Old Erecting Shop

The Old Erecting Shop with its rearward extension, the New Erecting Shop, is the location for the assembly of new locomotives and the dismantling for overhaul of existing ones. It is also the favoured location for any other large metal construction work such as new underframes for carriages and wagons.

Old Erecting Shop
Location	Boston Lodge on the east side of the Lower Yard on the south side of Machine Shop No. 1.
Register No	110
T. Corner ID	BL023
Operational	Yes
Heritage Status	Grade 2 listed.
Historical significance	Highly significant. Dates from 1900, having replaced the earlier corrugated iron Erecting Shop on the same site, which was blown down in a storm in 1899. Pits in No. 2 and No. 3 roads are thought to date from the original 1877 Erecting Shop. The Erecting Shop was requisitioned in both the Great War of 1914–1918 and the war of 1939–1945.
Cadw Blg ID	14411. Cadw listing text as follows: This range was built c1900 to replace a corrugated iron structure of 1878 (see old photographs) which was put up for the building of the renowned Fairlie locomotives. Interior. The interior has a wide aisled roof and retains line shafting for belt drives. Exterior. Single-storey range of slatey rubble with slate roof, now with roof-lights; old photographs show that there was formerly a chimney. To the centre are 2 full-height, half-glazed door entrances through which run railway tracks. At the extreme right hand end is the carriage works, the front part of which is modern; lower part-glazed entrance to the left section with tall iron framed flanking windows. Reason for Listing. Listed as part of this especially complete example of a C19 railway engineering works which has important historical associations with the Ffestiniog Railway. Since the above was written the Carriage Works mentioned has become the Loco Shed. There are now four rail entrances, but Road 1 has a smaller door and is only usable by small wagons. It is also the usual pedestrian entrance to the building.
Description	Solid stone (slate) walls under a duo pitched roof covered with natural slates. Single storey. Note that in some FR documents and articles in FRM this building is referred to as the New Erecting Shop (1900) to distinguish it from its corrugated-iron predecessor. Extended to the rear in 1973 by erecting an 'Atcost' building which is sometimes called the New Erecting Shop but might be better called the Erecting Shop Extension.
Present use	Combined Erecting Shop and Machine shop for the building and maintenance of locomotives.
Previous use	As above
Condition	The building is generally sound but repairs and reinstatements to walls and rainwater disposal are needed. Since this list was compiled work has been done on roof, walls, doors and gutters covering most of the urgent items. Major repairs will be done as part of the Boston Lodge improvements programme currently in progress, probably after the rebuild of the Loco Sheds.
Urgent and Immediate Repairs required	The following repairs are urgently needed: Refix into place verge flashing which is hanging loose, or replace with a more traditional approach to weather protection of the verge. Repair valley gutter to arrest water ingress.
Less urgent repairs	A summary of the repairs required in the next 5 years (from 2014) is as follows: Rainwater disposal - replace plastic gutters and down pipes with cast iron - Repairs are Urgent and Essential. Change to cast iron is Desirable. - done 2016 Strip paint off woodwork and repaint (linseed oil paint recommended). - Painting is Urgent and Essential to prevent decay. - Some done 2016
Improvements needed	The following works go beyond 'repairs': Replace pressed metal verge flashings with a more traditional approach to weather protecting the verge (e.g. slate). Rake out inappropriate cement pointing and repoint with lime mortar. Inspect electrical power and lighting and upgrade if required. Replace ridge vents to improve ventilation?
Potential alternative uses	The future use of this building is likely to remain as it is for the foreseeable future.

View from the south west
Part west elevation facing Yard 2013
Part west elevation facing Yard 2013
Part west elevation facing Yard 2013
Part west elevation facing Yard 2013
Part west elevation facing Yard 2013
Part west elevation facing Yard 2013
North return wall to Machine Shop (No 100) 2013
Detail of stonework 2013
Window in north (return) wall 2013
South west corner return wall into Locomotive Shed 2013
Part view looking North east 2013
Part view looking North east 2013
South west corner and South gable
South gable - note detached verge flashing
South gable of Machine Shop (No 100) 2013 - note poor condition of abutment cement fillet flashing to roof of Erecting Shop.
Rooflight to west roof slope 2013.
Rooflight to west roof slope 2013.
Looking along east roof slope 2013 (note stumps of former ridge vents). Roof in foreground is rear extension of No. 1 Machine Shop.
Looking over Old Carriage Shed (now Loco Shed) and new erecting shop extension from the East towards South gable of the Erecting Shop.