Overshadowed historic station to be seen again with removal of ‘horrid’ buildings
● Demolition to clear view of Queen Street
The demolition of “horrid” 1970s buildings that mask Queen Street Station in Glasgow has begun as part of its £120 million redevelopment.
A hotel extension and office block will be removed to make way for expansion of the station to accommodate longer electric trains.
The complex, which handles some 20 million passengers a year, will stay open during the transformation.
It is due to be completed in 2020 - four years later than originally planned.
The overhaul will include a new glass frontage onto Georgesquare-aviewblocked since the 1970s by an extension of the Millennium Hotel.
The addition to the former North British Hotel, which later became the Copthorne, was built on pillars.
It will be demolished along with the adjacent Consort House office block, built around 1975, which housed Strathclyde Partnership for Transport until 2016.
Lightweight excavators have been lifted by crane onto the 30m-high (100ft) roof of Consort House to break up its reinforced concrete and steel frame, floor-by-floor.
The Scotrail Alliance with Network Rail said the work would see a big improvement for Glasgow’s cityscape.
Managing director Alex Hynes said: “The first thing we have got to do is get rid of these horrid buildings, which were built in front of this listed train shed [covered station].
“Consort House is not one of Glasgow’s prettiest buildings.
“This is going to be amazing for Glasgow - it’s going to bring the railway into the heart - to George Square.
“We are transforming Queen Street Station and using a unique method to demolish these redundant buildings to create the space we need to construct a new landmark for Glasgow.”
Network Rail said the station’s roof had protected listutes ed status as the only remaining large single span at a Scottish station.
It was constructed in 1880 by the North British Railway Company as an addition to the original 1842 station, amid competition with the rival Central Station, which had been expanded in 1879.
Passengers welcomed the latest stage of the project.
Photographer Gregor Mcabery tweeted: “So needed...queen Street is a terribly cramped feeling and unappealing major station. This should transform it.” A new fleet of electric trains are due to finally start operating on the main line to Edinburgh from Queen Street from late next month.
However, these could be further delayed because drivers said they could not see signals properly from their cabs.
Some of the new trains are due to be lengthened to eight carriages - compared to the current maximum six - by the end of the year.
The fastest journey times are also due to be cut by ten min- to 42 minutes at the same time.
However, the alliance has said that depended on a separate scheme to electrify the line to Dunblane being completed on time, as its trains share part of the main Edinburgh-glasgow route.
Work is also under way inside the station, including on extending platform one with the demolition of the ticket office and staff accommodation on the west side.
COMMENT “Consort House is not one of Glasgow’s prettiest buildings. This is going to be amazing for Glasgow”
ALEX HYNES
Scotrail Alliance managing director