The Marine Workshops

NEWHAVEN

TQ4401SE RAILWAY QUAY 769-1/8/15 The Marine Workshops

GV II

Engineering workshops for London, Brighton and South Coast Railway cross channel packet ships, latterly for port maintenance. Circa 1882, upper story partly rebuilt mid 1940's, reroofed 1961. Brick, parallel hipped roof with corrugated iron sheeting and plastic sheeting skylights, remains of original roof of pine planking with glazed skylights said to survive in the little store range. Plan: rectangular single cell, divided east-west by 2-storey 9-bay arcade of cast-iron columns, office sand small store attached on north front, projection in SE corner under catslide roof for plumber's shop, (now electrical); 2 pairs of sliding doors on east and west fronts. The exterior is articulated as a 2-storey structure; brick pilasters carry an entabluture forming recessed panels for the round-headed 16-light cast-iron windows on the north and south fronts with most of the original segmental-headed lunette windows surviving at first floor level, except on the south front, in the NE corner where there are twon inserted square-headed windows, and on the W front; (these were rebuilt following damage sustained in nov 1944 when a barge laden with munitions struck a mine just outside the harbour causing extensive damage throughout Newhaven). Gable-fronted single-storey store in NE corner abuts the former Locomotive Workshops (qv), with 2-storey canted bay to office behind overlooking the quay (not included). Interior: an interesting collection of original fittings still survive. The central 9-bay arcade carries the shaft for the belt-drive system, which remains partly in use at the western end. Originally alternate columns were hollow and functioned as downcomers for the central valley of the roof, but they were filled in when the roof was replaced. The two original hand-operated cranes and their gantries survive, still in operation, and there is a blacksmith's forge with cast-iron hood and chimney, the former bearing the inscription "Brighton Works 1882". This workshop was used for the repair of ships' engines until the early 1960s.

Listing NGR: TQ4482601404