Description

Sir R R Anderson, 1883-4. Hotel: N European Renaissance style. Extensive additions to Hope Street, James Miller 1900-1907. 4-storeys and double attic; curved, 4-storey, 4-bay angle links to tall tower at NW corner. 11 bays to Gordon Street arranged 2-7-2 with advanced outer bays. 20 bays to Hope Street arranged 8-2-2-6-2. 13th and 14th, 21st and 22nd bays advanced; 1st 10 bays from N in Hope Street as Gordon Street on upper floors; similar treatment in further southern bays. 9th and 10th bays raised one storey. Polished ashlar.

ELEVATION TO GORDON STREET: central bays; ground floor moulded arcade with central panelled pilasters, dentil cornice opens to station concourse; cast-iron porte-coche in central bays with lettering; 1st floor glazed arcade of 2-light windows with colonette mullions; Elaborate sculpted window heads; 2nd floor paired 4-light windows with pilasters, panelled frieze, cornice; 3rd floor repeats second smaller openings, modillion cornice; balustrade, broken by 4-light pedimented dormers raised in centre with 2 additional lights and acroterion. Outer

bays arched windows to ground floor; 2-light, shoulder-lintelled windows above, repeated in curved corner bays above portico; wide columned entrance at angle with cast-iron projecting canopy flanked by architraved single-light windows. Tall, semi-engaged clock tower: arched windows at ground floor; 1st and 2nd floor 4-light canted oriel flanked by single-light windows; paired 2-light windows with pilaster mullions above; sculpted friezes between floors; giant relieving arch with lunette from 1st to 3rd floor; corbelled, balustraded balconies to N and W decorated windows; stylised loopholes, plain frieze and modillon cornice; cupola finial sculpted gable pediments with clock faces.

6-bay, 2-storey SW section: ground floor shouldered arcade; ground floor cornice; 1st floor giant arcade with plate tracery; central Corinthian columns with Doric responds; modillion cornice; balustraded parapet.

INTERIOR: much of the original renaissance detailed interior work survives in the public rooms.

STATION: first part completed 1879, extended to give 13 platforms 1899-1905 by James Miller and Donald Mathieson (engineer); steel work by Motherwell Bridge and Engineering Company. Entered at NE through arches from porte cochere. Train shed glazed roof carried partly on flat roof trusses (old part) partly in elliptical arched steel girders supported by rivetted steel columns and a masonry wall on Hope Street front. On the station concourse finely detailed timber station offices and shops; pilastered or semi-engaged columned walls. Cast-iron viaduct screen SW and SE to crossing over Argyle Street, on corbels with Roman Ionic pilastrade and arched glazing bars.

BRIDGE: Arrol and Co, 1899-1905. Steel construction bridge of straight spans on channelled, granite piers, each with 5 steel caisson foundations. 4 transverse granite arches between piers supported track. Side spans on embankment included in listing. Steel latticework railings. Remains of former bridge sited to E of present bridge, Blyth and Cunningham, engineers and Arrol and Co, 1876-8 (largely demolished 1966-7) comprised of granite drumpiers and cast-iron arches.

Statement of Interest

Designed for Caledonian Railways as offices, plans changed in course of construction to hotel accommodation.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• voco Grand Central Hotel at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q5061220

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]
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  Nottinghamshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of History Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
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  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)