Former Gner Engine Shed

Reasons for Designation

* It is an early example of this type of building for a railway company * It is a rare surviving example of a first generation railway engine shed * It is highly significant for the evolution of early railway building design * Although it has suffered some alteration in terms of blocked openings and roof coverings it is free from accretions and retains its basic form

Details

907/0/10027 HAUGHTON ROAD 09-JAN-08 Former GNER Engine Shed

II Engine Shed 1840/41 possibly by J T Andrews of York for the Great North of England Railway.

MATERIALS: red brick with stone dressings and corrugated asbestos roofing; timber ventilator.

PLAN: a single storey rectangular building comprising 2 bays into which engines entered from the south.

EXTERIOR: South Elevation: 2-bays with 2 large round headed engine openings with stone imposts, one partially blocked and one covered with boarded sliding doors. The roof is hipped with oversailing eaves and a raised louvered ventilator along the apex. North Elevation: 2 large round headed engine openings with stone imposts, one blocked and one with boarded doors. East and West Elevations: 11 original openings with brick segmental arches within shallow segmental-headed panels separated by narrow brick pilasters; these openings have had their lower parts in filled and later windows inserted, many of which are themselves, now blocked and boarded over. Six inserted windows in the east elevation retain their window frames. There is a stone plinth and stone sill band.

INTERIOR: single, large space with a Queen Post Roof and the remains of a fireplace, possibly a small forge, at the north end.

SOURCES: Mike Griffiths Associates LTD Land at Haughton Road, Haughton Road, Darlington Desk-Based Assessment July 2007

HISTORY: This is a railway engine shed built by the Great North of England Railway Company said by the applicant to date from 1841. The Tithe map of 1847 confirms the building in this position. The shed is located on the line from Darlington to York, which opened in January 1841 for goods and for passengers on 30 March 1841. The first trains to run on this line used locomotives borrowed or purchased from the Stockton and Darlington Railway. The architect is uncertain but it is thought to be George Townsend Andrews of York, architect of the first York Station. While this cannot be confirmed the balance of evidence supports this view as Andrews is confirmed as a prolific designer of very many railway buildings in the area including stations, goods stations and engine sheds during this period including work for the Great North of England Railway. Very many of these early railway buildings are listed in Grades II and some in Grade II*.

This building is designated in grade II for the followng principal reasons:

* It is an early example of this type of building for a railway company * It is a rare example of an early railway engine shed * It is highly significant for the evolution of railway building design * Although it has suffered some alteration in terms of blocked openings and roof coverings it is free from accretions and retains its basic form

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

504511

Legacy System:

LBS

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.

Print the official list entry