Lonsdale Metal Company Limited has secured a deal with Network Rail to provide roof glazing at more than 40 UK railway stations.

The North London based company has previously installed glass roofs for many Network Rail properties. Major work undertaken so far includes a 16,500 sq/m roof at Liverpool Lime Street, a 28,500 sq/m roof at Waterloo and an intricate canopy at St Pancras as well as glass roofs at a number of other stations including Carlisle, York and Derby.

While Lonsdale will be manufacturing the roof glazing, the company’s strategically located dealers throughout the UK will be installing the roofs.

Lonsdale’s sales director Richard Burgess commented on the deal, saying: “It’s really a question of the right product for the job at the right price. You only have to look up at most rail stations to see evidence of patent glazing from years gone by in various states of repair all over the country. The modern systems Lonsdale supply can be installed 60-70% cheaper than sloped curtain walling and at half the price of cassette style, linking panel type systems.”

Patent glazing can have a life span of up to 40 years, with very little maintenance required during that time, as well as an excellent safety record. Burgess added: “When you are suspending glass over the heads of thousands of members of the public who flow through these stations, you have to be sure everything stays put. At Waterloo, for example, there is over 264 tonnes of glass sitting up there. It is not the time to be specifying questionably inferior products and our systems are tried and tested.”

Key considerations for safety in roofing include regulations regarding non-fragility. Safety glass that stays in place even when broken and ensuring the system can cope not only with the usual design wind and snow loads, but also exceptional forces such as the vortex caused by express trains travelling through stations at speeds in excess of 100mph.

Burgess said: “I think our expertise in providing good, reliable technical information and the ability to perform structural and impact testing to comply with the latest regulations, gives engineers and designers the confidence they need and know they are dealing with the right people”.

Network Rail has committed to spending £2bn in a refurbishment programme across the UK.

About Lonsdale:
Established in 1946, Lonsdale Metal is the UK’s market leader for aluminium patent glazing and rooflight systems. Lonsdale has been responsible for recent installations at 10 Downing Street, Buckingham Palace and Legoland.

Via EPR Network
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