A project to replace the skylights at Coventry Railway Station has now been completed thanks to a £600,000 investment from Avanti West Coast, Network Rail and the Railway Heritage Trust.
The work saw all 27 skylights – which were over 60 years old – on platform 1 replaced, as well as new wayfinding signage installed throughout the station to improve the experience for customers.
Built in the 1960s, the previous skylights were at the end of their lifespan as well as being extremely dirty with no means to maintain.
Each new structure, which enables more natural light through, consists of eight panels that can be individually removed to be cleaned. Furthermore, access points to the roof have been installed at either end of platform 1 to ensure that the maintenance of the new skylights can be easily carried out. New energy-efficient LED lighting has been situated alongside the skylights to reduce energy consumption at the station.
The skylights and signage work are part of an ongoing transformation at the Avanti West Coast managed station. In 2022, the £82million purpose-built new look main building and multi-storey car park with a connecting footbridge to all four platforms opened.
Cllr Naeem Akhtar, Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities at Coventry City Council, said:
“We welcome this latest investment in Coventry Station, which continues to build on the significant improvements made in recent years.
“It’s great to see upgrades like these enhance the station’s architectural heritage while also meeting modern-day needs. The new skylights and signage absolutely strike that balance, helping to improve the customer experience while preserving the unique character of the station.”
Over the last three years, the customer experience has been further improved with the opening of retail outlets in the new station building, and the installation of a new courtyard area on platform 1 for customers to use whilst they wait for their trains.
In addition, Avanti West Coast also worked with the Railway Heritage Trust to renovate the station’s unique tiled walls, whilst also providing a more prominent display for the old steam train nameplate ‘City of Coventry’.
Dean Duthie, Engineering and Infrastructure Director at Avanti West Coast, said:
“Walking along Platform 1, the work has made a remarkable difference where customers will see a more vibrant look and feel from the natural light streaming through the new skylights.
“Coventry station boasts a rich railway history and has always been an important gateway to the city. It is undergoing a huge transformation to ensure that rail customers are given the best experience possible through easy accessibility, availability of shops, simple wayfinding and a relaxing atmosphere.”
Federica Labanca, Principal Route Engineer at Network Rail Central route, said:
“We’re really pleased to have been able to support this fantastic station improvement project for passengers.
“At Network Rail, we take great pride in working with our industry partners to preserve and enhance Britain’s iconic railway stations whilst making sure they meet the needs of the modern-day passenger.
“We hope that regular station users and visitors to the city enjoy the new station experience for many years to come.”
Tim Hedley-Jones, Director of The Railway Heritage Trust said:
“Our twentieth century railway heritage is just as important as that dating from the nineteenth century. Network Rail and Avanti West Coast are to be congratulated on looking after this iconic Grade II listed station so well.
“Having clear natural light and visible signage for passengers waiting for trains is an important part of the customer experience and we are pleased to have supported this work with three grant awards”.