Network Rail has announced that a Grade II listed bridge at Worcester Shrub Hill station will be restored over the winter.
The former luggage bridge is a feature of the Georgian-style station that was built between 1850-54 by nineteenth century railway engineer Edward Wilson and was first given listed building status in 1971.
In recent years the disused luggage bridge has fallen into disrepair, but its railway heritage will now be saved by the announced restoration. The bridge will be removed by crane over the weekend of 15-17 November 2019. It will then be restored by having a new roof fitted, reglazed, repainted, and finally lifted back into position on 21-22 March 2020.
Lawrence James, scheme project manager at Network Rail, said: “This work is essential to protect the bridge from the elements and we need to take action now before it cannot be saved. Passengers will benefit from the refurbishment as the station will look brighter and the structure of the bridge will be much safer.”
The restoration also means the bridge could one day be brought back into passenger use should future funding be secured to replace the structure’s lifts.
This isn’t the first restoration at Worcester Shrub Hill, which is operated by West Midlands Railway. In 2015, the Victorian waiting rooms on Platform 2b, that had long been out of use, were reopened to the public. Built in the 1850s, when ladies and gentlemen had separate waiting rooms, the £461,000 restoration project resulted in one of the waiting rooms being opened to passengers while the other was turned into much-needed space for railway staff.
They were officially opened by the Duke of Gloucester on 9 September 2015 at a special ceremony at the station.
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