Station rebuildings

[WesternLancer]

The architects at the time probably thought it was (the Crewe - Manchester intermediates). Tastes change and time highlights the weakness of some designs hailed as “bold and innovative” (usually in the form of buckets catching drips!)

Points very well made.

 

[Taunton]

There do seem two forms of complete rail-side rebuildings, one reduces (I think one is meant to say 'rationalises') the layout substantially and the other increases it! Sometimes you get one, and then the mistake is realised and eventually you get the other, often ending up with what you started with.

Swindon was one, reduced to an island offset to the Up side, a right nuisance for Down trains which had to cross the Up Main line twice. Finally the onetime Down platform was reinstated. As the main entrance building, and the town, were on the Down side all the time you have to wonder who came up with this one.

And, of course, Taunton. A real congestion point, fully rebuilt in the 1930s with four through platforms instead of two, and buildings on both sides. Regarded as a Grand Benefit to the town, who donated the station clocks as they were so pleased to have it. Come the late 1960s and it was pared right back, platforms on the Main lines closed, along with the Down side entrance. In a repeat of Swindon the town is of course on the Down side, you all now had to walk through the dark underbridge and round to the onetime secondary Up side entrance that few previously used. In the last few years, guess what ... Main line platforms reopened, and now the Down side entrance reopened as well.

 

[The exile]

Indeed, that's what I meant by 'today's 'compliant' stations'. These stations are what they are because of stipulated requirements and regulations. Back in the late 20th century there was no reason to make anything more expensive than it needed to be.

I doubt rules and regs specify many of the other features that make those 3 (and others) far more than the result of box-ticking. Sure, they will be compliant with the latest standards, but these go beyond them, I’m sure. Likewise the “shelters” at Leven and Cameron Bridge. Not sure I like them - but they are definitely not minimum standard shelters as still installed elsewhere (so clearly still acceptable to the powers that be).

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

The architects at the time probably thought it was (the Crewe - Manchester intermediates). Tastes change and time highlights the weakness of some designs hailed as “bold and innovative” (usually in the form of buckets catching drips!)

To be fair, the LNWR structures that preceded that preceded them weren't exactly architectural masterpieces either! Only Heald Green had been rebuilt by the LMS (and further altered for electrification). The '60s structures were a big improvement in many ways - but being prefabs suffered severe rot. Some like Holmes Chapel and Sandbach have had brick infills to counter the problem.

 

[The exile]

Points very well made.

Nothing to do with stations - but the owners of many early twentieth century buildings (Secession and Bauhaus etc) - now once again greatly admired and then revolutionary - very quickly discovered the purpose of lots of the “decorative features” the architects had spurned. Their actual purpose was to keep water out.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Jun 2025 ==

To be fair, the LNWR structures that preceded that preceded them weren't exactly architectural masterpieces either! Only Heald Green had been rebuilt by the LMS (and further altered for electrification). The '60s structures were a big improvement in many ways - but being prefabs suffered severe rot. Some like Holmes Chapel and Sandbach have had brick infills to counter the problem.

Indeed - we now see the “survivor effect” when it comes to Victorian engineering and architecture - what’s left is the good stuff! The shoddy stuff has mostly gone.

 

[Helvellyn]

Liverpool Street was an example of rebuilding to extract value from air rights (and the redundant Broad Street station) but done in such a way as to make a really great station (even though there are those that say the station's soul was lost). Compared to Victoria it was certainly done sympathetically, and the later Canon Street and Charing Cross rebuilds tried to be sympathetic as well, recognising their role as very much commuters stations.