Locomotive Shed

Cadw's description

Location

Situated to the north-east of the former Dinorwic Slate Quarry Workshops, the locomotive shed is located immediately north of the entrance to the Glan-y-Bala tunnel which once provided a connection to the south-eastern area of the quarry.

History

Built in the late C19 to serve as a locomotive shed on the Padarn 4ft (1.22m) gauge railway, which opened in 1843 to transport slate from the Dinorwic Quarry to Port Dinorwic. This particular shed appears to have housed the locomotive which passed through the Glan-y-Bala tunnel to connect with the south-eastern area of the quarry until tipping allowed the line to be relaid around the bluff. The lean-to on the north gable end appears to be a later addition.

Exterior

Long rectangular-plan high single-storey structure with lean-to addition on north gable end. Main building of snecked rock-faced rubblestone with slate-stone quoins; dressed slate-stone slabs to lean-to; slate roof with long gabled ventilated louvre to ridge of main shed; banded slates on lean-to. Long west wall of shed has 3 tall round-headed decorated cast-iron windows (of very similar pattern to those in Quarry Workshops) with tightly jointed pointed slate voussoirs and slate cills; integral slate-stone stack with moulded capping to north. South gable end has pointed doorway for locomotive with dressed slate voussoirs; lean-to on north has window to west and doorway on north.

Interior

Interior not accessible at time of Survey.

Reason for designation

Included as a well-preserved example of a late C19 4ft (1.22m) gauge locomotive shed of some architectural distinction on the old Padarn Railway, having strong group value with related quarry structures at the former Dinorwic Slate Quarry.