Railway Goods Shed And Offices

This is a railway goods shed and offices, built around 1845, with an addition dating to around 1890. It was designed by I.K. Brunel for the Western Union Railway. The goods shed is constructed of coursed and squared rubble limestone with ashlar dressings. The chimneys are of ashlar, partly rebuilt in brick, and the roof was originally covered with Welsh slate (which was removed in February/March 1984). The office is built of ashlar limestone with ashlar chimneys and a Welsh slate roof. The goods shed is built in a Tudor revival open style, with a two-storey office attached to its west end.

The north side (facing the road) features offset buttresses at each end of the elevation. A central 4-centred arched doorway allows road vehicle access, and there is 4-window casement fenestration on the office section, with a central doorway. Doorways and casements have chamfered surrounds. An eaves-mounted chimney has a moulded cap, and the office extends to the right with a single-storey, flat, parapet-roofed addition. A further doorway and casements match the main design. The south side (facing the railway) has offset buttresses at the ends and one centrally, with two sets of four 4-centred arched blocked lancets. Painted lettering reads “G W R STROUD STATION EXPRESS GOODS TRAIN SERVICES/AND TRANSITS BETWEEN IMPORTANT TOWNS”. There are also scattered casements to the goods office, and a parapet-mounted chimney with a moulded cap on the flat-roofed addition.

The east end is parapet-gabled with a 4-centred arched road vehicle opening to the right and a rail opening to the left, added in the early 20th century and supported by a steel lintel. The west end is also parapet-gabled, with a gable office projecting from between two 4-centred archways, one for road vehicles and the other for rail access. A raised internal loading platform has been cut out for road vehicle loading positions. There is timber boarding in the goods office against the north wall, a timber stair leading to the upper floor of the goods office, and a trussed rafter and purlin roof.

The office was extended around 1890, likely replacing a small lean-to office. Steel-framed extensions from the early 20th century to the east were demolished around 1976, leaving the original building. The structure was built to a standard Brunel design and is now the only survivor of its type.