just down the line at the Greenall Road footbridge the same morning.
Cheers Paul
Welcome to the forum and I'm glad you have looked at this planning application. I live in Northwich and I have seen it too. Network Rail are proposing to rebuild the station in the same architectural style as before which is excellent. However they are not proposing to replace the canopy. I think as many people as possible should respond to the planning application asking for the canopy to be reinstated. The deadline for responses is Tuesday August 2nd so not long now.
LOL The Irony
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Where can we find the application?
This happened shortly after the super train ran through, didn't it? My money is on the sheer volume of heavy traffic combined with poor maintenance and the weather.
The application is on the Cheshire West & Chester council website. Either search on their planning portal for application 22/01973/P18, or this direct link should work https://pa.cheshirewestandchester.g...ils.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=RCE7JNTE0U700 .
I doubt that the collapse was caused by the heavy trains that pass through the station, as the heaviest ones are on the goods line (former platform 3) which is the access to and from the Middlewich line, and that is a considerable distance from the station building. I suspect lack of maintenance and especially allowing buddleia to grow out of the wall, destablising it.
I doubt that the collapse was caused by the heavy trains that pass through the station, as the heaviest ones are on the goods line (former platform 3) which is the access to and from the Middlewich line, and that is a considerable distance from the station building. I suspect lack of maintenance and especially allowing buddleia to grow out of the wall, destablising it.
LOL The Irony
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In a recent email, which was forwarded to local councillors, Northern have suggested that works will start soon and be completed by early 2023. Network Rail on the other hand, have said they have to wait for planning to come through and then will act accordingly.
Northern have recently closed the temporary booking office at Northwich station, apparently at the request of Network Rail so they can clear the site for rebuilding to start. I was surprised to hear this because I'd have expected work not to start until planning approval is given.
LOL The Irony
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This is the thing, Network Rail say they haven't requested Northern do so yet. So Northern have either jumped the gun or are going off of outdated information.
Agreed. If heavy trains alone were the issue I would have suspected the footbridge to be higher risk.
A surveyor inspected the buildings on Knutsford's Stanley Road Industrial Estate and concluded that while repointing work was needed, there were no immediate risk to the safety of the buildings. Interesting how 1 and 2 story buildings, right next to the same line, can be deemed safe and Northwich station building was not. I also think freight passes through Knutsford faster, as in Northwich is it common for the freight to stop to let passenger trains overtake.
Killingworth
Established Member
'The railway' is a curious animal that can sometimes move quite quickly, but to those looking in often seems to move at glacial speed.
The two statements aren't contradictory. Network Rail's planning application looks fairly straightforward for a rebuild of what was already there. With no objections it's a fairly safe working assumption that approval is a formality and may not have to wait for a full Planning Committee meeting. Northern will have responded on that basis, but Network Rail are covering themselves in case there's an awkward condition imposed. Either way I'd hazard a guess that the contractors have already been appointed and are already gearing up ready to move onto site as soon as they can. Seemingly actual contracts are often not signed until the very last minute, all being done on trust to ensure progress is as quick as possible.
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