Railway Factory

Railway Factory, Elvet Avenue, Romford

Railway engineering works built between 1843 and 1847 for the Eastern Counties Railway. The complex comprises three parallel blocks constructed in stock brick with tarred slate roofs.

The north block, begun in 1843 with interior alterations made in 1847, presents a symmetrical 11-window range of two storeys facing north towards the railway lines. A central entrance is marked by a semi-circular artificial stone arch with keyblock. The ground-floor fenestration consists of round-headed tripartite windows with multiple panes set under gauged arches; the pair of windows immediately flanking the entrance are smaller in size. A platband runs at first-floor level, where the windows are tripartite casements set under straight gauged skewback arches. The elevation is framed by clasping corner pilasters connected by a low parapet. At the centre rises a tall square water tower with clasping pilasters, an applied pediment on console volutes, and a hipped roof. The main roof is hipped. The east and west returns feature single-bay elevations for the front office wing, each with an arched entrance to the ground floor and one tripartite casement above.

The factory works behind comprise a 13-window range to the south front with east and west returns of 5 windows each. The south front contains 13 arched openings under gauged arches that originally held double-hung timber doors with glazed upper parts; these doors now lack hinges, though the hinge pins remain. Timber tympani with 4-paned fixed windows sit above. Original double doors survive in the seventh bay from the west, positioned beneath an elevated walkway that links the north and south blocks. A platband runs below the parapet. The west half was raised to two storeys in the late 19th century without windows. The returns feature arched fenestration as on the north front, though the north window on the west return has been converted to a doorway; the late 19th-century raised portion here is also without openings. The roof is hipped with a full-length louvred ventilation lantern.

The interior contains a 2-storey internal wall on the north side with round arched openings, some blocked, and a platband at first-floor level below tripartite casements. The factory space is divided into 4 aisles across 13 bays by wooden posts in the western 6 bays and by cast-iron columns in the eastern 7 bays, the latter inserted in 1847. Timber tie beams support a queen-post roof.

The south block presents a 13-window range on both north and south elevations, arranged in two storeys with clasping corner pilasters and a hipped roof. At the east and west ends are 2-window single-storey blocks linking to higher ranges at right angles. The north front's central portion features double timber doors in each of the 13 gauged arched openings, with glazed upper parts and 4-paned fixed lights in timber tympani. A platband marks the first floor, where tripartite casements provide fenestration. The south front is similar, except the ground-floor openings contain arched casements with multiple panes, the central one above a doorway. The roof is hipped with a full-length gabled lantern.

The blocks at right angles feature 3 round-headed boarded windows to the returns set in recessed gauged brick arches, with altered fenestration to the east and west elevations. Each has a hipped roof topped with a weatherboarded hipped lantern containing 2 12-paned fixed windows on each side.

The interior contains 13 bays in 3 aisles created by internal cast-iron columns supporting a cast-iron architrave, upon which stand further smaller cast-iron columns supporting the central glazed lantern. Timber A-frame roof trusses span the space. Cast-iron beams connect the architrave to the side walls at each column. A balustraded elevated walkway runs down the centre. The south aisle is floored. An arched opening at the east end leads into the 2-bay link and cross wing.

The engine house stands to the south as a single-storey, symmetrically planned 7-window range. A recessed centre contains a round-headed multi-paned casement, with 3 similar but taller casements flanking to the side bays. A round-headed doorway opens to the west return, with late 20th-century double doors to the east return. The west side bays support a riveted steel water tank on the roof; a corresponding tank on the east side was removed in the 20th century. A tall tapering circular chimneystack rises prominently. The interior was not inspected.