William Plant

Research project

Supervisor/s - Dr Dav Smith & Dr Matthew Jenkins

Summary of research project:

In comparison to their larger counterparts, small railway station buildings have received little attention within academic circles. This has left the significance of these ‘parish churches of steam’ unknown, and places the effective management of their conservation and adaptation in jeopardy. This PhD project sets out to begin filling in the gaps in knowledge around the small station building using the methods of buildings archaeology, using a thorough visual analysis and a nuanced understanding of archival source material as its base. It also looks to provide recommendations for the ongoing conservation of these historic places.

Profile

Academic background:

I completed my BA in Archaeology and Heritage at the University of York in 2022, during which I developed an interest in the practices of buildings archaeology. I combined this interest with my existing passion for railway history to produce an award-winning dissertation on the Whitby & Pickering Railway weighing machine house in Whitby. I then stayed at York,  completing my MA in Historic Buildings in 2023. This time my dissertation looked to understand the design and development of Goathland station on the North York Moors and to demonstrate the efficacy of the application of buildings archaeology in a railway context. My current PhD builds on this by taking a wider approach to small stations all over England, using the lens of buildings archaeology in order to provide a deepened understanding of their importance for their conservation in the future.

Research interest areas:

Buildings Archaeology

Railway Buildings

Country Railway Stations

Conservation of Railway Heritage

Railway History

Architectural Analysis

Academic Awards

2022 - York Conservation Trust Undergraduate Dissertation Prize

Teaching and Impact

Assisted in the drafting of the boundary for the Whitby and Pickering Railway Historical Conservation Area in 2022.

Contributed to York Festival of Ideas outreach events in 2023.