Richmond Station completes major restoration, blending historic features with modern upgrades

Richmond Station’s historic Art Deco features have been restored to their former glory following a major refurbishment, officially unveiled today at a special event attended by local councillors, community groups, and rail industry representatives.

It follows a collaborative improvement project between Network Rail, South Western Railway, the Railway Heritage Trust, and Richmond Council.

The restoration, supported by a £100,000 investment from the Council, has improved the station’s historic features, preserving its character while making it a more welcoming space for passengers and visitors. With around 8.9 million passengers travelling through Richmond Station each year, it is a crucial transport hub.

Councillor Alexander Ehmann, Chair of the Transport and Air Quality Committee, said, “Richmond Station is a key gateway to our borough. These improvements ensure the station is both functional and beautiful, improving the experience for everyone who uses it. 
 
“Our investment, alongside the work of our partners, has helped restore a 1930’s treasured landmark for generations to come.”

The targeted programme of improvements focused on restoring the station’s Art Deco features, including a refurbished entrance canopy with a bronze-finished fascia and glasscrete rooflights. Other works included cleaning and polishing the station’s bronze entrance doors, restoring overpainted stonework, renewing and repairing flagpoles, replacing canopy uplighters, refurbishing customer toilets, and adding new bronze-finish poster panels to the front elevation.

During the project, train services were unaffected, businesses remained open, and access to the station was maintained. The culmination of the restoration was a joint effort by the rail industry and local partners to improve the look and feel of Richmond Station.

“Many of the station’s original features have been brought back to life,” added Councillor Ehmann.

South Western Railway also welcomed the restoration, recognising the benefits for passengers and the local community. 

Chris Gregory, Asset Enhancement Manager for South Western Railway, commented, “Richmond is one of our most important stations and its beautiful Art Deco building is one of the architectural jewels of our network.

“For us, it’s important that our customers enjoy a pleasant and welcoming environment when travelling with us, and that the communities we serve feel a sense of pride in their local station, which is the gateway to their area. That’s why we’ve been so pleased to partner with Network Rail, Railway Heritage Trust, and Richmond Council to restore Richmond Station to its former glory. Our colleagues and partners have done a fantastic job,” said Chris Gregory.

Richmond Council remains committed to improving the borough’s transport infrastructure and town centres, ensuring Richmond continues to be an attractive and accessible place for residents and visitors.

Leader of Richmond Council, Councillor Gareth Roberts said, “the transformation that has been achieved has been truly remarkable. 

“Over the past forty years, the glories of Richmond Station’s wonderful Art Deco heritage have been hidden behind various layers of unattractive and uninspiring clutter. This wonderful refurbishment now allows Richmond Station a chance to shine once more; and the really exciting thing is that there is still more work to do. 

“I can’t wait to see the full splendour of Richmond Station when the full works are finally completed.”

Councillor Roberts added, “this project is much more than just improving the station’s appearance – it’s one of the many ways our transport network is being improved to build a safer, convenient, and attractive borough for all residents.”