Passengers travelling between Manchester and Wigan will now be able to benefit from restoration works at two heritage railway stations in the city of Salford, Greater Manchester.
Network Rail restored the Victorian platform canopies at Walkden and Swinton, as part of a £750,000 investment into the Great North Rail Project.
The two station canopies were built 131 years ago in 1890.
As part of the recent renovations, engineers carried out structural repairs and repainted the steelwork, including the original ornate columns.
Netting was also installed to prevent birds from roosting in the heritage structure.
The refurbishment work will secure the Victorian canopies for people using the line for years to come, ensuring they can continue to protect passengers from poor weather.
Clive Euston, Scheme Project Manager for Network Rail, said: “We take great care to look after our heritage buildings and work at Walkden and Swinton stations shows how we’re building back better as the country emerges from the coronavirus pandemic.
“This Great North Rail Project investment of £750,000 we hope will make a huge difference for Northern passengers on the Manchester to Wigan line, creating a cleaner and brighter environment and improving their journeys for years to come.”
Chris Jackson, Regional Director at Northern, added: “Our aim is to make a positive impact for the North and, working with colleagues at Network Rail, the improvements to the canopies absolutely achieve that for our customers in Walkden and Swinton.
“We have a proud rail heritage and it’s fantastic that the Great North Rail Project is not only improving infrastructure to provide better journeys, but is also preserving the vitally important history of rail in the north of England.”
Passengers at Walkden station are also expected to benefit from accessibility improvements as part of the Government’s Access for All scheme, which will see plans to install a new lift to provide step-free access to the platforms.
These upgrades are due to be completed by 2024, with plans currently still under development.
