Man About Town
Striker
It's a real piss poor effort for a city centre station.
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Sunderland railway station.
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Brett
Striker
It's meant to be the first half as the other side of town is going to be the main station entrance
If network rail had done it's job, nothing would be ever mentioned
Sgt Pepper
Striker
Oh aye I know, but even the post-war damaged stations looked better than what it became after the 60s.
The 50s one on this website
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still shows it had (at least in part) the traditional curved roof, and even the open air one from the early 60s (like the likes of Doncaster) is better than what it became. There’s just sadly no way in a million years Sunderland station can be mentioned in the same breath as Darlington’s or Middlesbrough’s.Hand on heart, I can’t think of many (if any) railway stations I’ve been to in this country that are as bad as ours for any decent sized town or city, including towns in the north smaller than Sunderland.
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I found old photos on line when the station had a pub inside I imagine it became wimpy then burger king. I can remember WH Smiths and chocolate machines that sold dairy crunch chocolate.
1more
Striker
I'd like to see an Aldi or a Lidl go in there. We are desperate for a supermarket in the city centre especially with all these homes being built there.
I know it wouldn't be perfect but they could fill a decent sized space.
Before anyone says anything there's an Aldi right in the centre on Manchester.
Harbour Boy
Winger
Apart from major cities I can't think of an Aldi/Lidl in a city centre. Even NewRiyadh doesn't have one.
It's a huge space to fill in a quite undesirable part of town now. It would make great office space but there's still space at Riverside to shift first.
Lord Potts
Striker
SPOT THE DIFFERENCE
Below is an artists image of what Sunderland Station was projected to look like when completed.
This is what it looks like.
Below is an artists image of what Sunderland Station was projected to look like when completed.
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This is what it looks like.
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Weststand
Central Defender
pretty dammning tbh
1more
Striker
Shocking really. How can this be allowed
Brett
Striker
The actual building is similar , just lacking the art and Greenery that were promised
I honestly don't think it would take much to do , just network rail don't care
johnlights
Central Defender
Sunderland as a city has shown exactly how bad democracy can be. Trying to please everyone, has left everyone short.
Seems there is some strength there now in charge, thankfully.
Seems there is some strength there now in charge, thankfully.
Lord Potts
Striker
They didn't even paint the ceiling metalwork red when they must have had every opportunity to specify the colour when the built the place. There's so much that could be done to that space to massively improve it at relatively little expense.
And yes louts and vandals will do their best to wreck it from time to time but why should they be permitted to have the final say in how the city is presented to visitors?
And yes louts and vandals will do their best to wreck it from time to time but why should they be permitted to have the final say in how the city is presented to visitors?
RedandWhiteRebel
Midfield
It looks like a quick and easy fix to me.
Add a bit of greenery with some extra seating and install some large screens on the walls for travel information or nice photos of the local area.
Its not far off really.
Weremuthe
Striker
It was only a small bar really and still there mid-70's. We used to go there when we were underage - the biggest lad in our group would sit in the window to stop the patrolling policeman seeing in and us.
Beau Peep
Striker
This cost £27 million, but bear in mind they are currently spending £70 million refurbishing Huddersfield station, maintaining its Grade II listed frontage and historic (though rather humdrum) trainshed as part of Transpennine route upgrade. Huddersfield is a lesser settlement than Sunderland, but has a much larger footfall than Sunderland (about 4x). They spent £150 million on Wolverhampton, a bit busier again. They're spending £161 million on Oxford (albeit carrying 10x Sunderland's passengers and linked to the East West Rail investments).
But £27 million, while not spent very well at all, needed to be £60 million or £70 million and the money spent with a bit more ambition than a big shed at one end with the same platforms in the same dark space. Which no matter how many plants, benches and coffee stalls you put in it, will always be a shed with a small opening down to the platforms that cost 27 million quid.
The answer to Sunderland station will never not involve the demolition of the hideous half empty precinct on top of it, Poundland, Admiral Casino, Kwik Tan and the rest, which enables you to open out the station, reinstate at least one platform of the concealed second island and make it a proper railway station. They made the mistake of doing up that building rather than do up the station itself when it was last refurbished.
Split level stations with lower level tracks accessed by tunnels can be done well, but they always require a way of getting daylight and air down into the "cavern" and you can have some pride and ambition in what is put above it, and how it is arranged. Birmingham New Street still has awful dark platforms, a confusing maze of gatelines, coloured zones which make less sense than they think they do, and confusing access passages but a lovely concourse.
Great examples of stations like these (and yes they are busier and more expensive projects)
Earls Court
Łódź Fabryczna in Poland:
Oxford is having £161 million spent on it. Yes it is Oxford, and not Sunderland, but look what a bit of architectural effort can deliver that isn't a metal and glass box:
But £27 million, while not spent very well at all, needed to be £60 million or £70 million and the money spent with a bit more ambition than a big shed at one end with the same platforms in the same dark space. Which no matter how many plants, benches and coffee stalls you put in it, will always be a shed with a small opening down to the platforms that cost 27 million quid.
The answer to Sunderland station will never not involve the demolition of the hideous half empty precinct on top of it, Poundland, Admiral Casino, Kwik Tan and the rest, which enables you to open out the station, reinstate at least one platform of the concealed second island and make it a proper railway station. They made the mistake of doing up that building rather than do up the station itself when it was last refurbished.
Split level stations with lower level tracks accessed by tunnels can be done well, but they always require a way of getting daylight and air down into the "cavern" and you can have some pride and ambition in what is put above it, and how it is arranged. Birmingham New Street still has awful dark platforms, a confusing maze of gatelines, coloured zones which make less sense than they think they do, and confusing access passages but a lovely concourse.
Great examples of stations like these (and yes they are busier and more expensive projects)
Earls Court
Logon or register to see this image
Łódź Fabryczna in Poland:
Logon or register to see this image
Oxford is having £161 million spent on it. Yes it is Oxford, and not Sunderland, but look what a bit of architectural effort can deliver that isn't a metal and glass box:
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Weremuthe
Striker
Sunderland's new station was the pet project of Labour's previous MP - the local party frequently asked what was going on, has there been any progress etc but only her trusted muppet WhatsApp group were in 'the need to know' category. Reading between the lines of her social media I think she was embarrassed of the final product as we were/are.
mackem35
Winger
My concern with any new development of Sunderland railway station is that the Poundland building is pulled down and we get a rinse and repeat of the failures of the existing station.
They pull the Poundland / Littlewoods building down and instead of opening up the platforms, just build a hotel or whatever on top and say how amazing.
The station needs taking back to how it was when it had daylight, open platforms etc. That picture of the Earls Court station is more like what is needed but perhaps a barrel roof.
They pull the Poundland / Littlewoods building down and instead of opening up the platforms, just build a hotel or whatever on top and say how amazing.
The station needs taking back to how it was when it had daylight, open platforms etc. That picture of the Earls Court station is more like what is needed but perhaps a barrel roof.
Harbour Boy
Winger
They wouldn't last 2 minutes
Should build one like Liege
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