Bridge Gallery

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A single storey smooth red brick building with engineering brick string courses nine bays long by one bay deep (25 metres x 7) It has a natural slated roof, gabled, with almost continuous roof glazing on each side of ridge, sandstone quoins and plinth. South East facade (fronting Victoria Road) has a rhythm of seven recessed round arches each alternate one having a round headed window, sliding sash, with margin glazing bars and terminated at each end with wider opening for doors with three centred arch. Over all arches there are (arched) engineering brick label mouldings linked with each other and each having a sandstone keystone. Between each arch and below the label mouldings there is a sandstone corbel or stop. A sandstone cill is used below each window and also in the blank recess. A large metal box gutter runs the full length of the building with corbelled brick work under barges. Plinth continues across gables. The south west gable has been altered, the window removed, an arch doorway inserted and the gable roughcast rendered and painted red.

The roof has red crested ridge tiles with almost continuous simple roof glazing on each side of ridge with glazing bars at approximately 600mm centres.

The long rear elevation is of plain red brickwork with a more recent back return built in concrete brick and upper part clad in corrugated asbestos sheets. The opening where the glazed link connected to concourse has been bricked up.

The building is part of the former Donegal Railway complex at the eastern end of Craigavon Bridge and is that part of an upper level concourse building fronting onto Victoria Road and originally connected to the main part of the railway building by a ramped connecting link which was roofed and side glazed. This link, now removed, entered the upper concourse below its floor level with a staircase to reach that level. The building is set back some 10 metres from Victoria Road which area was originally used as a pull-in accommodation for vehicles.

Historical information

See historical account for HB01/11/005A. After its railway function ceased it served as part of O’Neill & McHenry’s wholesale grocery store from c1950s, then became a restaurant (Browns) and more recently an antique furniture gallery.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

This concourse building was designed in an interesting manner to take account of the level differences between the main concourse and platform and the Victoria Road. It is now much altered. It formed a neat well considered simple brick building with adequate rhythmical facade treatment in polychrome brick work.