From the end of November, Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) will commence major upgrades at Huddersfield station, bringing passengers one step closer to a sleek, modern and more accessible station.
The work, which is part of a multi-billion-pound railway programme, will see the waiting rooms and toilet area, previously referred to as the old tearoom, removed.
Whilst these upgrades are required, preserving the rich heritage of this Grade I-listed station is vital. To enable this, engineers will carefully dismantle the waiting room, before taking it off site to be stored. It will later be reinstated as part of the new platforms 3 and 4 layout.
Whilst the waiting room area is out of use, a temporary toilet block will be installed at the Manchester end of platform 4. These toilet facilities will include a fully accessible toilet, with baby changing facilities.
Paul Sumner, senior sponsor on the Transpennine Route Upgrade said: “Huddersfield Station is an iconic building and an intrinsic part of West Yorkshire heritage, so whilst this series of improvements are necessary, the restoration and retention of its historic features is of paramount importance.
“That’s why – after an extensive in-depth planning process – the Transpennine Route Upgrade will bring the station up to modern standards in terms of functionality, without harming it’s cultural and traditional significance.”
From early January, engineers will start the restoration of the existing trainshed roof, which is one of only a few remaining ‘Euston roof’ examples on the operational railway today. During this time, the long stay car park will be closed to allow a site compound to be installed.
Chris Nutton, major projects director for TransPennine Express, said: “Huddersfield station will undergo major changes over the next few years, which will enable, faster and more frequent trains to call there and provide better facilities for the millions of passengers who use the station every year.
“We would like to thank our customers in advance for their understanding and patience as we work together with colleagues from Network Rail to transform Huddersfield into a station fit for the 21st century”.
The upcoming station improvement work is part of a wider, more long-term goal of transforming Huddersfield Station with a new layout, longer platforms, a new footbridge and a refurbished roof structure, with restored lantern.
Over three million passengers travelled through Huddersfield Station last year, with that number set to steadily increase. The upgrades at Huddersfield Station will take Transpennine Route Upgrade one step closer to its vision of creating a cleaner, greener, and more reliable railway system that will bring improved connectivity and travel experiences to passengers travelling across the Pennines.
Image credit: Network Rail
