IT'S stood at the heart of Nottingham for more than 100 years and provides millions of visitors every year with their first impression of the city.
And since October, workers have been busy giving Nottingham Station its first major facelift since being rebuilt in 1904.
When completed, it will be home to a new £60 million transport hub, which bosses behind the scheme claim will be the country's best example of a transport interchange outside of London.
Station managers are also confident, once completed in 2014, it will be able to cope with an expected increase in the seven million passengers a year and 200 passenger trains a day which currently pass through.
For John Hartley, who is project manager of the station redevelopment for contractors Taylor Woodrow, 2013 promises to be a busy year.
He said: "It's nice to be playing a part a scheme that will have a big contribution to the city."
Since a temporary ticket office was constructed and opened in Station Street in October, work has been progressing on demolishing the old travel centre and part of the former British Transport Police offices.
The covered area where the station's main taxi rank and drop-off area was situated off Carrington Street – known as the porte-cochère – is also being revamped.
It will eventually become a fully enclosed area, with existing archways glassed off and four new retail units constructed.
A further two retail units are planned in a new southern concourse off Queens Road, while two existing Pumpkin cafes on the platforms will also be revamped.
Mr Hartley said construction workers are busy installing a new concrete floor in the porte-cochère.
He said: "We're taking the old road surface up and will then dig down as we need to find out the condition of the old bridge structure underneath.
"We will then resurface it and be finished in spring time. We will then clean the ironwork and repaint it, and reglaze the whole roof.
"That's a big undertaking, but it will be a lot brighter."
The restoration work of the station's frontage is also due to begin in the new year, with the help of local firms including Beech Restoration.
Scaffolding is due to be put up in the coming months so that experts can clean and replace any brickwork.
Mr Hartley said: "What they will be doing is making the terracotta in exactly the same way that it was made originally, using handmade moulds.
"Cleaning will make a massive difference. It will look incredible.
"Graffiti is a real challenge because it soaks in to the brickwork, but we'll persevere."
He added: "It's a Grade-II listed building.
"Its painstaking work to improve the brickwork, which is in a variable state of repair.
"It needs some restoration and it's important that the history of the building is retained.
"It's incredibly complex and very much a joint effort between ourselves and East Midlands Trains.
"By taking possession of the main station buildings it's enabled us to work on a much larger section of the station more quickly."
Construction workers will also start working around the clock on the redevelopment works in the new year.
Platforms will be revamped, with a strip of glazing set into the canopy to bring natural light on to the platforms.
Platform 6, which is currently exposed, will get a canopy, while a new platform will also be created between the existing Platforms 4 and 5.
Andy Moore, head of stations for East Midlands Trains, said: "Apart from the resignalling works next summer, the station will always be available for use.
"Resignalling will give us a much better operation flow.
"It allows us better flexibility to operate, meaning the station will run a lot better."
One of the most eye-catching aspects of the works will be the creation of a new tram viaduct running over and across the station's platforms.
Part of platforms 4 and 5 is currently closed to allow for the construction of the foundations for the viaduct.
Gazing out at the work from atop the station's multistory car park, Mr Hartley said: "The main big bridge element will start being pushed across from the side of Queens Road in mid February."
