Custom-designed equipment for Network Rail’s overhaul of Birmingham New Street station was from control room furniture manufacturer Winsted. The work at the city centre railway station designed to address problems including passenger overcrowding. As the busiest station outside London it was last redeveloped in 1967. Now handling over 140,000 passengers daily – double the number it was designed for – it was dark and unwelcoming, with poor access.
As an approved supplier to contractor WS Atkins, Winsted was awarded the control room furniture tender by the overall project lead consultant. Several operational rooms at the station are involved. The furniture provided by Winsted complies fully with Section 12 requirements (fire safety legislation). Sourced from Winsted’s unique range of consoles and related equipment, designed specifically for the rail industry, the order comprises a large L-shaped desk and straight console, along with two smaller consoles in adjacent rooms.
These Section 12 consoles for rail applications consist of modular powder coated steel assemblies and are available as stock items, with Trespa work surfaces that match the console finish. The furniture contractor was also commissioned to make custom storage cabinets in laminated fire retardant MDF.
WS Atkins’ Senior Project Engineer Stuart Fenner says the equipment is helping to maximise the control room operators’ performance: “We’re very pleased with the specified units, which meet all of the client’s operational requirements. The furniture’s modular design also allows for future configuration changes as needs evolve.”
Darryl Lymer from Winsted’s Business Development team, who oversaw the New Street supply contract, adds that the main control room contains a number of pillars, as well as a ramp for wheel chair access, that had to be worked around. Other specific requirements included storage of CPUs, for which a custom corner unit was made.
