CONTEXT 186 : DECEMBER 2025 21 INFRASTRUCTURE the trainsheds. That elegant curve is dictated by the geometry of the Grade II-listed Great Northern Hotel, whose ellipse is shaped by the culverted Fleet River, which flows underground between St Pancras and Kings Cross. How pleasing that the shape of McAslan’s spaceage extension has been imposed by successive pieces of historic infrastructure. But this is London, and London has a different economy to the rest of the country. What is viable and necessary may be economically unsustainable elsewhere. This is where, at least on land owned by Network Rail, the Railway Heritage Trust can step in. Conservation on the modern railway The Railway Heritage Trust is a not-for-profit company funded by Network Rail to give grants. It has a long history (this year is its 40th anniversary) of filling the conservation deficit for historic buildings on the railway estate. Countless projects have benefited from the trust’s expertise, from community cafes to memorials, including several pieces of redundant infrastructure without a beneficial use. The architectural legacy of the railway is much richer for its involvement. Although the Railway Heritage Trust is happy to advise, it is surprising that Network Rail does not have any internal conservation expertise. After the church, the state, and possibly the Canal and River Trust, the railways are one of the largest custodians of heritage assets in the country. As a statutory undertaker, they are often exempt from needing to apply for planning permission but not listed building consent. All too often through my work I have seen sensible proposals delayed through planning or even fail due to their presentation by an engineer who does not speak conservation, and their analysis by a conservation professional who does not speak engineer. A translator is needed, and in-house heritage expertise could greatly assist Network Rail’s project planning. This will be all the more important as we move back to a publicly owned railway. At a recent count there were nearly 2,100 listed structures on the rail network, with many more no longer owned by the railway. It can be a tricky job for Network Rail to balance heritage interests against operational requirements, and there are circumstances where deviating from established conservation practice is justified. Many listed stations on electrified lines have GRP daggerboards (the decorative valances around a canopy). While it is right that the owner of a listed home should maintain and regularly paint their windows, it is more of a challenge when decorative timberwork is within a couple of feet of cabling electrified at 25,000 volts. The power on a busy network cannot be turned off, so GRP valances are generally a justified proposition. It is more difficult with larger pieces of infrastructure. Step-free access between platforms is clearly needed, but Victorian footbridges can rarely be adapted to take lifts. There have been attempts to make accessible footbridges in heritage locations, with varying degrees of success. Stratford-upon-Avon, for instance, has a nicely preserved GWR station served by mainline trains, but the new footbridge – a modern structure dressed up with GWR frills – is unfortunately hideous. What better, a sleek but recessive new bridge in a heritage context, or this? Gaps in the list Network Rail is reluctant to accept any more listings on its network, but there are plenty of sites which in my view warrant designation, particularly those of the Edwardian and interwar periods which may have been overlooked during initial rounds of listing. The hideous new footbridge at Stratford-upon-Avon Station dresses its modern structure with GWR frills. (Photo: Simon Hickman)
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