Nottingham Station

Nottingham Station was built by the Midland Railway and first opened in 1904. Over a century later it became the focus of a £60m redevelopment programme and the centrepiece of the city’s expanding transport network. Turning the station into a world-class interchange entailed an extensive refurbishment of the existing Grade II listed buildings, the transformation of the porte cochère into a pedestrian walkway, and the addition of a new concourse and extra platform. 

Everlast was appointed by Vinci Taylor Woodrow to replace the roof coverings on the porte cochère, booking hall and platform canopies, and to install a roof over the new southern concourse and (new) platform 7. Because of any railway station’s inherent vulnerability to terrorist activity, we incorporated the bomb blast criteria stipulated by British Transport Police in the glazing design and product selection. 

With the busy station remaining open throughout the works, we had to meticulously manage each stage to minimise disruption to rail operations and ensure the safety of the public, staff and workforce. This included scheduling manual conveyance of all materials and debris into and out of the site during non-peak passenger hours.

The refurbishment of the main concourse, ticket hall and porte cochère required the removal of all the old Georgian glazing and cast-iron gutters. Much of the metal work in the roof needed repairs which involved strengthening and painting of the existing steel frame. We then installed new galvanized gutters with single ply membrane, powder coated aluminium glazing bars, and 7.5mm Vitral laminated glass. This produced a roof that is functional, robust (blast mitigating), and aesthetically pleasing. New vent sections with electronically controlled actuators provide ventilation to both the porte cochère and the now light, bright ticket hall area.

The slate roofs on the existing platform buildings were carefully stripped off and new laths and underfelt were affixed before the slates were reinstated and new liquid lined gutters installed. Existing felt roofs were re-covered with a waterproofing FLAG Soprema system.

We replaced the existing platform canopies – and created a new one over the additional platform – with Kingzip composite panels and galvanized box gutter. Glazed panels were inserted to increase natural light on the platforms below. A slate and lead roof was installed on the new ticket office and the bold new build Southern Concourse was covered using Euroclad standing seam with purpose made aluminium bullnose flashings. Terracotta rainscreens were installed on the trackside elevation. 

The redevelopment totally transformed the once dark and dingy station into a light-filled, contemporary transport hub, while remaining sympathetic to the historic Grade II architecture. The porte cochère, previously a taxi drop-off point, became a bright and airy pedestrian space, and the introduction of glazing along the platform canopies significantly improved natural light levels. 

Commenting on the official opening of the enhanced site, David Horne, Managing Director for East Midlands Trains, said “We’ve had some fantastic feedback from our passengers about the high-quality restoration and refurbishment of the station and everybody involved in the scheme should be very proud of what has been achieved. We would like to thank all our partners in the project for delivering such an excellent station.”

Everlast Group has worked on a variety of refurbishment and new build across all sectors