The incredible £70m mega-project to revamp UK’s ‘most beautiful train station’

A railway station that has been named the UK’s ‘most beautiful’ is in store for a major upgrade. 

Huddersfield Station was the only English station on a list of global examples compiled by Time Out magazine. 

The interchange has won plaudits for its impressive design – the result of a collaboration between two separate rail firms – that intended to link them with an extravagant centrepiece.

Visitors are also advised to look for an oil painting of Felix, the station’s ‘senior pest controller’. Felix is, obviously, a cat.

Now, the 177-year-old major destination is in for major renovations. It is part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) project.

This is expected to cost between £9billion and £11.5billion, with works at Huddersfield Station having a price tag of £70million.

On November 24, Network Rail said that, almost a year to the day since work began, progress on upgrades at the interchange is ‘continuing’.

Part of this is ongoing roof restoration work. One of the few remaining ‘Euston style’ roofs on the operational railway today, the trainshed canopy will be ‘carefully preserved’.

Officials say the restoration of the roof canopy over platforms one and four is ‘progressing well’. Scaffold towers and a raised working platform are currently in place at the station to enable experts to carry out the work.

Network Rail adds: “The raised platform has been encapsulated and includes sound proofing measures to reduce disruption to train services, passengers and lineside neighbours.

“Works to date include grit blasting to remove rust and old paint, steelwork repairs and painting at the Manchester end of the roof canopy. 

“The roof coverings have now been removed in this location and needle-gunning is taking place to further clean the roof canopy. 

“Grit blasting has concluded on the Leeds end of the enclosed roof canopy, with steel strengthening and repair now taking place on this section.

“A new lantern structure will also be reinstated along the length of the roof to replicate the original which had been removed some time ago.

“Another project that has been meticulously carried out within the historic station structure is the dismantling of the Grade II listed tearoom on the island platform – built in 1886 – ahead of its slight relocation.

“Primarily consisting of timber match-boarded panels – making it one of the few remaining timber railway buildings still in use – it was recently taken down in 8,000 different pieces and is now being carefully stored before being reinstated on the remodelled platform.

“The relocation of the tearoom was necessary to accommodate the station re-design, and its accessibility and prominence on the platform is to be enhanced by rotating it 180 degrees upon reinstatement.”