NETWORK RAIL MOVES VICTORIA AS PART OF MULTIMILLION POUND STATION REDEVELOPMENT

Thursday 2 Apr 2009

NETWORK RAIL MOVES VICTORIA AS PART OF MULTIMILLION POUND STATION REDEVELOPMENT

Region & Route:: | Southern

A five-metre high bronze statue of Queen Victoria, which stood on Blackfriars Bridge for more than a century, has been moved as part of Network Rail’s £350m redevelopment of Blackfriars railway station.

The statue stood on an island dividing four lanes of traffic at the northern approach to the bridge. It has been temporarily placed into storage, so that a new road layout can be established whilst excavation, demolition and construction work take place over the next two-and-a-half years.

Conservation specialists carefully removed the statue, which was erected in 1896 and received Grade II listed status in 1972, before transporting it to a studio where it will be inspected to assess if any restoration work is required. Once construction work is completed on the groundbreaking new Blackfriars station – the first to span the River Thames and an integral part of the £3.5bn Thameslink upgrade – the statue will be re-erected in its previous position in late 2011.

Network Rail has tasked the City of London’s specialist contractor, Rupert Harris Conservation, to undertake the removal, storage, conservation and re-erection of the statue and plinth. This Saturday, 4th April, they will undertake a similar project to remove and fully restore the nearby 150-year-old Temperance drinking fountain which currently sits outside 181 Queen Victoria Street.

Dan Athol, Senior Programme Manager from Network Rail, said: "The transformation of Blackfriars station is absolutely vital to the congestion-busting Thameslink upgrade. Foundation works near the fountain mean that Network Rail agreed with City of London to remove it for the duration of the work and carry out conservation treatment before returning it once construction is completed in 2011.

“The groundbreaking new station, with much more capacity, direct access to the South Bank and a stunning glass façade running the full length of the bridge, will absolutely be a station fit for a Queen.”

James Clare, The City of London Corporation's Historic Buildings Architect, said: "The City of London is pleased to be working with Network Rail to improve the infrastructure. These heritage items are the first of five items of cultural significance in the City's ownership that are being temporarily removed for restoration and eventual return to an improved environment."

Notes to editors

Network Rail recognises that storing the Queen Victoria statue and the Temperance drinking fountain for the duration of construction works means that they will not be available for public viewing and enjoyment. With this in mind, Network Rail has agreed with the City of London to fund restoration work on a nearby pair of ornate dragons on Victoria Embankment which mark the boundaries of the City. A similar agreement has been reached for the Temperance drinking fountain, with Network Rail funding the restoration of the Blackfriars Court drinking fountain which is sited outside the Black Friar Pub. About the new road layout to facilitate construction work: In order for the new road layout to be able to handle the traffic capacity at the Blackfriars Interchange there must be two cycle lanes, two lanes northbound and one lane southbound. The re-configuration of the Blackfriars interchange area includes a full southbound Blackfriars Bridge approach re-alignment, footway, carriageway and lighting works along with new pedestrian facilities at New Bridge Street and Queen Victoria Street. The principle focus of the design has been to provide a safe and workable road layout in what is a very constrained area. The area allocated for construction is the bare minimum and is essential to allow the required Blackfriars works, including safe access and egress from the area. About the Queen Victoria statue: Description: Over-life size portrait bronze figure of Queen Victoria standing on a pink granite pedestal plinth with stepped base. The front of the main pedestal carries one carved inscription and the rear of the pedestal carries two carved inscriptions, one on the main pedestal block and one on the pedestal base moulding. Sculptor: Charles Bell Birch ARA Founder: J. Moore of Thames Ditton Date: 1893, erected 1896 (listed 1972) Dimensions: 4.7m x 1.9m x 1.9m Grade: II About the Temperance drinking fountain: Description: Circular bowl fountain on pedestal base with a plinth rising from the centre of the bowl mounted with a bronze statue of a girl with a pitcher. The bowl and pedestal are made from pink granite and the central plinth from grey granite. The entire fountain stands on a hexagonal base set at street level. Sculptors: Wills Brothers, London Founder: The Coalbrookdale Company Date: 1861 Dimensions: 2.75m x 1.5m x 1.5m Grade: II

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