Railway Transfer Dock at Welshpool

Summary description and reason for designation

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument.

The monument consists of the remains of a twentieth century railway system, in particular, a transfer dock, built to provide a connection between the Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway and the Cambrian Railways (later Great Western). A triangular island platform of stone, brick and concrete survives with mixed gauge track on both sides, laid into concrete without sleepers. The island platform has two rows of cattle pens with concrete and iron fencing and timber gates, and a single-storey brick office.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of the development of industrial transportation in the nineteenth century. The track bed, embankments and revetments may be expected to contain archaeological information in regard to construction techniques and functional detail.

The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive. It is bounded on the north by the retaining wall of the adjacent motte and the northern side of the trackbed, on the west by Smithfield Road, and on the south by a curving line returning from Smithfield Road to the retaining wall and encompassing the railway and platform remains.