Former railway engine shed in council yard near Carrickfergus Railway Station

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Large, single storey timber-clad former railway engine shed, with Belfast Truss roof, of perhaps c.1900- now a store for a council depot. The shed is set to the north side of the council yard to the W of Carrickfergus Railway Station, off [?]Prospect Street.

The shed is relatively large, measuring roughly 33.5m x 9.6. The façade is clad in timber to the N, S and E with the W (gabled) elevation is recent corrugated metal. The long front (S) elevation has a very large vehicle doorway, with large timber sliding door, to the far right hand side. To the immediate left of this there is a relatively large but relatively low lean-to projection in render. To left of this there is evidence (in the form of large square-ish panels with a different form of cladding) of the one time presence of several large openings. Also to the left of the lean-to, there is a large raised platform.

The W elevation has a pedestrian doorway to the right. The E elevation is partly obscured by a neighbouring building, but a large square-ish panel similar to the S elevation can be seen. The N elevation could not be seen but internal evidence suggests it is timber clad and has no openings.

The curved roof is covered in felt.

Historical information

This structure was built as a shed for railway engines and may date from c.1900. It now serves as a store for what is now a council depot.

The Belfast truss was developed in the mid-nineteenth century to meet the demand for efficient, lightweight and long span roofs brought about by the industrial revolution. A detailed description of the historical development of the Belfast truss is included in the record for HB18/08/139. In brief, the first known reference to a curved wooden felted roof structure supported by bowstring girders is in an advertisement in the Dublin Builder for 1866 by the Belfast firm of felt-makers, McTear & Co. McTear’s continued making trusses until they went out of business in 1908.

A second Belfast felt supplier, Anderson & Co., began to produce trusses, to a slightly different design, in 1886. In 1896, Anderson’s launched their Mk II version; promoted as maximising long spans whilst maintaining light weight. This model was subsequently used by other companies, and is referred to by historians as the Belfast truss, although this term is widely used to apply to all timber bowstring trusses where the internal bracing members meet not on the bottom of the truss as was the convention but on the top curved member.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Large, single storey timber clad former railway engine shed, with Belfast Truss roof, of perhaps c.1900, now a store for a council depot. This building is a large and still impressive structure of the Belfast Truss type, however it does appear to have been significantly altered.

General comments

Surveyed as part of the Belfast Roof Truss survey.