Sheffield Station and attached Bridges and Platform Bridges

This railway station complex was completed in 1870, then significantly remodelled and extended between 1904 and 1905, with further alterations in 1959 and 1979–1980, and another remodelling in 2002. The architect of the original station has not been identified. The 1904–1905 remodelling and enlargement were carried out to the designs of Charles Trubshaw, architect to the Midland Railway Company.

Materials and Construction

The 19th-century buildings on the island platforms are constructed of ashlar and coursed, squared, rock-faced Derbyshire gritstone with ashlar dressings. The 20th-century west frontage range and west platform use snecked, pick-faced gritstone with ashlar dressings. The station features cast-iron and riveted metal beam canopy and roof structures, with hipped roofs covered in slate, glazing, and 20th-century sheet materials.

Layout

The station complex runs north to south. The principal building range forms the west side, facing Sheaf Street, and is connected to two parallel island platforms to the east by two station bridges. The southern bridge reaches the eastern platforms, while the northern one spans the full width of the station site. The platforms extend beyond the station building ranges and their associated canopies at both ends.

West Entrance Frontage

The entrance frontage comprises a long range of linked buildings, dominated by the central porte-cochère. Its west elevation features an arcade of twelve elliptical arches with voussoirs and keyblocks. The arches, all now glazed, rise from buttressed piers topped with ogee-domed finials. Above the arcade is a series of coped gables, with the sixth bay from the north end bearing the Wyvern crest of the Midland Railway Company. The sixth bay and both end bays have smaller double-arched openings supported on square central piers. Massive terminal buttresses anchor each end of the porte-cochère, each with a near-circular moulded plinth and three ogee-shaped domes. The gables of these end bays incorporate ashlar roundels—a clock in the north roundel and a floral motif in the south.

Station Master's House and Dining Facilities

Set back beyond the north end wall of the porte-cochère are the former station master's house, refreshment room, and first-class dining room, now refurbished as a public house and brewery. The former house is two storeys with five bays; bays two and five project forward with pedimented gables above three-light first-floor windows. Below are two tall semi-circular arch-headed windows per bay. The central bay has identical fenestration, while the outer bays have single-light upper-floor windows. Sash frames survive in the upper-floor openings; the ground-floor windows have modern replacement frames.

Extending from the north end of the house is a curved, single-storey, four-bay range defined by pilasters. Three bays have tall, semi-circular arched openings with ashlar surrounds. The north end bay has no openings, while the other bays each have three openings (two in the penultimate bay at the north end are now infilled or were originally blind). At the north end of this range is a wide-arched cart entrance with arch detailing matching that of the porte-cochère arcade.

South End and Service Buildings

At the south end of the porte-cochère is a recessed arcade of nine semi-circular arches forming the front wall of part of the west platform building, formerly used as a parcels facility. The arches have wooden screens, some glazed, with glazing bar overlights. The frontage is covered by a 20th-century multi-gabled glazed canopy supported on three octagonal columns, each with a massive ogee-shaped cast-iron guard at its base. Further south is an attached range of service buildings, terminating at a small single-storey former station fitters' workshop beneath a pitched roof incorporating two substantial stone stacks. Both front and rear elevations retain window openings with glazing bar frames.

Interior of the Porte-Cochère

The arcaded east wall of the porte-cochère forms the entrance elevation to the station facilities. The arcade comprises paired semi-circular arches with decorative metal grilles, except for the wide main entrance arch aligned with the sixth bay of the porte-cochère. This arch has a metal grille and carved foliage decoration to its spandrels incorporating the lettering 'MR' on each side. Above the arch head is a deep decorated frieze with carved foliage and, at its centre, a Wyvern crest set within an arch-headed panel. Above the arcade arches is a series of masonry gables, each with a roundel containing a floral motif within its apex. The full extent of the arcade is obscured by 20th- and 21st-century additions and alterations to create additional passenger facilities within the porte-cochère.

The series of pitched roofs to the porte-cochère are carried on riveted metal lattice girders supported on short stone columns rising from moulded corbels. The girders are linked by slim, arched metal trusses incorporating decorative ironwork to the spandrels.

West Platform Building and Canopy

Beyond the arcade is the station west platform, which has a single-storey platform building with an attached canopy. The long platform elevation of the building comprises twenty bays, almost all with paired semi-circular arches infilled with glazed screens of various designs, some apparently retaining original joinery detailing. Some bays in the central part of the building have been altered or obscured by 20th- and 21st-century additions and the installation of the 21st-century passenger footbridge, but the elevation is otherwise substantially intact. A deep, cantilevered canopy extends from the building's east elevation to cover most of the west platform. The canopy consists of a parallel series of shallow-pitched roofs carried on lattice girders. These extend from the arcade piers of the platform building and are linked by shallow-arched metal trusses, beyond which extend sloping end sections supporting a decorative valance. The sequence of arches and canopy bays is interrupted by the two station bridges and openings associated with them. The southern bridge extends from the east elevation and is carried on deep, rectangular cast-iron columns. Further north, the sequence of arches is interrupted by a wide opening beneath a deep metal beam. The construction of the 21st-century north footbridge required adaptation of the canopy structure at this point.

West Island Platform Buildings

On the west island platform, the single-storey building occupying the southern part of the platform beyond the 21st-century footbridge formed part of the entrance range of the original station. It can be distinguished from the 20th-century phase of development by its coursed masonry and Italianate detailing. The west elevation has a series of door and window openings with flat heads set below bracketed cornices. The north elevation has a deep eaves cornice and a series of door and window openings, the latter with bracketed cornices; the door openings have moulded segmental-arched heads incorporating overlights. Some windows retain margin light sash frames. The building also retains a number of stone chimney stacks. The multi-gabled canopy to the west elevation is formed of lattice girders carried on riveted uprights set into shallow channels in the masonry walling of the platform building. The cantilevered girders are supported by deep brackets with decorative ironwork to the spandrels. The canopy is interrupted by the south footbridge, which is supported by four deep rectangular cast-iron columns. The flat-roofed canopy on the east side is of late-20th-century date and is carried on tapered octagonal columns.

Central Platform Area and Footbridge

Beyond the end of the platform building is the 21st-century footbridge and access stairs onto the platforms. They are located within a rectangular grid of earlier latticed girders—some rectangular, some with a segmental upper beam—which span the entire platform island and appear to represent alterations to accommodate different phases of canopy construction. The southern six-bay section of this area, interrupted by the footbridge, follows the gabled form of the southern canopy; its girders have makers' plates which read 'EASTWOOD AND SWINGLER LIMITED. MAKERS, LONDON AND DERBY.' The northern section terminates above the end of a central two-track access into the centre of the island platform, the end girder faced with vertical boarding and a decorative valance. Beyond this area, the north end of the platform divides into two sections. Their late-20th-century canopy roofs are carried on central arcades of riveted columns with decorative side brackets supporting later cantilevered steel beams. At the south end of the platform is a small single-storey service building, remodelled during the 21st century. It has a single side wall stack, coped gables, and, on the east side, two window openings with glazing bar frames. To the left is a doorway with a glazing bar overlight, and further left are four narrow windows and a doorway in the south gable.

East Island Platform

The east island platform retains a much-altered single-storey building which formed part of the 1870 station. A number of windows with bracketed cornices survive in the west wall, but much of the building has been heavily modified to accommodate the 21st-century footbridge and associated access stairways. The 21st-century south footbridge terminates at the east platform. At the north end there is a single-storey service building with a pitched roof and three chimney stacks, thought to date to the late 19th century. At the north end of the platform, the northernmost end of the platform canopy is supported by a number of slender cast-iron columns with short in-line brackets to the column heads, a design replicated nowhere else in the station complex. These columns are included in the listing.

Throughout the station complex there are a number of late-20th- and 21st-century buildings and structures added incrementally or as part of campaigns of renewal and remodelling.

Interiors

Most of the station buildings have undergone several phases of adaptation and renewal, with the consequent replacement of original fixtures and fittings. The principal interior survivals form part of the early 20th-century station extension. Above the access stairs to the 21st-century footbridge and access to the west platform are three bays of coved plaster ceilings, originally part of the early 20th-century station ticket office. At the north end of the west frontage range, the interiors of the west platform refreshment room and the first-class dining room are the most complete survivals, now forming part of the public house and brewery. The former refreshment room, now the main bar area, has a patterned, glazed tile dado and frieze and a three-bay coved ceiling with skylights. The original bar counter and panelled back bar with mirrors and clock have been re-sited against the back wall of the room. The former first-class dining room has Rococo-style tiling and semi-circular wall panels and mirrors. The arches have cartouches, and the panels have faience heads as keystones. There is an elaborate Rococo-style fireplace and partially-glazed ceiling panels which incorporate console brackets to the plastered beams. The upper floor of this range has not been refurbished.

Exclusions

The following elements are not of special architectural or historic interest and are excluded from the listing: the east island platform building and canopy; all post-1957 canopies; 21st-century extensions to buildings; 20th- and 21st-century overbridges; 20th- and 21st-century platform signage and metal seating.