Hanwell station was renovated and returned to its former glory last week.

The 19th-century station was Grade II listed in 1972, and will now be removed from the Heritage at Risk Register by Historic England after the renovation work by TfL and the Railway Heritage Trust.  

The station is now more customer-friendly, with step-free access from street to platform after the installation of lifts, and a derelict building on Platform 2 being turned into a new waiting room.

Emily Gee, Regional Director for Historic England in London and the South East, said: “Hanwell has been given a new lease of life thanks to the careful restoration and improvement works by TfL over the last few years.

“The Victorian character of the station really shines through and we hope all users appreciate the new spaces and intricate details now revealed for many years to come.”

Julian Bell, leader of Ealing Council, added: “Preserving Ealing's outstanding heritage has always been a priority for us, and I am delighted to have been able to work alongside our partners TfL to ensure the historic features of Hanwell station are protected long into the future.”

The original station buildings have been repaired and repainted to the traditional Great Western Railway cream and golden-brown colour scheme, and historic signs on the platforms have also been restored.

The lift on Platform 2 required several weeks of hand excavation, so a historic timber canopy could be left in place.

The station was originally opened in 1838, with buildings on the site today dating from a station rebuild in 1877.

Hanwell has also seen a doubling in the frequency of trains, increasing from two to four trains per hour in either direction.

The shorter, older trains have also been replaced with the longer Elizabeth line ones, which should help with onboard social distancing.

The station will be one of 41 step-free stations on the Elizabeth line when it opens in the first half of 2022.

Featured image taken from Crossrail YouTube