Former Plas power Colliery Eastern winding Engine House

Location

A sandstone building located at the eastern end of the group of former Plas Power Colliery buildings now known as Southsea Industrial Estate.

History

Plas Power Colliery was established in 1875 by the Old Broughton Coal Company (later the Broughton and Plas Power Coal Company). Its directors in 1881 included three of the most important industrialists in Wales, Henry Robertson, W.H.Darby and C.E.Darby, who were also the owners of Brymbo Steelworks. The colliery was one of the largest and most modern in North Wales at the turn of the century, and at its peak employed 1,100 men, The steam coal produced was used in railways and shipping, notably supplying companies such as Cunard, P&O, the Great Western Railway, and the Great Indian Peninsular Railway. The colliery closed in 1938. The eastern winding engine house was one of the original buildings of the colliery in 1875.

Exterior

The building is of rectangular plan four bays by three, and built of dressed sandstone with red brick dressings. It formerly had a hipped slate roof, but was roofless at the time of inspection. The windows are Romanesque style with round-heads and deep concentrically corbelled arch-rings and surrounds. There are massive sandstone sills. Remnants of metal window frames are small-paned with concentrically and radially glazed fanlights. The S elevation, formerly facing the colliery chimney, has three windows at main floor level, one larger and central, and two smaller ones placed higher on either side. Below these are two windows and a doorway with segmental heads to the semi-basement level. The W and E elevations have evenly spaced windows at main floor level, appearing high on the E side where the ground level is much lower on the former site of the ten steam boilers which supplied the colliery engines. The N elevation, towards the pit head, has large windows for the winding cable and sight lines. There is a continuous moulded eaves cornice.

Interior

The massive stone engine bases stand high above the surrounding service area and semi-basement. Some large baulks of timber lie at floor level, and part of one roof truss is still in position. A rendered dado runs around the main floor level.

Reason for designation

Listed as a former colliery building of monumental design, architecturally still one of the finest in Wales in spite of its roofless condition, and for group value with other buildings from the former Plas Power Colliery.