Replacement buildings for 4 Greater Manchester stations

[MidnightFlyer]

The new (Issue 135) Today's Railways UK has a small item in the News pages that reads:

Work at GM stations
Northern and Network Rail are to replace the life-expired 'portakabin'-style ticket offices are Hag Fold, Flixton, Mauldeth Road and Lostock. The work will be funded by Network Rail under its landlord's obligation, and is expected to be completed by March 2014.

I can't find anything further to this on Northern or Network Rail's websites, or any local media either. Has anyone heard anything about this and if so, is there any indication of individual timelines and plans? Further to this, does anyone know why these four were chosen whilst the identical building at Eccles looks set to remain? I'm taking nothing away from Northern or NR however, it's a welcome development.

Cheers

 

[WatcherZero]

Presumably one at Eccles isnt as life expired as the others.

(bad picture but best I could find at short notice)

 

[WatcherZero]

edit:

Pic 2

 

[156441]

I'm lead to believe Eccles is to receive some new building as part of the electrification scheme but that is mess room gossip and I can't offer anything official I'm afraid!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Mauldeth Road railway station is quite impressive after the recent station upgradings (including new platforms) what were carried out on the Styal line railway stations nearest to Manchester, so the proposed improvement there will be the final part of the station upgrade. That station seems to be quite well patronised in recent times when I have been travelling on that line on services from Wilmslow via Manchester Airport, when we have been shopping in Wilmslow.

 

[Geeves]

Perhaps they could recycle someway those portacabins and use them at stations that are crying out for better facilities.


My local stations of Moston, Mills Hill and Castleton come to mind

As an edit to my thoughts, when Mills Hill station reopened did it not have the same portacabin style affair?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Perhaps they could recycle someway those portacabins and use them at stations that are crying out for better facilities.


My local stations of Moston, Mills Hill and Castleton come to mind

As an edit to my thoughts, when Mills Hill station reopened did it not have the same portacabin style affair?

Moston did have some brick-built buildings, including a staffed booking office, when I knew of it in the 1980's, before assuming its current situation reminiscent of what happened as a result of the Harrying of the North.

Mills Hill was one of the new-style basic-pattern railway stations that were opened in the last 20 years of the last century, so everything is of the "basic" variety there. Amazingly enough, it must hold the record for the longest period of time between closure of the original station in 1842 and the opening of the replacement station in 1985.

Castleton aka Blue Pits has a heritage stretching back over 170 years of station provision to the days of the Manchester and Leeds Railway and station buildings are still in situ that must have once had a booking office contained within. What is the latest news on the East Lancashire Railway being extended to this station or at least near to it ?

North Manchester did see Armageddon wreaked on stations on three of its lines northwards from Manchester Victoria with Miles Platting, Newton Heath and Middleton Junction (which was once a 4-platform junction station) being closed on your line (as well as the short branch to Middleton), all the stations on the Oldham Loop Line being used as Metrolink stops (with the exception of Oldham Central and Royton Junction and the short branch to Royton) and of course Park, Clayton Bridge and Droylsden (which was once a 4-platform junction station).

 

[WatcherZero]

Perhaps they could recycle someway those portacabins and use them at stations that are crying out for better facilities.


My local stations of Moston, Mills Hill and Castleton come to mind

As an edit to my thoughts, when Mills Hill station reopened did it not have the same portacabin style affair?

I imagine the only reason they are being replaced is due to their poor condition, likely mould, rot and leaks.

 

[tom1649]

According to the National Rail website, Hag Fold's ticket office has been closed since November due to the condition of the building.

 

[Geeves]

Paul. Unfortunately both Castleton and Moston are in the same situation both now having a square of tarmac where brick buildings once stood

 

[MidnightFlyer]

There were proposals about three years ago for a new building at Castleton, regardless of whether or not the ELR got there, but obviously nothing came of it (yet!).

I believe the main expansion project for the ELR now is a new station at Burrs on the north side of Bury, any serious talk of Castleton happening soon died with the recession.

 

[Josie]

There were proposals about three years ago for a new building at Castleton, regardless of whether or not the ELR got there, but obviously nothing came of it (yet!).

I believe the main expansion project for the ELR now is a new station at Burrs on the north side of Bury, any serious talk of Castleton happening soon died with the recession.

Castleton is still very much on the cards and being talked about fairly seriously, but of course it's all about the money. I understand Bury MBC are very keen on a halt at Burrs Country Park though, so money might be more forthcoming there.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Paul. Unfortunately both Castleton and Moston are in the same situation both now having a square of tarmac where brick buildings once stood

This is what being the age I am does to you..........Sometimes 2013 can assume a vision of 1973 in my memory...:roll:

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Moston did have some brick-built buildings, including a staffed booking office, when I knew of it in the 1980's, before assuming its current situation reminiscent of what happened as a result of the Harrying of the North.
...
Castleton aka Blue Pits has a heritage stretching back over 170 years of station provision to the days of the Manchester and Leeds Railway and station buildings are still in situ that must have once had a booking office contained within. What is the latest news on the East Lancashire Railway being extended to this station or at least near to it ?

There's some pictures of the buildings around too, particularly on the excellent Geograph. Credit to the repsective photographers:

Moston building 1989
Castleton building 1989

 

[fgwrich]

By the sounds of it, i wonder if some of these stations may see a Modular Building put up then - one of our local stations (Overton) is having is set to have it's small potercabin type hut replaced with a Modular Building soon - or that may just be a operator request.

 

[markem41]

Does anyone know what the design of the replacement building at Flixton will look like? I assume it's a standard replacement plastic box rather than anything more solid. It's a pity something couldn't be built that complemented the footbridge.

 

[yorksrob]

There's some pictures of the buildings around too, particularly on the excellent Geograph. Credit to the repsective photographers:

Moston building 1989
Castleton building 1989

It really is a shame that the Castleton building and canopy couldn't be retained somehow !

 

[erk]

is there any indication of individual timelines and plans?

Work at Flixton has already started. The old cabin has ben removed. The suite of temporary portacabins being used as site offices is vastly bigger than the old booking office (and the new one can't be much bigger).

 

[hairyhandedfool]

I'm lead to believe Eccles is to receive some new building as part of the electrification scheme but that is mess room gossip and I can't offer anything official I'm afraid!

It's not part of the electrification scheme, but work has started (the office closed a little over a week ago), the portacabin has had the first stages of 'removal' done already..... (see attachment)

According to the National Rail website, Hag Fold's ticket office has been closed since November due to the condition of the building.

Hag Fold had......'a damp problem'....(to put it politely).