Shore Road Pumping Station, a Grade 2 listed building in Birkenhead, Wirral, Merseyside, is a three-story Italianate style structure.
Engineers James Brunless and Charles Douglas Fox designed it to house steam pumping engines, which drew water from the Mersey Railway tunnels.
The building housed two "Grasshopper" Beam Engines, manufactured by Andrew Barclay of Kilmarnock, which powered pumps to remove water from the railway tunnel under the River Mersey.
Modern electric pumps have replaced these steam-driven versions, but one original pump, the "Giant Grasshopper," remains in the building, though it is no longer operational.
Until 2014, the building served as a public museum. Today, it is closed to the public and maintained by Network Rail.
The building, constructed primarily from red brick, features six bays of blind arcading with engaged brick columns and round-headed arches on the long sides and three bays on the gables.
Small round-arched single-glazed metal windows, decorative brick dentils, and stone hood moulds enhance each elevation.
A single-story, duo-pitched roof outshoot in a similar style extends from the southwest gable end.
The hipped roof is covered with Welsh slate and clay ridge tiles, with ornamental finials at each apex. Inside, timber queen post trusses support the roof, engaged into the external masonry walls.
Stella stainless steel conservation rooflights were chosen as part of major refurbishment works at the Shore Road Pumping Station in Birkenhead.
Shore Road Pumping Station is within the Hamilton Square Conservation Area, recognised for its architectural and historic significance in the Grand Georgian Development.
Network Rail is securing the building's fabric in a historically appropriate manner.
They have authorised a program to refurbish the building, focusing on replacing and repairing damaged elements.
MFG Construction contracted Stella Rooflight to design and manufacture conservation rooflights for Shore Road Pumping Station's Welsh slate roof.
They commissioned four bespoke rooflights: two measuring 15,260mm x 1310mm and two at 2842mm x 1304mm.
Stella divided the larger rooflights into five frames to maximise glazing while keeping the framework minimal.
Each section has five glazing bars and six glass units, totaling 30 panes per rooflight.
The smaller rooflights are single frames with six glass units.
The rooflights were linked with 316 stainless capping, creating the appearance of large individual units.
Due to the building's height and rooflight inaccessibility, regular cleaning wasn't feasible, making carbon or mild steel frames unsuitable due to rust issues.
Stella rooflights, made with Marine Grade 316 stainless steel and finished with a C5 marine powder coating, were ideal for this project.
The flush fit, thin steel lines, and genuine glazing bars replicate the original Victorian design, meeting the Planning and Conservation officers' requirements.
Stella created detailed drawings to match the original rooflight sizes, including full assembly and individual components based on precise measurements.
The major challenge was positioning and installing the large, heavy rooflights three stories up on a busy main road.
To address this, Stella welded four lifting eyes to each frame, allowing the contractor to lift them into position with a crane.
The entire design and manufacturing process took 8 weeks, despite early Covid challenges.
This success showcases our ability to overcome extraordinary hurdles and highlights the importance of our UK manufacturing teams and reliable supply chain partners.
Overcoming these challenges ensured no delays in the remaining refurbishment works.
If you would like to receive a printed version of our brochure feel free to email us at info@stellarooflight.co.uk. A digital version is also available to download.
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