Midland Railway Goods Shed and associated weighbridge

Midland Railway Goods Shed and associated weighbridge, dated 1867-1868 and designed by the Midland Railway architect's department under John Holloway Sanders.

The goods shed stands to the south of Shrub Hill station on the west side of the railway tracks. It is a rectangular building aligned north-south with the tracks, with a narrower two-storey office block projecting from its southern end.

The main shed is a single-storey structure with a basement, built in red brick laid in a variation of English bond with buff and blue brick detailing. The long east and west elevations are symmetrical compositions of seven gabled bays. On the east (rail-side) elevation, the central bay contains a segmental-arched carriageway opening with a blind oculus above. The flanking bays feature tripartite blind arcading, with taller central openings containing arched windows. Metal-framed windows throughout display a distinctive pattern of glazing bars comprising margin lights with X-shaped bars. All arches are lined in buff brick, continuing as an impost band; carriageways have curved jambs lined in blue brick, and massive timber sliding doors survive in some openings. The gabled parapet is lined in buff brick with a blue brick dentil cornice. The west elevation is similarly detailed but its bays alternate between carriageway openings and windows. The north and south elevations have wide carriageway openings at either side; between these, the north elevation has three windows, while the south is occupied by the projecting office building. The roof was originally slate but has been re-clad in modern materials and features apex lanterns to each pitch. A section of the roof has been raised to accommodate a climbing wall.

The attached office is a two-storey building with a hipped slate roof and apex stack. It has six bays with arched openings scaled-down to match the shed's detailing: buff brick arches and impost band, distinctive patterned glazing, and blue brick dentil cornice. Windows are timber sashes. The fourth bay on the west elevation contains a modern door with glazed overlight. The south elevation is blind on the ground floor with three windows above.

Interior of the shed: the space was designed as an open-plan interior to enable unobstructed movement of goods and vehicles, well-lit by roof lights and windows. The principal structure survives unaltered: a single row of iron columns with flanged heads runs centrally along the building's length, supporting riveted cross beams which in turn support iron trusses to the pitched roof of each bay. The space has been temporarily subdivided and partitioned.

The basement is divided into 14 bays with thick brick walls and vaulted brick ceilings designed to bear great loads. Cross walls have segmental arched openings, some of which have been blocked. Two hatches to the ground floor are both blocked, though that in bay seven retains a sliding trap door and chain. A weighing scale and floor plate survive, marked "TO WEIGH 20 CWT".

The office building connects to the main shed via an internal door, in addition to its principal external door on the west elevation. The internal plan features a central stair hall with a room to either side on each floor. The stair has stick balusters and moulded timber handrail terminating in a volute above a cluster of balusters and a slender iron newel post; it has an open string with decorative moulding. Each principal room has a chimneybreast, which converge in the loft rising to the single stack.

A weighbridge bearing the maker's name—Pooley of Birmingham—stands at the entrance to the yard.