Damage to Stoke station roof

[vlad]

Platform 1 at Stoke-on-Trent station is currently out-of-use due to problems with the roof. All through trains are using platform 2, which is leading to delays but at least it's possible. Announcements stated that platform 1 will be closed for the foreseeable future.

The area of platform 1 outside the police station was cordoned off and a further barrier was placed just north of the main entrance, meaning access to the cafés and lift on platform 1 was still possible but you couldn't get near the dodgy bit. I didn't see anything particularly nasty but perhaps I couldn't get close enough. What did look dangerous was the state of the northern end wall over platform 2, which looked rotten, so I'm wondering if full closure is on the way.

 

[jfollows]

Platform 1 is the one normally used for departures towards Derby, Birmingham & London, just for clarity for people who don’t know the station.

 

[Brush 4]

It's starting to pile up. Northwich, Crewe, Stoke, Stroud viaducts..... How many others are deteriorating out there.

 

[800001]

stone structure on the north end of platform 1, known as finial, is fractured, hence part of the platform would need to be cordoned off as a precaution.

He advised that a large crane would have to be used to work on the structure or remove it as it is deemed to weigh approximately one ton (908kg).

 

[geoffk]

It's a listed station so consultation with the local authority is needed to ensure repair work is carried out correctly. Fortunate perhaps that XC is only running one train an hour at present.

 

[SCDR_WMR]

Is platform 1 still out of use? Or have they just cordoned a section off for now?

 

[jfollows]

Is platform 1 still out of use? Or have they just cordoned a section off for now?

Go and look at, for example, https://www.thetrainline.com/live/departures/stoke-on-trent and all the departures shown are from platforms 2 & 3 only, so - yes - I'd conclude that platform 1 is still out of use currently.

 

[Ibex]

Is platform 1 still out of use? Or have they just cordoned a section off for now?

Yes, platform 1 is expected to be closed all day today.

 

[Snow1964]

It's a listed station so consultation with the local authority is needed to ensure repair work is carried out correctly. Fortunate perhaps that XC is only running one train an hour at present.

However if something breaks then emergency work to make safe remedial work doesn’t’ need a consultation.

What would probably happen is a crane used to remove the broken and dangerous stone (don’t want it falling and damaging more of the building), then it will ultimately be replaced, so after consulting with conservation listing officer will be taken to stonemason for a replacement to be made. Sometimes they allow modern replicas made from other materials (rather depends on what else has been done to patch up buildings in the past, and if it upsets any symmetry of the overall building design). Although each officer might not set same level of detailed requirements (most are aware of nothing or delaying happening due to cost vs getting something that is good for long term.)

 

[Grumpy Git]

It's starting to pile up. Northwich, Crewe, Stoke, Stroud viaducts..... How many others are deteriorating out there.

I agree, years of neglect do result in the chickens coming home to roost eventually.

This and the (non) vegetation management make my blood boil. I never witness the same neglect ‘darn sarf’.

 

[vlad]

stone structure on the north end of platform 1, known as finial, is fractured, hence part of the platform would need to be cordoned off as a precaution.

Thanks for clarifying what the issue is. For people unfamiliar with Stoke it has an overall roof attached solely to the walls either side with no pillars in the middle for support. I did wonder what was so dangerous that would require a whole platform to be taken out of use but would mean trains (and people) can still stand under the remainder of the overall roof.

 

[thenorthern]

Station road in Stoke is obviously closed.

On the plus side it's a good thing that the incident happened when it did as had services returned to the pre-covid levels at Stoke-on-Trent there would have been a lot of cancellations and disruptions.

 

[357]

never witness the same neglect ‘darn sarf’.

I've had to close parts of my station in similar situations due to lack of vegetation management. In London. Also had falling lampposts once but that's another story...

 

[Deafdoggie]

Station road in Stoke is obviously closed.

It's not.

 

[LowLevel]

It is being rectified over the weekend, apparently. They seem to be managing well enough with the one platform with just a few short delays.

 

[sprinterguy]

It is being rectified over the weekend, apparently. They seem to be managing well enough with the one platform with just a few short delays.

Though platform 1 is back in use this morning - I caught the delayed 9R23 06:23 Manchester Piccadilly - London Euston from it earlier, and if the Open Train Times map was correct at the time then 2N29 07:02 Crewe - Newark Castle used it just before that as well.

 

[LowLevel]

Though platform 1 was/is in use this morning - I caught the delayed 9R23 06:23 Manchester Piccadilly - London Euston from it earlier, and if the Open Train Times map was correct at the time then 2N29 07:02 Crewe - Newark Castle used it just before that as well.

They may well have sorted it earlier then! That was yesterday morning's estimate.

 

[rower40]

They may well have sorted it earlier then! That was yesterday morning's estimate.

Another possible scenario is this:
The bit of roof that looked like it was going to fall off has now fallen off, and there's nothing else about to fall.

Just a thought...

 

[thenorthern]

It's not.

It was for a time but it's now reopened.

Stoke-on-Trent station as a whole though seems to be back to normal service wise.

 

[SCDR_WMR]

Another possible scenario is this:
The bit of roof that looked like it was going to fall off has now fallen off, and there's nothing else about to fall.

Just a thought...

There was a rather large crane working on the removing the section for several hours yesterday morning

 

[snowball]

Nobody has yet mentioned this press release with video:

Passengers thanked after urgent Stoke station roof repairs

Rail passengers are being thanked for their patience while the main entrance to Stoke-on-Trent station has been temporarily closed for urgent roof repairs.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

Rail passengers are being thanked for their patience while the main entrance to Stoke-on-Trent station has been temporarily closed for urgent roof repairs.

Network Rail engineers acted quickly to secure loose decorative stonework above platform one and the ticket hall after it was found during a routine inspection on Tuesday (2 August).

Within hours of the checks a crane was installed so structure teams could remove the ‘finials’ on the Grade II listed building.

High winds made the removal of the ornate architectural features a challenge throughout Thursday.

The stonework has been taken away for restoration and temporary repairs have been made allowing the main entrance and platform one to reopen at the Avanti West Coast managed station.

Today (Friday 5 August) Network Rail has released impressive drone footage of the work being carried out.

 

[syorksdeano]

What high winds on Thursday?

 

[Deafdoggie]

What high winds on Thursday?

Twas windy in Staffordshire. A few tents were lost on the Staffordshire Showground.

 

[vlad]

Nobody has yet mentioned this press release with video....

That's a completely different piece of roof, which makes me wonder just what state the station is in!

 

[Mugby]

I changed trains at Stoke today and couldn't see any sign of the problem from Platform 2. Was the offending item on the outside of the building?

 

[Elecman]

I changed trains at Stoke today and couldn't see any sign of the problem from Platform 2. Was the offending item on the outside of the building?

Yes on the roof

 

[Mikey C]

I assume the problem hasn't reappeared, as the National Rail page for Stoke Station still has the Platform 1 closure notice?

Station Message:Alert!

Please be advised at current the main entrance at this location is locked out of use as a result of structural damage to the building, due to the damage platform 1 is also not fit for use. Please alternatively use the back entrance on platform 2 to gain access to the station, all train running will arrive and depart on platform 2.

Stoke-on-Trent Station | National Rail

Discover Stoke-on-Trent railway station. Getting to & from, buying & collecting train tickets, staffing, facilities, accessibility, & mobility access.

www.nationalrail.co.uk

 

[SCDR_WMR]

Well it's absolutely fine today, extremely wet out but no issues with the roof