The new (4th) station
In 1990 plans for a new station were submitted to Milton Keynes Planning Committee. When local residents saw what was proposed there was uproar. The building was considered to have no merit whatsoever - especially ill suited to replace such a well loved feature. There was a strong campaign to try and get something better. Councillors on the Development Control Committee agreed. The Herald & Post reported that Councillors still felt the demolition was unjustified and the town deserved much better than the proposed building. Wolverton Councillor & commuter Rob Gifford said “ Wolverton is a great old railway town and deserves something better – this is just an off-the-shelf model.”
An impasse occurred where there seemed to be no will to replace the building. Wolverton residents and travellers were left without facilities. This was especially ironic in a town that used to be called “Wolverton Station!”
In 2002 Wolverton took part in the Countryside Agency’s Healthcheck for Market Towns. One of the groups set up to discuss issues that affect the town and its hinterland looked at Transport. The issue of the lack of station building and facilities was something that people felt very strongly about.
Out of this Healthcheck a Station Steering Group was set up to explore ways of getting a Station building. This group consisted of
Wolverton & Greenleys Town Council, Milton Keynes Council, New Bradwell Parish Council, Wolverton Rail Users Group, London & North Western Railway Society, Wolverton Society for Arts & Heritage, Silverlink Trains and Network Rail.
At that first meeting in 2002, the participants were not to know just how many years they would be meeting and that it would be 10 years before the new station building would take shape. A series of public meetings took place. Travellers at the station were surveyed while volunteers served them coffee. This was to establish the aspirations of the whole community.
Paul Beaty-Pownell from BRP Architects who are based in Putney was chosen to design the building. BRP managed the community consultation for the project as well as leading the design process. The design marries a vision of the future with the memory of the historic railway town. The project was to include the regeneration of the immediate environment and public realm around the station. The Architect took a lot of trouble to reflect Wolverton’s distinctive characteristics in the new building. The woodwork is a particularly striking feature.
Paul Beaty-Pownell also designed Wolverton Park Bowls Club which is opposite the Station.
At the topping out ceremony a commemorative plaque was put in place, which incorporated the dates of all 4 stations. It had been produced by apprentices at Railcare and funded by Wolverton Society for Arts & Heritage. The traditional bunch of evergreens, used in topping out ceremonies, was provided by Wolverton & Greenleys in Bloom. It included a photo of the third station.
In 2002 Wolverton took part in the Countryside Agency’s Healthcheck for Market Towns. One of the groups set up to discuss issues that affect the town and its hinterland looked at Transport. The issue of the lack of station building and facilities was something that people felt very strongly about.
Out of this Healthcheck a Station Steering Group was set up to explore ways of getting a Station building. This group consisted of
Wolverton & Greenleys Town Council, Milton Keynes Council, New Bradwell Parish Council, Wolverton Rail Users Group, London & North Western Railway Society, Wolverton Society for Arts & Heritage, Silverlink Trains and Network Rail.
At that first meeting in 2002, the participants were not to know just how many years they would be meeting and that it would be 10 years before the new station building would take shape. A series of public meetings took place. Travellers at the station were surveyed while volunteers served them coffee. This was to establish the aspirations of the whole community.
Paul Beaty-Pownell from BRP Architects who are based in Putney was chosen to design the building. BRP managed the community consultation for the project as well as leading the design process. The design marries a vision of the future with the memory of the historic railway town. The project was to include the regeneration of the immediate environment and public realm around the station. The Architect took a lot of trouble to reflect Wolverton’s distinctive characteristics in the new building. The woodwork is a particularly striking feature.
Paul Beaty-Pownell also designed Wolverton Park Bowls Club which is opposite the Station.
At the topping out ceremony a commemorative plaque was put in place, which incorporated the dates of all 4 stations. It had been produced by apprentices at Railcare and funded by Wolverton Society for Arts & Heritage. The traditional bunch of evergreens, used in topping out ceremonies, was provided by Wolverton & Greenleys in Bloom. It included a photo of the third station.
