Documents, links and guidance for anyone involved in the design and construction of Network Rail’s built environment.
Climate Action Design Manual
Addressing two of the four priorities in Network Rail’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy – a low emission railway and a reliable railway service that is resilient to climate change.
Design Advice Panel
Strategic guidance: Provides advice on assessing the suitability of projects for Design Review, and the procedure for undertaking the reviews with Network Rail’s independent Design Advice Panel.
Station Design
Strategic guidance: Provides guidance to those involved in the early design and commissioning of station works, to give a better understanding of the key factors that influence design outcomes.
Station Capacity Planning
Strategic guidance: Provides guidance for undertaking station capacity assessments. Specifies thresholds for the planning and design of passenger areas, considering safety, ‘value for money’ and passenger experience.
Fire Safety at Stations
This Design Manual provides contextual information on the regulatory background to fire safety design in the rail environment, and the Network Rail approval and assurance process for station projects.
Masterplanning at Stations
High level guidance to support the station masterplanning process from commissioning through to implementation.
Medium to Small Stations
This document outlines the HUB Station concept for small and medium stations – a design manual and kit of
parts aimed at the Sponsors, designers and planners of new and upgraded railway stations across Britain
Materials and Components
This guide presents general advice on the selection and specification of materials, finishes, and component elements across Network Rail Stations.
Lighting in Stations
This design guide contains comprehensive and structured quality guidelines illustrating good practice lighting design principles, benchmarking standards of design and signposting ways to deliver optimum outcomes in the Station environment.
Vertical Circulation
Identifies the key challenges in providing successful Vertical Circulation in Stations at each stage of a project
Parking and Mobility in Stations
Guidance for parking and mobility planning in and around stations establishing the vision for the future integration and use of
emerging mobility technologies and services.
Public realm at Stations
Guidance setting out the aspirations and principles for all new public realm and public realm renovations or adaptions near stations.
Heritage: Care and Development
Strategic guidance: Provides guidance to the legislative framework which protects Network Rail’s historic estate. It also provides advice as to how best to maintain the estate.
Public toilets
Station Design guidance: Provides guidance as to design approach for public toilets across Network Rail’s estate.
Station Facilities & Amenities
This guidance provides advice on facilities which are essential provisions and amenities which are additional and desirable provisions in railway stations.
Retail Design Manual for Stations
This manual places the design of retail units into the context of rail stations ranging from large-scale station masterplan redevelopments through to fit-out of individual units at large and small stations.
Station Footbridges and Subways
Footbridges and Subways Guidance on Footbridge and Subway design within stations and out of stations. Comparison of the Standard Footbridge Design and guidance on bespoke designs.
Wayfinding Design issue 3
Compliance guidance: Provides guidance on the requirements for the specification of new and updating of existing directional signs within Network Rail managed stations.
Rail symbol 2
The purpose of this guidance is to provide a definitive version of the Rail Symbol for use on the UK national railway network, including graphic reproduction in various formats and mediums.
Tactile Paving and Wayfinding
Tactile Paving and Wayfinding Guidance on warning paving in stations and how tactile wayfinding can be correctly applied in stations.
Inclusive Design
Compliance guidance: Provides guidance for inclusive design, key standards and procedures that Network Rail expect project teams to apply in designing and delivering the built environment of Britain’s railways.
Diversity Impact Assessment Guidance
This manual presents Network Rail’s requirements for the completion of DIAs for projects, programmes and/or business changes, to support the Diversity Impact Assessment Standard: NR/L2/OHS/00135.
Built Environment Accessibility Panel Guide
The Built Environment Accessibility Panel (BEAP) guidance document is a useful guide for those who seek advice and support on engagement with the BEAP, outlining the rules, expectations and rules of engagement.
Investment in Stations
This guidance presents Network Rail’s guidance for third parties who may wish to promote a
station enhancement and/or which wish to consider funding a station enhancement, either in part or in full.
The guidance is also for Network Rail staff who engage with third parties that are promoting station enhancements
Workplace DNA
Operational guidance: Provides guidance on the design of Network Rail workplaces.
Low and Net Zero Carbon Plant Room Guide
This design guide presents Network Rail’s requirements of key elements to consider when designing a plantroom, as well as when in a project’s lifecycle key decisions should be made.
Redundant Signal Box Strategy
Operational guidance: Provides guidance for signal boxes that are no longer required for railway operations, including retention, demolition and relocation.
Network Rail’s Building and Architecture team has partnered with international and local design firms to develop a series of standardised footbridges that can be used across Britain’s railway to deliver a consistent, high-quality built environment.