Wembley Central Station Upgrade
Wembley, London, UK · 2006 (footbridge and modernisation); 2008-2015 (major redevelopment and step-free access) · £2.5m (for the 2011-12 step-free access scheme); part of wider Wembley Central Square redevelopment.
The judgement call
Account-gated at launch* The station's unique layout (platforms on all three pairs of tracks out of Euston) required specific safety features and crowd management strategies. * The 2011-12 upgrades were driven by the need to prepare the station for the 2012 Olympics. * The new footbridge was designed specifically for event days and remains locked during normal operations to manage passenger flow effectively.
Key engineering challenges
* Upgrading a station that is largely enclosed below a concrete raft (Station Square), creating a wind tunnel effect and limiting construction space. * Providing step-free access and modernising facilities within a constrained, historic footprint. * Managing crowd control and safety for large events at nearby Wembley Stadium, necessitating a dedicated, lockable footbridge. * Coordinating rail infrastructure upgrades with the wider commercial and residential redevelopment of Wembley Central Square.
Project facts
- Client / owner
- Network Rail, Transport for London (London Underground), London Borough of Brent
- Lead contractor
- C Spencer Ltd (for 2006 footbridge and platform resurfacing); St. Modwen (for wider Wembley Central Square redevelopment)
- Lead designers
- —
- Project type
- upgrade | refurbishment
- Scale
- New passenger footbridge; resurfacing of platforms 1 and 2; installation of two new lifts and a stair lift for step-free access; extension of two platforms.
- Disciplines
- Civil; structural; architecture; electrical; mechanical
- Standards & frameworks
- Network Rail standards, Transport for London standards
Sources: * Wikipedia (Undated), "Wembley Central station", https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wembley_Central_station * Transport for London (2011), "Wembley Central station to be step-free in time for the Olympics" (referenced in Wikipedia)