Press release -
Tulse Hill station gets a smarter shelter
- Govia Thameslink Railway and Network Rail partnership gives Tulse Hill passengers a comfort boost
- Stylish new canopy replaces south London station’s outdated shelters
- Safety and security features complete a wide-ranging upgrade
Southern and Thameslink passengers returning to Tulse Hill station when travel restrictions are lifted will enjoy a package of comforting improvements. New features include a platform canopy, seating, new stair railings and an upgraded CCTV system.
The centrepiece is the 56-metre-long canopy over platforms 2 and 3, built by Southern and Thameslink’s parent company Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) with funding from Network Rail.
GTR completed the main structure in three weekend shifts last autumn. Contractors planted seven steel pillars into the platforms, each three metres high and weighing three-quarters of a tonne. They then craned the roof sections into position on top. The canopy’s modular design means it can be extended in future.
Electrical engineers have now fitted, tested and switched on the canopy’s lighting and CCTV equipment. The CCTV system has been extended and updated from analogue to digital.
GTR and Network Rail are confident that the new canopy signals a fresh chapter in Tulse Hill’s history. The station has not been lucky with its past platform covers, which suffered structural issues through much of the station's history. The original Victorian roof was demolished in the early 1900s because of safety concerns. The Edwardian replacements had no foundations so their supports gradually subsided.
The most recent of previous canopies, dating from British Rail days, had already been partially dismantled because of its ageing condition and outdated design. It was taking up more platform space than necessary and obscured the view of some information screens.
GTR’s work has also reduced platform puddles with improved surfaces and drainage.
Chris Fowler, Customer Services Director for Southern, said: “I’m very happy to see these much-needed improvements. They mean a better journey experience for our customers who need to travel currently, and a warmer welcome for others when they return as restrictions ease.
“On behalf of all customers I thank Network Rail for their major funding contribution here at Tulse Hill, supporting our network-wide, multimillion-pound station improvement programme. We’re making more than 250 stations better places to pause in and pass through.
"Many of the 1,000-plus projects were suggested by customers and local communities. At Tulse Hill, for example, to complement the new canopy we’ve redecorated the ticket hall and waiting room, and added extra benches. We’ve salvaged and recycled railings from the abandoned Selsdon station for the stairs here. And there’ll also be a community noticeboard.”
Shaun King, Network Rail’s Route Director for their Sussex region, said: “The new canopy is an important part of the upgrades at Tulse Hill station that will make the station safer while providing a better experience for passengers. It’s vital that we continue to modernise the rail network so that we can build back better, stronger and more reliable than ever before.”
ends
Notes to editors
About Tulse Hill station
Tulse Hill station was opened in 1868 by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway on their line from London Bridge, and the station was connected to Streatham and Wimbledon in 1871. Services from Holborn Viaduct, run by the London, Chatham and Dover Railway, were introduced in 1869.
The original station had an arched iron and glass roof covering all four platforms. It is believed that this was demolished and replaced with individual platform canopies as a precaution following the collapse of a similar roof at Charing Cross in 1905.
These Edwardian canopies were built without foundations, so their supports gradually subsided. The last surviving one was replaced by British Rail in the 1990s.
About GTR’s wider station improvement programme
GTR’s network-wide, multimillion-pound improvement programme involves over 1,000 projects, many of which were suggested by local passenger and community groups, at more than 250 stations. While we’re working hard to achieve the punctuality and reliability our passengers rightly expect, we want them to know we are with them all the way and making their stations better places to pass through.
The vast number and range of improvements can be described under three themes:
1. Giving many stations a better ambience by redecorating, planting and installing artwork, often with substantial input from the local community
2. Making stations work better for passengers, improving comfort and safety with new waiting rooms and shelters, seating, lighting, information screens, defibrillators for public use, and accessibility schemes
3. Making stations more sustainable, with schemes such as electric vehicle charging points, secure facilities for cyclists, rainwater retention systems, and even bee gardens.
We’ve created dedicated web pages where passengers and local communities can get updates on what’s happening at their station. They can be found at:
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For more information, contact the press office on 0203 750 2031.
Govia Thameslink Railway
Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) operates Thameslink, Great Northern, Southern and Gatwick Express services as follows:
- Thameslink – cross-London services between Bedford/Peterborough/Cambridge and Brighton/Horsham/Littlehampton/East Grinstead, and between Luton/St Albans and Sutton/Wimbledon/Rainham; plus services between London and Sevenoaks
- Great Northern – services between London and Welwyn, Hertford, Peterborough, Cambridge and King’s Lynn
- Southern – services between London and the Sussex coast (Brighton, Worthing, Eastbourne, Bognor Regis, Hastings) and parts of Surrey, Kent and Hampshire (Ashford International, Southampton, Portsmouth)
- Gatwick Express – fast, non-stop direct services between Gatwick Airport and London Victoria
www.southernrailway.com, www.thameslinkrailway.com, www.gatwickexpress.com, www.greatnorthernrail.com
