Future of Station Design

19th March 2010 - I attended a pre-conference meeting with speakers and the organisers of the Future of Station Design conference. Sim Harris (Railnews Editor) gave a fascinating introduction that included a review of station design over the years since railways began in the UK. It was interesting to hear that stations were not really focused on passengers in the beginning - they were places to deal with freight of coal and other goods (hence the multiplicity of small rooms for the different people who worked there).

Now, of course, the station is where people start and end their rail journeys (and change trains) and the purpose of the station is entirely different - yet many stations are still laid out for the original purpose. After so much rail investment has been made to improve the journey itself - new rolling stock and improved infrastructure, speed and reliability - many stations are a poor 'shop-window'. Sim says that now is the start of the Age of the Station - to follow up on the 'Age of the Train' !

Chris Green, the 'Stations Champion' who (with Sir Peter Hall) recently advised the government on improving stations, also gave an introductory talk. He showed that there is much to do, with needs to improve many stations , but also a fantastic opportunity to create some new iconic structures that can excite the imagination and be a real showpiece at the entrance to the rail network and to create regeneration in towns and cities.

The Future of Station Design conference will be held at the London Transport Museum on the 28th April. The conference is organised by Murray Media and will have Maggie Philpin as host. See http://events.linkedin.com/FOSD-Ltd-presents-Future-Station-Design/pub/244583