THE GOOD SHED GUIDE                                   click to go to alphabetical listing

Compiled by Philip Stuart, with a bit of help from the researches of Stephen Bull, Dave McGuire, Paul Smith and other site explorers.

Many members will have seen the lists of surviving sheds published in "Steam Railway" (May 1991) and "Railway Magazine" (September 1996), but surprisingly the ESS's own journal last attempted a comprehensive list in 1990, more than a decade ago (LINK 13, pp6/7). More than 20 survivors have turned up since then but, as there now seems to be practically no chance of any further discoveries, a new revision appears timely. In this instance, sheds are categorised and graded according to what there is left to see. Note that at some sites only one of several buildings still stands, and at others what remains is less than the full width of the original shed.

a) 42 SHEDS WITH TRACK STILL IN USE

AVIEMORE, DIDCOT, STAVELEY BARROW HILL, SWANAGE and TUNBRIDGE WELLS WEST are preserved as working steam sheds. BARRY, CARNFORTH LMS and SOUTHALL are used for storage or restoration of steam locomotives. ABERYSTWYTH and ALFORD have been converted to narrow gauge sheds, joining NEW ROMNEY, RAVENGLASS, TOWYN PENDRE, LLANBERIS SMR and CORRIS MAESPOETH, though the latter currently has only diesels. BRISTOL SOUTH WALES JUNCTION, CARDIFF CANTON, DONCASTER, IMMINGHAM, LONGSIGHT, MOTHERWELL, THORNABY and perhaps MELDON QUARRY service diesel locomotives; LEEDS NEVILLE HILL overhauls HST power cars; HULL BOTANIC GARDENS, INVERNESS (1855), MACHYNLLETH and NEWTON HEATH maintain dmu's. RAMSGATE, SLADE GREEN and STRAW­BERRY HILL are emu depots, as are the London Transport sheds at NEASDEN and NEW CROSS. PORTMADOC BOSTON LODGE is a carriage shed. AYR, BRISTOL BARTON HILL, CARLISLE CURROCK, LANGWITH JUNCTION and the straight shed at ST.BLAZEY are wagon works; CRIANLARICH, HITHER GREEN and RYDE house pw machines.

b) 91 SHEDS WHICH STILL LOOK LIKE ENGINE SHEDS

Four historic roundhouses, CAMDEN, DERBY, LEEDS HOLBECK NER and ST.BLAZEY deserve a category of their own. Among straight sheds prizes for sympathetic restoration could go to NEWPORT DOCK STREET, RICHMOND and HORLEY, perhaps with LITTLEHAMPTON, ROSS and SNAILBEACH as runners up. Among sheds serving as showrooms, stores, warehouses, offices and garages, those maintained in good, weatherproof condition include CALSTOCK, CLAY CROSS, FORFAR, HULL DAIRYCOATES, KILMARNOCK, LILLIE BRIDGE, ORPINGTON, POTTON, PURLEY, SHREWSBURY COTON HILL, THURSO, TWEEDMOUTH and WHITTINGHAM. Those in rather rougher use, as workshops, council depots, barns, etc., plus those temporarily unoccupied, form the largest category: ABERDEEN (1850), ABERGAVENNY Engineer's Dept., ASH, BATHGATE, BECCLES, BLAIR ATHOLL, BOROUGHBRIDGE, CAERSWS, CARNFORTH MR, DARLINGTON GNoE, DARLINGTON S&D, DENBIGH, DOLPHINTON, ELGIN I&A, EPPLEBY, FRASERBURGH, GLYNCEIRIOG, GREENHEAD, HAWKHURST, HORNSEY, HYTHE, KENTISH TOWN, MACDUFF, MALMESBURY, MELTON CONSTABLE, MIRFIELD, MORETONHAMPSTEAD, NEWHAVEN TOWN, NEWPORT DOCKS, NEWTON STEWART, NORTHAMPTON FAR COTTON, NORTHAMPTON MR, PETERBOROUGH EAST, PICKERING, PLYMOUTH DOCK, PWLLHELI, RADSTOCK GWR, REEDSMOUTH, RETFORD GNR, ST.BOSWELLS, SHILDON, STAFFORD GJR,  TAFFS WELL, THAXTED. TRAWSFYNYDD, WELLINGBOROUGH and WHITBY. At the bottom of the range, abandoned or in scrapyard or other basic uses, BALLACHULISH, DINTING, FAVERSHAM, GAINSBOROUGH, KERRY, LINCOLN GNR, MOLD JUNCTION and STRANRAER are at least better served than the virtual ruins at BEDFORD MR (1886), BELLE VUE, BESCOT, BOSTON Sleeper Depot, and HENSALL JUNCTION. At all these sites, photographers should not have too much difficulty in capturing views suggesting nothing substantial has changed since the last engine moved off shed. Such views are more restricted at BANGOR, BLAIRGOWRIE, CARLISLE LONDON ROAD, CHELTENHAM HIGH STREET, LUDLOW, MILLHOUSES, REDCAR and ST.HELENS GCR owing to the addition of extensions.

c) 23 SHEDS WHICH CAN BE RECOGNISED IF YOU LOOK HARD ENOUGH

Extensions are even more of a problem at ASHBURTON, CHELTENHAM MALVERN ROAD, EDENHAM, HIGH WYCOMBE, MANSFIELD, MOAT LANE, TEMPLECOMBE S&DJR and WICK, while OSWESTRY is effectively concealed within a larger structure. The walls of ABERCYNON and WARRINGTON DALLAM are also hidden by modern industrial cladding, and HULME END has had its original sheeting replaced. Naturally, many of the foregoing have been re-roofed (as they would have been by now had they seen another half century of use by steam locomo­tives), but apart from the lack of smoke vents their profiles are substantially unchanged. That is not the case with ABERBEEG, BEXHILL WEST, DANYGRAIG, DISTINGTON, ELGIN GNoSR, HORNINGLOW, HORWICH, LOUGHBOROUGH, SKIPTON and STAFFORD LNWR, where unsympathetic changes in roof design have destroyed much resemblance to the buildings' original function. HOLYHEAD SOLDIER'S POINT would also belong here though, despite its inclusion in the "Directory", it remains doubtful whether it was ever a steam shed.

d) BITS OF 12 SHEDS

The front of SIDMOUTH was rebuilt as an office and a rear corner of BEDFORD MR (1868) was converted to house p.w. machines. One side of STEWARTS LANE, the rear of CANNON STREET and side walls of ABBOTSBURY, ASHFORD SR and ROSEBUSH QUARRY still stand as derelict fragments. Sections of walls remain in place, incorporated into new buildings at CLEOBURY TOWN, EXETER, GLAN-Y-PWLL,  and YORK NORTH. Components from NORWICH CITY have been re-erected at Weybourne.

e) OTHER BITS AT 93 SITES

At a number of sites, what is left of the shed building itself is less interesting than other remains. The repair shops at GLOUCESTER HORTON ROAD, HAYMARKET, LEEDS HOLBECK MR, LEICESTER MIDLAND, OLD OAK COMMON and POLMADIE still repair rolling stock, even if only p.w. machines; those at FRODINGHAM and TAUNTON are derelict. Stores or shed offices survive at CAMBRIDGE GER, CARLISLE UPPERBY, CORKERHILL, DUNBAR, IPSWICH, OXLEY, PERTH LMS, STIRLING CR, SUNDERLAND SOUTH DOCK and THORNTON JUNCTION, and cabins or huts at FORRES, KINGHAM, PENMAENPOOL and PENRITH. The stabling point at YEOVIL JUNCTION retains a working turntable, as does TYSELEY which also has an intact coal stage. Remnants of the coating facilities can be seen at CREWE GRESTY LANE, GRANTON, PANTYFFYNNON, RICCARTON JUNCTION, ROBIN HOOD, SOWERBY BRIDGE and SWANSEA EAST DOCK, and of watering provision at BATTERSBY, CHESHAM, FOCHABERS TOWN, KINNERLEY JUNCTION, MILFORD HAVEN and TROON HARBOUR. Returning to actual shed buildings, single walls remain in place, either incorporated into new structures, as at KEITH GNoSR, as free-standing boundaries, etc., at BICKLEY, BRUNSWICK, EARLESTOWN WAGON WORKS, HENLEY ON THAMES, MILNGAVIE, MOOR ROW, ST.HELENS BEMBRIDGE and WHITEINCH, or as retaining walls at DERBY FRIARGATE, KILSYTH, LOW MOOR, NORTH BERWICK and PERTH NBR. What were once party walls with sheds survive in the adjoining buildings at ACCRINGTON, BARROW and BURY.
Miscellaneous fragments can be found at ASHTON (Teign Valley), BLACKPOOL CENTRAL, BOSTON, BRENTWOOD, BRIMSCOMBE, DALMALLY, HITCHIN (1850), LINCOLN PYEWIPE, MALDON, ROTHBURY, STAMFORD LNWR, TALYLLYN JUNCTION, TIPTON,  WIDNES and WORKINGTON CENTRAL. Bases of walls, and walling below floor level where sheds were built on uneven ground, remain at ARDROSSAN NORTH, BIRKENHEAD TOWN, BLAENAU FESTINIOG, BLETCHLEY, BOURNEMOUTH, CASTLETON BLUE PITS, DUMFRIES, EASINGWOLD, KNOTTINGLEY, LEEDS NEW STATION, MERTHYR, OKEHAMPTON, PEMBROKE DOCK, PERTH NORTH HR, SALISBURY LSWR, SHEFFIELD NEEPSEND, SPRINGS BRANCH, STRATFORD-UPON-AVON (1859), SUNDERLAND HENDON, TREHERBERT, WAINFLEET and WINCHESTER CHESIL.  The lower walls of KILLIN LOCH TAY, though buried on the outside, now enclose a garage. At CLEE HILL the remains of wooden props, which buttressed the walls, may still be found.

f) FLOORS AND PITS AT 88 SITES (plus 7 others)

Obviously lots of inspection pits lie buried and hidden, perhaps waiting centuries before future archaeologists dig them out. Many shed floors are gradually disappearing under encroaching vegetation, others occasionally reappear as the ground is cleared for re-use. The foundations of BODMIN GWR and ROWSLEY have had new engine sheds built upon them, while GOOLE and WIRKSWORTH have been excavated for possible preservation. Probably the best naturally preserved pits are at LEADHILLS, ROSEDALE and WYMONDHAM. As for the rest, the following list is a guide (more extensive and less provisional than it might have been, thanks to a second opinion from Stephen Bull) to what may still be visible, perhaps depending on the season: ABERGAVENNY MONMOUTH ROAD, AINTREE, ARDSLEY, BANBURY, BOAT OF GARTEN, BRISTOL BATH ROAD, BURY ST.EDMUNDS, BUXTON LNWR, CARLIN HOW, CARLISLE CANAL, CARLISLE KINGMOOR, CHIPPENHAM, COLNE L&YR, DARLINGTON BANK TOP, DINAS MAWDDWY, EASTBOURNE, EVESHAM GWR, FELTHAM, FROME, GIRVAN, HASLAND, HELLIFIELD MR, HOLSWORTHY, HOLYHEAD, HUDDERSFIELD, ILKLEY, KIRKBY STEPHEN, LEICESTER GCR, LEOMINSTER, LEYBURN, LLANDOVERY LNWR, LOSTOCK HALL, MARCH, MIDDLESBROUGH, NORWICH CITY (original site), OXENHOLME, OXFORD GWR, PILTON YARD, PLYMOUTH LAIRA, PORTMADOC, RADYR, REDHILL, ROYSTON, SEVERN TUNNEL JUNCTION, SPURN HEAD, STAMFORD GNR, TREDEGAR, UTTOXETER, WAKEFIELD, WANTAGE TOWN, WARRINGTON ARPLEY, WATLINGTON, WEST HARTLEPOOL, WESTHOUSES, WORCESTER, YEOVIL PEN MILL and YORK SOUTH. In addition, traces of turntable pits remain at ABERDEEN FERRYHILL, ABERFOYLE, ALNMOUTH, AVONMOUTH, BANFF BRIDGE, BASINGSTOKE GWR, BERVIE, BOWES BRIDGE, FAIRFORD, GOWHOLE, HELMSDALE, MARYPORT, NOTTINGHAM MR (1850), OBAN, PATELEY BRIDGE, PEEBLES CR, PORTESSIE, RUABON, SCARBOROUGH, TAIN, UPPERBANK, WEMYSS BAY, WHITCHURCH and WOLVERHAMPTON STAFFORD ROAD.

The cavern dug out of the side of a cutting at WAPPING BANKHEAD, apparently to stable locomotives, is still there, and "Directory" includes a few more surviving structures once put to temporary use as engine sheds: viaduct arches at DEPTFORD, tunnels at DIGGLE and WAPPING, the earliest part of BRISTOL TEMPLE MEADS station and the carriage shed at CARLISLE UPPERBY, to which in conclusion SHILDON SOHO Works may perhaps be added.

This is not to say that there is nothing to see anywhere else. Though all the BR sheds have long since been checked, a large number of early sites listed in "Directory" remain to be explored. There is a slight possibility of further category d) or e) fragments turning up - there are almost certainly some category f) remains awaiting discovery. For all the marvels of the Internet, all the aerial photos and O.S. maps, nothing but foot-slogging will find the last few visible patches of brick shed flooring. As for the last rubble-filled pit, a fleet of ESS mechanical diggers with unrestricted site access would be kept fully occupied for years...!

AN EX-DIRECTORY SUPPLEMENT

A further 14 steam-age sheds, broadly classified as industrial and therefore excluded from the "Directory", are still in use. Those at SCUNTHORPE Steel Works and the military railway at BICESTER GRAVEN HILL service diesels. Another military shed, LONGMOOR, has been re-erected at Grosmont. Industrial sheds re-sited for use on preserved lines are HARSTON (at Cottesmore), SWANNINGTON (at Shackerstone) and ESHOLT (at Armley Mills). MARLEY HILL, DUNASKIN WATERSIDE, SNIBSTON, TELFORD HORSEHAY, LEIGHTON BUZZARD PAGE'S PARK and GILFACH DDU (ex-Dinorwic Quarry) are also preserved. On the Isle of Man DOUGLAS and PORT ERIN continue to function.
Another 20 or so, out of rail use but still intact and recognisable, have been reported in the past, but there are probably plenty more awaiting discovery, while some listed may have gone by now. PHILADELPHIA (Lambton) and SPRINGWELL BANKFOOT (Bowes) survive from the coal-carrying lines around Newcastle. Other colliery sheds remain at STANHOPE CRAWLEY BANK, FOXFIELD, MUIREDGE in Fife, and perhaps LORD PIT in Cheshire. WROXTON and BLOXHAM, the latter derelict, are all that is left from the Oxfordshire ironstone lines; other quarrying survivors are at AMBERLEY and WIRKSWORTH. From the Manches­ter Ship Canal Railway, MODE WHEEL and possibly ELLESMERE PORT remain, so too a military shed at GRETNA, and perhaps the shed at CASTLE DONINGTON Power Station. From the Welsh narrow gauge, PORT PENRHYN and two Padarn Railway sheds, LLANBERIS and PENSCOINS, survive, as do a forestry line shed at KERRY and possibly DOLGARROG, from a reservoir construction railway. In Devon TORYCOMBE (Lee Moor) and CANTRELL (Redlake) still stand, though the latter is a ruin. RIDGE WHARF survives from the clay-carrying lines around Poole Harbour, and WRYDE from the agricultural lines in the Fens.