Railway Crossing House

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Former semi-detached gate keeper and railway worker houses parallel with line at junction with Tircreeven Road. Aligning north east to south west. Two storey central portion 2 bays wide with brick chimney at each gable. Similar width single storey adjunct aligning at each end. Small porch and entrance aligning at gable of each. Four windows to each side of central block (two to each floor and two to each house). Cast iron RWP at junction between houses. Single window to single storey blocks only on south east side overlooking line. Smaller windows on gable to each side of porch.

House nearer road has been renovated and while a complementary job, it has lost some of the original details present on the other house. These are: blue brick band on chimney and detail of head; 16 pane pvc windows have replaced Victorian 12 pane with wide central band. It has also received a small conservatory to one side of the porch in keeping with the building, but more crudely detailed.

Historical information

One of a number of semi-detached gate houses built by the Northern Counties Railway circa 1875 in the Magilligan area. They were designed by Berkeley D Wise the chief engineer of the BNCR. The others are on Scotstown Road, Woodtown Road and Curragh Road. These are all now rendered or otherwise badly renovated.

References:

JRL Currie 'The Northern Counties Railway'
IHR No.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Best preserved of the railway gate houses in the Magilligan area and like Magilligan Station, particularly picturesque in the flat landscape. Though by a different designer the linear composition of red brick and stepping roofs is of the same ‘house style’ as the station buildings (HB02/09/018 and HB02/09/041). A good example of the less important railway architecture which deserves to be recorded though not listed.