Customer: Charing Cross Station
Location: Charing Cross Station, London
Project Type: Large Pier Cap Repair
Services Used: Joinery Department, Estimators, Pattern Makers and Casters.
Products Delivered: Pier Caps and Cladding
Cast Stone Colour: Portland
Background/ Challenge
Charing Cross Railway Station, in Central London, was built in 1864 and remains one of the city’s most historic landmarks. The station plays a key role in London’s transport network, with around 16 million people passing through its gates each year1.
We were approached by a specialist historic building repair and restoration firm after an incident where a lorry accidentally reversed into one of the station’s stone pillars, causing significant damage to a pier cap. You can view the aftermath of the lorry damage below:
Due to the station being a listed building, the new stonework had to be an exact match to the original pillars to meet the strict preservation rules.
Approach
Design Process
For this project, we were provided with complete CAD drawings for the replacement pier cap and cladding sections. Having these detailed drawings from the start allowed us to save time, bypassing our in-house CAD team. Instead, we were able to send the approved drawings straight to our joinery department.
You can view a section of the CAD drawings below:
Production Process
All the items produced were bespoke and created using our Portland stone colour, as this matched the rest of the existing stonework, as you will see in the production process below:
Our team of skilled joiners produced the mould for the replacement pier cap to a very high standard, ensuring an accurate shape and smooth finish ready for casting.
Once the mould was created, our craftsmen hand-filled it with a semi-dry cast stone mixture, carefully compacting the material to achieve strength, precision, and fine detail. This hands-on approach allowed us to create a large, bespoke cast stone pier cap that exactly matched the original design as you can see below.
Post-Installation Support:
No support was required as the customer had experience in cast stone. However, we usually recommend that they read our cast stone cleaning guide.
Results
The restoration project was a complete success, creating a perfect match to the original stonework and preserving the station’s historic character.
One of the main challenges of this project was the size and weight of the pier cap. Measuring over one metre square and weighing around 480kg, it was far too heavy to move manually; the pier cap had to be mechanically lifted into place. Stripping the mould after casting also required careful handling to protect the finished surface.
Once installed, the lamp fixture was placed back on top of the pier cap, fully restoring the original appearance.
As seen in the photo below, the restored pier cap matches the existing one perfectly, leaving the restored pillar looking at home within this historic London landmark.
We loved working on such a famous building. If you ever pass the station, take a look and see if you can spot our new one!
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Charing Cross Station pier cap is a great example of how our skilled team and technical experts work together to achieve custom-made results that look authentic and stand the test of time.
“The new pier cap now blends perfectly with the rest of the station’s stonework, restoring both the look and strength of this well-known London landmark. We were proud to play a part in helping Charing Cross Station keep its historic charm for years to come.”
Gavin – Project Manager at Acanthus
Contact Us
All our products are available in a range of natural stone shades with the same texture and feel as carved stone. The items we supply exceed the performance requirements of BS1217, the UKCSA Specification for Cast Stone, and NBS clause F22.
If you require any further information about our work or if you would like to get a quote on our range of bespoke or standard cast stone products, contact one of our friendly Acanthus team members or call us on 01773 540704.
