Beeston Railway Station, including the canopy to platform one and shelters on platforms one and two

Beeston Railway Station

This is a substantial railway station dating from 1847, restored in 1986, with late-19th century platform canopies and shelters. The listing includes the main station building, a canopy serving platform one, and shelters on both platforms one and two.

The main station building is constructed of white brick, part-rendered, with ashlar stone dressings and a slate roof finished with timber barge-boards and finials. It runs parallel to the railway line on the north side, oriented north-east to south-west, and is of one storey with an attic beneath a pitched roof. The plan is symmetrical, comprising a central block with gables at each end and lower gabled wings flanking it. A small flat-roofed 20th century projection projects from the north-east end, and an open walled courtyard occupies the south-west end. The platform elevation is sheltered by a ridge-and-furrow canopy of iron and possibly steel frame with wired-glass sheeting, with wooden platform shelters positioned to the south.

The forecourt elevation on the north-west side displays five bays. These include a blank bay to the side wing, a gabled bay with a double doorway beneath a transom light and a shield inscribed 'MR', a blank central bay, another gabled bay with a doorway featuring side lights and transom light with a shield dated '1847' in the gable, and a final bay containing a cross-window. Beyond this is an entrance to the walled courtyard, formed by white brick piers with corbels supporting the lintel and a metal gate. The 20th century extension at the north-east end contains a timber doorway flanked by two-light windows with pre-cast concrete cills and lintels.

Fenestration throughout the main building comprises timber doors set in timber frames with transom lights, and cross-windows with stone mullions, transoms and lozenge glazing. Ashlar quoins mark the building's corners. The gable barge-boards differ across the structure: those to the central link block are plain, while those to the lower wings display pierced decorative work.

The platform elevation follows a similar arrangement: a wing with a cross-window, a blank gabled bay, a central bay with a doorway flanked by 20th century windows with pre-cast concrete cills and lintels, a projecting gabled bay with a tall opening containing a door surrounded by lights, and another wing with a cross-window. The second and fourth bays contain shields matching those on the forecourt elevation.

The platform one canopy comprises four bays carried on enriched square iron columns with corbels springing to decorative pierced spandrels. To the south-west of the main building is a platform shelter braced and divided into eight bays by wooden partitions on iron or steel trusses against a back wall. Rising rafter I-beams support the angled single-pitch roof, with the back wall and roof finished in tongued-and-grooved timber boards. A plain valence is attached to the roof, except for quarter-round drops covering the rafter ends. The northernmost bay contains a door to the walled courtyard, while three bays house wooden benches with baluster legs. An additional bench occupies the fifth bay of the main station building. Platform two is served by a similar shelter divided into twelve bays, each containing six wooden benches with baluster legs.

The interior has been altered but the booking hall, toilets and café retain period fixtures and fittings including cornices, dado rails, wide skirting boards, four-panelled doors, and door and window surrounds. The café contains a simple round-headed stone chimney-piece behind the counter.

The following elements are excluded from the listing: 20th century reinforced concrete stepways to the adjacent overbridge; 20th century lamp posts; 21st century disabled access ramp to the station car park; the ticket machine beside the north-west wall; and late-20th and 21st century signage. Internally, late-20th or 21st century metal seating, toilet fittings and modern services are also excluded from the listing.