Abergele and Pensarn Railway Station Booking Hall

Cadw's description

Location

Station Drive loops off the N side of Marine Road. The Booking Office stands on an eminence on the E side of the bridge over the line, leading to the promenade.

History

The Chester and Holyhead Railway was opened in 1848. The first booking hall was originally designed by the chief architect, Francis Thompson. After the railway was taken over by the London and North Western Railway Company following the Act of Parliament in 1858, the station was extensively modified in 1883, and altered again when the line was widened in 1902. The present building probably dates from the 1883 works.

Exterior

Buckley brindled brick on a blue engineering brick plinth, with red brick dressings and a slate roof. The station booking hall building is 1 storey, but 2 storey to the rear, continuing to the E by a lower narrower structure, containing the cloakrooms, of 2 bays. The main S elevation is of 3 window bays, with a high flat roofed timber valenced canopy on cast iron brackets. Large timber windows in cambered-headed openings, and a cambered hood moulding rising from a 3-course outsetting springing band, and a similar band connects the sills. Six course dentilled terracotta cornice. The roof is hipped and has apex finials and a gable stack. The right opening contains a pair of fielded-panelled doors. The continuation to the E is of 3 bays, central pair of doors and flanking windows of similar but simplified detail, and a gable stack.

The elevation to the line is of 4 window bays on the upper level and 3 half-round keyed arches to former storerooms below, 2 of which are now blocked. The W structure had a porter's room and coal store at the lower level.

Interior

Matchboarded partitions. A good Pooley 100Kg weighting machine.

Reason for designation

Included as a good and relatively unaltered example of a railway building of the 1883 period, using terracotta, one of the group of 4 contemporary buildings at Abergele station.