Long standing and rich in history, Rhyl Railway station was opened on 1st May 1848 and was part of the Chester and Holyhead Railway Company’s line. The Station itself is located close to the centre of Rhyl, a lively seaside town on the North Wales coastline and a popular destination for many tourists across the country.

As part of a Railway Upgrade Plan, Network Rail have invested £50 million into the restoration of stations across the North Wales Coast. Rhyl was one of the first stations to receive this upgrade and when it was shown that various roofs of the station were in need of restoration.

The Challenge

Rhyl was one of the first stations to receive this upgrade, and when it was shown that various roofs of the station were in need of restoration, Polyroof was chosen to help restore them to their former glory, and a survey was organised.

The specified areas that were in need of refurbishment included the roof over Platform 2 and the bridge walkway roof which connected the two platforms. The existing waterproofing on these areas consisted of built-up felt with a mineral cap sheet, which was in an aged condition and beginning to show signs of failure such as splits and blisters. Leaks were now beginning to occur which were in danger of affecting the condition of the roof structure itself.

The Solution

Based on the findings of the survey conducted by Polyroof Technical Services, a bespoke specification was designed that would eliminate the current issues through the installation of the BBA-approved Protec system. Due to the roof being situated above unheated areas, there was no requirement for new insulation within the build up. Firstly the existing built-up felt was stripped and removed from site to expose the original close-boarded timber which was inspected for defects, made good where required and retained where possible. Defective areas where replaced with new timberwork as required. In order to provide a sound, solid substrate a new OSB3 TG4 deck was mechanically fixed across the whole area within a phased approach, ensuring the roof was kept watertight as works progressed.

The Protec system was then applied directly to the timber; with its RapidcureTM technology large areas where able to be made fully waterproof within short periods of time. Polyroof Technical Services visited site regularly to ensure works were being completed to the high standards required and regular reports were fed back to the client. Upon completion a final inspection by Polyroof led to the roof being signed off and guaranteed, giving the client complete peace of mind that their roof will be fully watertight for at least the 20 years. Polyroof were proud to be part of this project to restore Rhyl and its Railway station to its former glory.