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Monday 11 Dec 2023

Young designers create their vision for future Liverpool station

Region & Route:

North West & Central

| North West & Central: North West

Creative youngsters at a primary school in Liverpool have tried their hand at designing a proposed new station on the city’s Merseyrail network.

For the last six weeks, forty year 5 and 6 pupils from Windsor Community Primary School in Toxteth have been tasked to come up with ideas for a future stop on the Northern line.

Baltic station, between Liverpool Central and Brunswick, would reinstate a station which closed in 1917 during the First World War*.

Huge regeneration around the area known as the Baltic Triangle in the last decade has seen thousands of new apartments built and the area become key for the city’s economy**.

So, to inspire the next generation of young engineers, architects and railway workers, Network Rail teamed up with Merseytravel, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, and contractor Mott Macdonald to work with the 10–12-year-olds on what they think makes the perfect railway station.

At the start of the special project, the children donned hi-vis jackets and did a site visit to understand where the future station would be built.

Then they returned to the classroom to learn about what passengers need from a 21^st century station before putting pen to paper, and finally building models of their designs.

They came up with many ideas, including prayer rooms, accessible features, and green spaces alongside the station staples of waiting rooms, lifts and ticket machines.

Jennie Karkoszka, Windsor Community Primary School deputy head teacher, said: “Participating in the Baltic Train Station Project has been such a valuable learning experience for our pupils. Not only has it provided them with a deeper insight into local history but has also given them the opportunity to immerse themselves in creative design as well as meeting role models working within their community, raising aspirations for their own futures and the area they live in." 

Paul Gabbott, Network Rail scheme project manager, said: “It’s been a delight to work with the kids over the last few weeks getting them engaged in designing then building scale models of their perfect Baltic station. 

“When realised, forecasts show it could be the third busiest station on the entire Merseyrail network, so it’s lovely to think these children will remember their lessons every time they travel by train - and one day through a reinstated Baltic station - in the future.” 

Cllr Steve Foulkes, chair of Liverpool City Region Combined Authority transport committee said:  "We're delighted that we were able to host the children from one of our local schools for this workshop and it's fascinating to see their ideas for the new station.

"We expect the station to act as a catalyst for the on-going regeneration of the local area, so it’s great to get them involved at this early stage.

"They are the future generations who will benefit from this new development for many years to come and we look forward to welcoming them back when the station opens."

Sally Ralston, Merseyrail community involvement manager, said: “Merseyrail are delighted to work on this project with Windsor Primary School and help to inspire these youngsters in their future careers when they are older. 

“Engaging the communities around our network is what Merseyrail is all about, and this project will, I am sure, live long in the memories for these pupils. 

“The children came up with some brilliant ideas and designs. I’m sure the final version of the station will incorporate many of their ideas, and hopefully they will feel real pride at the contribution they will have made to the project.” 

Sam Thorpe, Mott MacDonald senior stakeholder associate, said: “'The engagement sessions at Windsor Primary School have been as rewarding for Mott MacDonald as they have for the pupils. It has been our pleasure to be involved over the last few weeks. The children have been full of enthusiasm and great ideas, when creating their train models and clearly there are many future designers and engineers in the class. Liverpool Baltic will provide a fantastic community connection, which the children and their families will all benefit from." 

Actual designs for a future station in this location are in their very early stages with no timeline yet set for when it might be built.

However, it’s estimated up to 3.9m journeys could be made in its first year of operation, reaching 8.5m 20 years after that given the rate of redevelopment in the area.