Protecting Railway Heritage: One of England’s Early Goods Depots

Introduction

Amongst the research projects undertaken by Historic England as part of a Heritage Action Zone, was the investigation of the Grade II* listed S&DR Railway Goods Depot in Hopetown, Darlington. It was built in 1833, just eight years after the inaugural opening of the S&DR, and research has shown the Goods Depot to be the earliest surviving single-storey railway goods depot in England, and key to understanding the development of this building type .

Project Aims and Methodology

Purcell Architecture Ltd were commissioned to undertake the study in advance of the building’s restoration as part of Darlington’s emerging ‘Railway Heritage Quarter’. The investigation aimed to provide a robust analysis and understanding of the building’s history, development, function and significance through building survey and archival research, and an assessment of its influence in terms of railway building typology.

The Goods Depot had been added to Historic England’s ‘Heritage at Risk Register’ in 2019 due to its poor state of repair and the precarious nature of the clock tower. However, it presented another challenge when survey work commenced in 2020 – functioning as a museum and a railway engine repair shop, the quantity of equipment and railway paraphernalia within the interior created its own hazards for photography and fabric analysis.

Present Form

Lying to the south of the railway line and constructed in sandstone rubble with freestone dressings, the building comprises eight bays, is two bays deep, and covered by a pair of hipped roofs. Perhaps the most notable feature is the clock tower which rises above the valley roof.

The building’s south elevation gives a good indication of its original appearance during the early days of the S&DR. Particularly notable are the elegant arches, some higher than others, with rock-faced voussoirs and keystones. Heavy piers articulate the building’s corners, whilst piers separate each bay. The north elevation, executed in a similar style, has seen various phases of alteration including the insertion of openings, which in 2020 contained timber double doors.

The original form (1833)

Designed by Thomas Storey, the S&DR chief engineer, the Goods Depot was constructed to handle the increasing volume of goods transported by the S&DR, replacing the earlier merchandising station of 1827 built on the other side of North Road which was converted into a passenger station. The survey established that Storey’s original building was only a quarter of its present size , being of four bays and a single range deep. Unlike later goods sheds, it was entered through its long elevation. Fabric analysis showed that rails from the north entered through alternate bays – trucks entering through the higher arches, while the lower arches (containing windows) lit the unloading bays.

Extension to the West (Before 1839)

The survey also showed that almost as soon as the building had been constructed, it was extended to the west by a further four bays, also defined by rusticated piers and arched openings. However, subtle differences are apparent; the second phase of the south elevation is not symmetrical, there are differences in bay widths and tooling changes, all evidencing a slightly separate phase of construction.

Further expansion (1839-40)

As the volume of goods transported by the S&DR increased, so too did the pressures on the Goods Depot. John Harris, who succeeded Storey, extended the Goods Depot to the north between 1839-40, retaining all, or part, of the north elevation as an internal wall, and also adding the clock tower. Although considerably altered, fragmentary evidence shows that the broad architectural language followed that of the south elevation, with a number of minor differences; the rusticated piers are slightly narrower and the open arches with rail access now have shoulders, suggesting that Harris was responding to a modest increase in wagon gauge which required a more comfortable clearance.

The clock tower is the building’s strongest Classical feature and an unusual addition to a goods depot - a reminder that railway architecture was in its infancy. It contained the S&DR’s chiming master clock and was supported internally by a north-south spinal wall. The tower was a significant enhancement, serving as a landmark, and a visual and audible reminder of the S&DR’s importance , underscoring its role in the burgeoning industrial landscape.

In practical terms the clock was also part of rationalising how time was kept across the railway network.

Change of use (1854-1896)

Following the S&DR's merger with the North Eastern Railway (NER) in 1863, the Goods Depot's use declined, its role likely superseded by the NER’s Goods Station which was located on the north side of the railway line. Although the exact date is unknown, it appears to have ceased to function as a goods depot by 1896 when cartographic evidence indicates a loss of direct rail access. That a deal of care was taken in its conversion, including the infilling of the tall arches with inner arches and radial windows, suggests an earlier rather than a later date. It is known that by 1913-14, the building had been repurposed as a railway-owned fire station. Changes to the building included internal subdivisions, with the western half seeing the installation of a chimney and range and a tongue-and-groove ceiling, all suggesting an attempt to provide basic home comforts for on-call members of the railway fire brigade.

Into the 20th Century

Evidence for the function of the Goods Depot during the first half of the 20th century is rather meagre, but Ordnance Survey maps indicate that all rail tracks had been removed by 1939. By 1948 D. Boyd & Sons, agricultural buildings specialists, occupied the building and around 1951 it was converted into a road motor repair depot, with further significant alterations including the removal of part of the original 1833 north wall. Following a period of vacancy, the building became the home of the Darlington Railway Preservation Society (DRPS).

Influence on the building type

With railway architecture in its infancy, engineers looked to existing building types for inspiration. For example, the 1830 Liverpool Road Station in Manchester is the earliest surviving railway goods warehouse in England. The design takes its cue from canal warehouses, and although also entered through its long elevation, it is built against the railway embankment and set over multiple storeys. Wagons were manhandled into the building via turntables, and goods were transferred for trans-shipment using gravity hoists.

This contrasts significantly with the design of Storey’s Goods Depot, but may have been influenced by the design of the 1827 Merchandising Station.

Whilst the lateral entry of wagons shown at Darlington and Manchester were not adopted as a standard model in later goods shed designs, the Goods Depot was pioneering in handling the transfer and trans-shipment of goods over a single level.

Unfortunately, issues over the increasing size of wagons and the need for more efficient goods handling led to the building’s eventual abandonment. However, lessons learned from its design flaws were as influential as those elements that proved effective, ensuring its contribution towards the development of the building type.

An exciting future

The S&DR Goods Depot is a building of considerable historical and architectural significance. Its role in the early years of the railway, its subsequent evolution, and its impact on the development of railway architecture make it an important piece of industrial heritage. The building’s significance extends beyond its architectural and historical value; it is a symbol of the transformative power of the railway, a reminder of the ways in which this revolutionary mode of transportation changed the world.

Restored with the help of Historic England funding, the Goods Depot now forms an impressive gateway into the award-winning heritage attraction within Darlington’s Railway Heritage Quarter, Hopetown. Containing an orientation space, cafe and interpretation space, the building can now be fully appreciated by everyone.

The project has not only increased our understanding of the building and the building type; its subsequent restoration and reuse is also an outstanding example of the power of heritage as a catalyst for social and economic regeneration.

Further information

Download this issue of the research magazine as a PDF