Virgin Trains to restore Waverley waiting room to Victorian splendour

Virgin Trains is to restore one of Waverley Station’s hidden gems, years after an intricate mosaic floor was uncovered by accident during upgrade works to its waiting room.

The original flooring, dating back to the Victorian era, had been hidden for decades following work by British Rail to modernise the area.

It is due to be restored to its former glory next year as part of a programme by Virgin Trains to refurbish and renew first class lounges and waiting rooms on the east coast route connecting Edinburgh to London.

The original flooring first re-emerged in 2014 when builders chipped away a section of concrete to reveal the ornate, colourful design that was a key feature of the original Victorian dining room.

A partial restoration was undertaken last year as part of a programme that also stripped away panelling to reveal the original walls and wooden ceiling.

Virgin Trains, which took over the east coast passenger franchise in March, has worked with Network Rail and the Rail Heritage Trust to complete the restoration of the waiting room and restore the mosaic floor to its former glory.

Sections of the mosaic design have been damaged or destroyed in the intervening years and the work due to start this winter will involve replacing them with new, specially-designed tiles that compliment the original design.

Andy Savage, Executive Director of the Railway Heritage Trust, said: “Sadly, society went through a period when the glories of Victorian architecture were treated with scorn, or neglect, and BR’s alterations to the former dining room came into this category.

“The features were all left in situ, but modern flooring and ceilings hid them and damaged them. East Coast Trains approached us last year when they found what they had, and we were able to fund a partial restoration of the room, at a cost of £150,000.

“Despite this much of the historic ambience of the room is still hidden, but East Coast made sure that it was not further damaged in the alterations. Although we were able to expose the ceiling and mosaic in the new public area, the available finances were not enough to do any repairs to the mosaic, and some areas had to be left with mortar in place of the missing mosaic tiles.

“I am delighted that Virgin Trains East Coast have been able to work with us so that we are jointly funding a further £25,000 worth of work to be able to restore the mosaic in the public areas, and this work should be done this winter.”
Jennifer Mearns, Scotland Station Manager for Virgin Trains, said: “We were amazed when we first saw the mosaic design hidden under the concrete flooring.

“It’s been exciting to work with Network Rail and Rail Heritage Trust to provide a reception area for our customers and people worthy of the Victorian architects who first designed the room.”

Ann Glen, author of a history on Waverley Station, said that the design may have been made by Edinburgh-based Italians who specialised in mosaics. “According to a North British Railway Company ground floor plan, made at the time of the reconstruction of Waverley station in the latter 1890s, the premises were designed as a 'Dining Hall',” she said.

“The plan for the concourse 'offices' was devised by Blyth & Blyth, the consulting engineers responsible for the station project.There is no indication on the plan as to the class of passengers who would use the premises.”

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