A railway station has installed a sign for a new platform a full two years before construction is even set to begin, highlighting a major delay to a key infrastructure project. The sign for 'Platform 3' now stands at Middlesbrough railway station, despite building work not being scheduled to start until 2027, with completion pushed back to 2028.
A Timeline of Delays and Funding Challenges
The expected completion date for the crucial construction work at Middlesbrough station has been formally delayed to 2028. Platform 3 has been planned for years, designed to increase capacity and reliability for trains across the Tees Valley region. However, the Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) has been forced to postpone the build.
Planning documents reveal that the original target was to have the third platform operational by the end of 2022. This deadline has shifted repeatedly. By September 2025, the aim was for a May 2027 finish, a date that has now also slipped. The core issue is funding. The majority of money for the project comes from a government pot earmarked almost entirely for the financial years 2027/28 to 2031/32.
TVCA has confirmed that design work is ongoing and that it is working with Network Rail on costs and the project programme. The authority also states it has received "clarity" from the government that it can consolidate transport funding into a single pot from April 2026, which should offer "more flexibility" for the platform's timeline and financing.
The Promise of Improved London Connections
A central driver for the new platform is the ambition to significantly boost direct rail services to the capital. Currently, there is just one Middlesbrough to London train per day on weekdays in each direction.
The LNER service departs Middlesbrough at 7.35am, arriving at London King's Cross at 10.39am. The return journey leaves the capital at 6.45pm, terminating in Middlesbrough at 9.47pm, with each leg taking just over three hours.
TVCA transport documents from early 2024 highlight the potential to increase these services to one every two hours. A TVCA spokesman stated: "More direct services to London remains a key aim. Works to platform three will boost capacity on the entire Tees Valley rail network." They added that it would provide freight benefits and open the door to more regional and national services.
LNER noted that, alongside the new platform, additional services would require new trains and approval from the government and rail industry for an updated timetable.
A History of Signage Issues
This is not the first time Middlesbrough station has faced attention over its signs. Back in 1985, a sign became infamous for misspelling the town's name as 'Middlesborough' with an extra 'o'. The station has also previously displayed signs campaigning for London services by the year 2020, a target that was not met.
The premature installation of the Platform 3 sign serves as a tangible, if ironic, reminder of the prolonged wait passengers and the region face for enhanced rail infrastructure and the improved connectivity it promises.
