Huddersfield train station, one of the most beautiful stations in the UK, is in the midst of a multimillion-pound makeover. Network Rail says that the northern hub is undergoing ‘intergenerational change’ as part of much wider upgrades to train services up north.
Hudds’ works have now been underway for just over a year, and its makeover is part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade. Network Rail is aiming to bring the station ‘up to modern standards’ while maintaining its railway heritage. According to the Express, works at Huddersfield station are expected to cost a whopping £70 million.
For those 70 big ones, Huddersfield station is getting its roof carefully restored and repairs done to its steelwork and painting. The hub is also getting improved sound-proofing, a (slightly) relocated tearoom and the reinstation of its old lantern structure along the roof.
Who named Huddersfield station one of the UK’s most beautiful rail hubs, you ask? Well, we did here at Time Out – or, more precisely, our writers Molly Dubens and Liv Kelly did. In our ranking of the UK’s most beautiful train stations, Huddersfield came eighth.
And who could deny Huddersfield’s beauty? The 177-year-old, Grade I-listed is frankly glorious, with its unmistakable neo-classical entrance.
Discussing the upgrades, Transpennine Route Upgrade director Chris Nutton said: ‘The work at Huddersfield really shows what TRU is all about, with major upgrades across the board, like the start of the restoration of the iconic roof canopy, but also with train operating companies, Network Rail and specialist contractors all working hand in hand to transform this historic station.
‘We’d like to thank all the people that have played a part in the coming together of this massive project, and I couldn’t be more excited about the changes we will see happen over the years to come. These changes will truly benefit our customers and make our 177-year-old station ready for its next chapter.’
The works at Huddersfield station are set to finish up by 2027, while the Transpennine Route Upgrade as a whole won’t be complete until 2036-41.
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