Engine Shed

Cadw's description

Location

Located at the foot of the Snowdon Mountain Railway directly to the south of Llanberis Station; a water tank manufactured by Bolling & Lowe of London is situated at the north-west corner of the shed.

History

An original structure on The Snowdon Mountain Railway, which was founded as The Snowdon Mountain Tramroad & Hotels Co. Ltd. in 1894 and opened in 1896. The engineers were Douglas and Francis Fox and the line was originally operated by 5 steam locomotives from Switzerland on the rack and pinion system first devised by Dr Roman Abt of Lucerne. Purely recreational in use, the line has always been a major attraction to tourists visiting the area. The engine shed is near-contemporary with the opening of the railway. The contractors (Holme & King of Liverpool) were authorized in July 1895 to erect "a substantial engine shed of wood with slated roof having stone foundations". It takes the form of a central shed with aisled extensions. That to E was in existence by the mid1920s though was extended to the full length of the shed side in 1935, and altered in 1956, and is broadly in character with the original, central section of the shed. The other (to the W) was added c1970, though the open bay structure of the main shed suggests that the original design had incorporated lean-to aisles at either side.

Exterior

Engine shed. Long rectangular building with lean-to additions to long sides, and lower gabled continuation of the main range to the rear. Green-painted weatherboarded walls; slate roof with full-length slate-capped ventilator to ridge. Track entrance in north gable end occupies full width of the structure and has an added projection with steel security shutter. E extension is weather-boarded to its N gable end though largely of brick construction.

Interior

Main shed has aisled construction with I section cast-iron or steel columns braced to timber wall-plates. Any original aisle to W lost in later extensions and the bays between the columns partially infilled. The E aisle remains open with the exception of its north bay, enclosed to form a mess-room. Timber roof trusses with queen-posts and king-posts over collar to the main span.

Reason for designation

Included as a largely unaltered original structure on the pioneering Snowdon Mountain Railway.