TDUK member Buckland Timber has been working on major redevelopments for Transport for London. Here, they explain why glulam and CLT was chosen for the projects instead of the more usual steel and concrete approach.
We were commissioned by Morgan Sindall Infrastructure for Transport for London (TfL) on two separate projects to help redevelop busy railway stations. All our projects matter to us, but working on these large-scale infrastructure jobs brings something extra. When you’re helping to create spaces that millions of people will use every year, you want to get it right.
These two stations are part of Transport for London’s broader strategic approach to incorporating more timber into their projects. Colindale was actually conceived first, but the timber elements of Surrey Quays ended up being completed ahead of it – both part of TfL’s recognition that timber creates calmer, more welcoming environments that can genuinely reduce commuter stress levels.
Surrey Quays sees almost five million entries and exits annually (that puts it in the UK’s top 100 busiest stations), while Colindale handles more than seven million passenger trips a year. These aren’t quiet suburban stops – they’re really busy commuter hubs.
Why timber?
You might wonder why timber would be used for something as demanding as a train station, when most people expect to see steel and concrete in transport infrastructure. But glulam and CLT aren’t just beautiful materials, they’re seriously practical too.
For Surrey Quays, we were commissioned to complete a Stage 5 design for a new entrance to Platform 2, with a distinctive two-stepped roof. We used European Larch glulam beams in a lattice pattern on the upper roof and a run of straight beams on the lower roof, with European Spruce CLT decking on both. The result? A space that feels welcoming rather than industrial.
The Colindale project was even more ambitious – six stunning 25-metre span arches for the new ticket hall, plus a northern canopy. All were completed using a combination of European Larch and Spruce glulam with CLT panels.
Why Glulam?
This is a question we get asked a lot: “Why go to all this trouble when steel and concrete would be quicker?” It’s a good question, and the answer says everything about what we’re about at Buckland Timber.
First, there’s the passenger experience. When you’re rushing to catch a train, wouldn’t you rather be in a space that feels warm and welcoming, rather than cold and industrial? Timber creates this incredible sense of openness and space that makes traveling a nicer experience.
Then there’s the sustainability angle. In total, across both projects, we installed 110m³ of CLT and 120m³ of glulam, which is approximately 126 tonnes of timber. The embodied carbon footprint? 63.25 tonnes. To put that in perspective, it’s equivalent to taking 240 cars off the road each year.
But, honestly, we also think these stations will make people proud of where they live. Surrey Quays and Colindale are both growing areas where thousands of new homes are being built. These stations will be many people’s first impression of their local transport network – shouldn’t that be something special?
Building in busy places
The projects both had practical challenges, because building train stations isn’t like building houses: logistics are everything. For both stations, we had to apply fire retardant treatment (Nord Treat NT Deco) to all the timber, which itself needs very controlled conditions.
Timing was also critical. At Colindale, all the heavy lifting had to happen between 1:30am and 4:30am to minimise noise and disruption – and this is still ongoing work. Whether you call that very early morning or very late night, the fact is you need precision and planning when you absolutely cannot afford to wake the neighbours. It’s the only way to work around live transport infrastructure.
There was also a zero tolerance for error. The Surrey Quays lattice roof uses traditional tenon and mortise joints with zero tolerance – there’s no room for “we’ll adjust it on site”. Instead, we dry-fitted the entire lattice structure at our factory before delivery. We had a 52-hour non-stop window for the installation of a job that we would normally take two weeks to complete, to coincide with the station and line being closed. Everything had to fit perfectly.
Timber craftsmanship
The standout feature at Colindale has to be the bespoke bullnose edge detail we created for three sides of the roof. This solid timber piece is curved in all three planes and required hand-carved gutter details. Getting the mitred corners to align during installation was genuinely challenging – it represents some of the finest contemporary timber craftsmanship we’ve done.
We also installed moisture sensors throughout both projects, because looking after timber properly means monitoring it properly. These aren’t “fit and forget” structures – they’re investments that need the right care and attention.
Both these projects show what’s possible when you look beyond the obvious solutions. Yes, steel and concrete might have been quicker and cheaper upfront. However, when you factor in the passenger experience, environmental impact, and the long-term pride these stations will bring to their communities, choosing timber made perfect sense, and we’re seeing more and more infrastructure projects recognising this.
Transport for London’s commitment to its net-zero targets aligns perfectly with what timber construction offers – genuine sustainability without compromising on performance or aesthetics.
This article was published in the Autumn 2025 issue of Supplying Timber magazine.
