Central Station (Main entrance is in community of Castle)

Central Station

The main entrance to this Grade II listed building is located in the community of Castle. Central Station comprises a booking hall, platform buildings, and subways dating from the early 20th century, representing a significant example of railway architecture.

Booking Hall

The booking hall is constructed in natural Portland stone with a Cornish granite plinth, designed in classical style. A central cupola with clock rises above the slate roof. The elevation facing Central Square features end blocks, each containing three bays with parapet and cornice, a central triangular pediment, Doric pilasters, and Roman Bath type lunettes with keystones. Between these blocks is a panel bearing the incised inscription 'Great Western Railway', beneath which runs a decorated band with Greek Key pattern and medallions. A canopy is cantilevered on lattice girders and supported by wrought-iron tie-bars, continuing along the east return of the building. The ground floor has inserted modern fascias to shops. The eastern return comprises three bays with parapet, cornice with pediment over the central bay, a plain frieze, and four Doric pilasters. The central bay is very slightly advanced and features a blind round-headed arch with keystone; beneath the canopy, a former entrance doorway has been blocked with render scribed and painted to imitate Portland stone. The western return is plain. An adjoining wing to the west, constructed in Portland stone on a grey granite base, contains former openings for shops and a public house; the parapet features square openings with iron grilles.

To the east of the booking hall stands a long angled retaining wall with parapet incorporating square openings with iron grilles. The wall is panelled below to accommodate advertisements. At the right end, adjoining the booking hall, a doorway provides access to the luggage entrance subway. To the rear facing the platforms, blind panelling is present.

The interior of the booking hall comprises eleven bays articulated by dark green marble giant Doric pilasters on granite bases. The walls have granite bases, Devonshire green marble, and pilasters capped with Ashburton black marble, with ceramic tile facings. The five central bays feature a coved glazed ceiling with artificial lighting. The three bays at each end have ceilings with elliptical vaults, lit from the front by tripartite Roman Bath type lunette windows. Blind arcading appears to the rear wall and above the entrance. Modernization has included the insertion of an enquiry office at the east end and shops to the north.

Platforms

Three island platforms are constructed in stone, with some extensions in brick. The flooring is generally asphalted below the canopies and flagstones elsewhere, though some concrete block replacement is present. All platforms are covered by canopies with corrugated roof covering. The roof system employs lattice girders with a central double-pitched area and outer cantilevered canopies, supported by slim cast-iron Tuscan columns and on corbels in platform buildings. Cross girders of central areas feature 3-centred arches; longitudinal girders to each bay have elliptical arches. Boarded wooden valences run beneath the roofs. At the west end of platforms 3 and 4, the roof divides at the former platform 5 and comprises two umbrella-type canopies supported on tapering I-beams. Uncovered platform ends are fitted with concrete lamp standards.

Platforms 1 and 2 contain two blocks of single-storey platform buildings constructed in cream glazed blocks (Carrara ware by Doulton) with brown surrounds for advertising posters and polished grey granite plinths. The inscriptions 'Cardiff' are rendered in raised brown ceramic lettering. Windows are mullioned; doors are wooden with oval windows. The eastern block houses toilets and a modernised buffet; the western block contains offices and a waiting room with wood panelling and a simple coved ceiling. Two housings to goods lifts with modern corrugated walls are located at platform level, with lift housings projecting above the canopies and clad in wooden weatherboarding with hipped roofs. A wooden kiosk is attached to one goods lift; a free-standing kiosk stands between the main blocks. An additional service block in brick is situated to the west of the platform.

Platforms 3 and 4 were formerly divided into platforms 3, 4, and 5, with the west end arranged to provide extra run-in for trains. Two blocks of platform buildings, similar to those on platforms 1 and 2 but narrower, are present. The eastern block has an upper storey projecting above the canopy with gabled ends and pilaster strips projecting above the parapet; windows feature T-bar glazing. Two housings to goods lifts with modern corrugated walls are located at platform level, with lift housings projecting above the canopies and clad in wooden weatherboarding with hipped roofs.

Platforms 6 and 7 contain two blocks of platform buildings similar to those on other platforms. The western block has been extended eastward as a buffet and faced in cream ceramic tiles. A further building to the west is constructed in concrete blocks painted to resemble Carrara ware. Two housings to goods lifts follow the same pattern as other platforms.

Subways and Stairs

The platform buildings and subways are constructed in glazed blocks (Carrara ware by Doulton) with grey granite plinths to the platform buildings.

The passenger subway features walls faced with cream ceramic tiles with brown tiled surrounds for advertising posters. Two stairs lead to each platform. At the foot of stairs to the platforms are ceramic tile panels with raised cornices and surrounds; lettering, numerals, and direction fingers appear in brown on a cream background.

Stairs to the platforms have walls in cream and brown ceramic tiles with wooden handrails. Stairs to the mainline platforms feature a central handrail on iron supports; stairs to the branch lines are narrower without a central handrail. At platform level, stairways are fitted with iron rails in simple geometrical 1930s style.

Interior walls throughout have granite bases, interior walls are faced with granite bases, Devonshire green marble, with pilasters capped in Ashburton black marble and ceramic tile facings.