Chain Test House

The Chain Test House is a metal testing facility built in 1873, featuring a long single-storey brick structure that is attached to an older building, resulting in only one external wall. It has a wrought iron roof and sash windows. The testing room, located at the south end, is illuminated from above, while the chain tester is situated in the floor of the corridor to the north. The testing room retains many original fittings, creating a distinctly Victorian atmosphere. The Ransome's chain tester, dating from 1874, has a hydraulic pull capacity of 130 tons and is likely the oldest working machine of its kind in the country. Additionally, there is a later tensile tester and an Izod's Patent tester made by Avery's. This facility houses a remarkable collection of Victorian testing machinery in its original setting and is still operational, making it extremely rare. It is part of the significant expansion of the works during the 1870s and is one of the key industrial buildings at the Great Western Railway works.