Locomotive Shed, Glyn Valley Tramway

Cadw's description

Location

Located towards the W end of New Road, approx 100m from the main crossroads in the village. The shed is behind a hedge in the grounds of a Works Depot.

History

The Glyn Valley Tramway was a narrow gauge railway constructed in 1872-3 to transport slate and granite from the Glyn Ceiriog quarries to the Shropshire Union Canal at Chirk. It took passengers from 1874, and was operated by gravity and horses until 1888 when it was converted to steam. This locomotive shed was probably built c1890 when improvements were being undertaken by the line engineer, Henry Dennis. The line closed in 1933 to passengers and in 1935 to freight, due to competition from road transport.
Old photographs show that the building originally had 2 ridge ventilators and a stack to the NW angle, but is otherwise little altered.

Exterior

Six-bay single-storey range of red brick under a corrugated asbestos-cement roof. Detail includes wooden barge boards and a moulded brick plinth. Each bay has a window with segmental brick head and chamfered brick sill, the openings boarded over from the outside. Entrance to E gable end, with double sheet-metal doors in original openings. The gable is covered by corrugated steel sheeting. On inspection in 2002, the S side was partly obscured by 2 temporary portakabins and a water tank. To their L is a small late-C20 lean-to toilet block. No openings to W gable end.

Interior

Well-preserved interior with brick wall shafts between bays which support King-post roof trusses. The windows contain the original small-pane iron glazing, each with a small pivoting opening light. On the L at the far end, the window has been converted into a door leading into the toilet block. The floor has brick paving to the sides, between which is compact earth, probably infill of the inspection pits.

Reason for designation

Listed as a rare survival of this transport building type which retains its character, notwithstanding the obscured exterior, and has good detail.