Barrow Street Railway Shed
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http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/letters/1999/0728/index.htm#5
Sir, – The recent screening by RTÉ television of the
documentary series Ironing the Land will have brought
Ireland’s rich railway heritage to the attention of many viewers.
It is therefore surprising that the imminent destruction of a
piece of our railway heritage has not generated comment,
particularly from organisations dedicated to the preservation of
that heritage.
Within the next few days the former engine shed of the Dublin
and South Eastern Railway at Barrow Street, Ringsend is
scheduled for demolition to make way for the development of
a DART station. A small portion of the shed wall is to be
incorporated into the structure of the new station.
The history of the Barrow Street engine shed is linked to the
history of the Dublin and Kingstown Railway, opened on
December 17th, 1834, and arguably the world’s first
commuter railway. The trackwork of the original Dublin and
Kingstown Railway consisted of inverted T-section steel rails
secured to granite blocks which formed sleepers. Problems
with this method of construction led in 1839 to the
replacement of the trackwork using (by today’s standards)
more conventional materials.
In true Victorian tradition the material recovered from the
original trackwork was “recycled” and used in the construction
of the engine shed, which still stands at Barrow Street. The
columns used to support the roof of this building were formed
from the inverted Tsection rails while the walls were built using
the granite blocks. Indeed, it is still possible to see the holes in
the granite blocks where the rails were attached to the
sleepers.
The passing into oblivion of this piece of our railway heritage is
a matter of sadness. – Yours, etc.,
RICHIE MURRAY Turret Road, Palmerstown, Dublin
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I’m assuming this is not the railway shed mentioned earlier in this ancient thread (seeing as it’s far from demolished… and about seven years later) but I was wondering what this shed is/was. Does anyone know?
It is in fact on the left (heading south of Pearse) just as you pass Grand Canal Basin… also quite visible from the Grand Canal DART platform, where this picture was snapped. The sign down on the locked gate on Barrow Street says IRISH RAIL PLANT DEPOT. If anyone knows what this building is, what the nature of the damage is (fire? neglect?) or how long it’s been standing there in all its gutted glory, I’d be interested.
Also, Archiseek Picture/Information Fairy, I wouldn’t mind a picture of the original stone shed with the ‘Barrow Street Engineering Works’ on the side, insight on how/if a wall of it was incorporated into the Grand Canal DART, more cool stuff about demolition and rebuilding on Barrow Street and oh yes, a pony. Thank you.
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Yes I wouldn’t mind a picture either if anyone has one 🙂
The above structure seems to be a typical 1950s concrete shed of column and sleeper construction, where horizontal bands were slotted down between the verticals like a giant jigsaw puzzle. Another example is on the Drumcondra Road near the Griffith Avenue Garda station, with its gable facing the road. This type of building always tends to make me uneasy – suppose they’re reminicent of wartime construction aren’t they: POW and even concentration camps…
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@GrahamH wrote:
The above structure seems to be a typical 1950s concrete shed of column and sleeper construction, where horizontal bands were slotted down between the verticals like a giant jigsaw puzzle. Another example is on the Drumcondra Road near the Griffith Avenue Garda station
Spot on, Graham. As well as being typical of the mid-20th century, they were particularly associated with railways- I’ve seen examples in a few towns around the country, often converted to domestic garages when the associated railway lines were lifted as so often happened. Original functions included storage, offices and even occasionally waiting rooms on platforms- this construction type didn’t have a single purpose across the board.
From your pics, manifesta, it would appear that the damage was a combination of fire, neglect and probably some low level vandalism.Regarding the other query, I don’t have pictures of the old shed, nor do I remember it, I’m afraid.
But I do have a spare pony.
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Thanks for the insights, Graham and ctesiphon. Makes you wonder why they’d go to the trouble of demolishing something perfectly historic as a Victorian era engine shed while leaving this creepy old thing from the ’50s just next to it, left to rot. I can’t imagine it’s had much practical use lately, but I could be wrong. That said, I’d prefer this piece of dereliction instead of sticking in some glossy, inevitable high rise in its place. But then maybe I just like creepy, run-down inexplicable buildings.
If pictures aren’t available of the original shed, I wonder if there be any land surveys or maps that might show precisely where it might have lived before it was demolished. And if there’s any evidence at all in the new Grand Canal DART station of this original wall they claimed to preserve, it’s certainly scant evidence. Invisible, one might say. Unless I’m not looking closely enough… I’d love to be proven wrong on this one.
@ctesiphon wrote:
But I do have a spare pony.
Is it a bicycle? 😉
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@manifesta wrote:
I’d prefer this piece of dereliction instead of sticking in some glossy, inevitable high rise in its place. But then maybe I just like creepy, run-down inexplicable buildings.
😀
Really? Are you by any chance a member of the Irish Georgian Society? -
@fergalr wrote:
😀
Really? Are you by any chance a member of the Irish Georgian Society?Ah, no, they didn’t seem too keen on my walking tour proposal, ‘Interesting Bits of Rubble I’ve Wondered About’ and told me to take my work elsewhere. Philistines!
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@manifesta wrote:
Is it a bicycle? ]
Aye- the trusty old tubular nag. She was put out to grass about 6 months ago when I got a showjumper, but she’s still a dependable old girl in her own way. 🙂@manifesta wrote:
If pictures aren’t available of the original shed, I wonder if there be any land surveys or maps that might show precisely where it might have lived before it was demolished. And if there’s any evidence at all in the new Grand Canal DART station of this original wall they claimed to preserve, it’s certainly scant evidence. Invisible, one might say. Unless I’m not looking closely enough… I’d love to be proven wrong on this one.
As it was only demolished in 1999, according to RoryW above, there’s every chance it features on 1:1000 city maps from the late or mid-20th century. These show individual plot outlines and building footprints, but they don’t show detail of internal layouts. I’m not sure if these maps are available to buy, though libraries might have them.
I’ve never heard of the wall being retained- was this meant to be part of the station design? Is it supposed to be a feature in some way? I must confess I don’t know the station well at all- must have a look when I’m next passing.
One other thing: http://www.irishhistoricmaps.ie is the relatively new website fot the Ordnance Survey’s digitised historic maps, available for purchase rather than for free dwnload afaik. Might be of some use.
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@ctesiphon wrote:
Aye- the trusty old tubular nag. She was put out to grass about 6 months ago when I got a showjumper, but she’s still a dependable old girl in her own way. 🙂
ctesiphon, glad to hear that you still are getting the leg over….:)
KB -
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@ctesiphon wrote:
I’ve never heard of the wall being retained- was this meant to be part of the station design? Is it supposed to be a feature in some way? I must confess I don’t know the station well at all- must have a look when I’m next passing.
At the top of the steps, as you walk up to the station building there are two small metal structures, which as far as I know are from the original shed.
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