Former Railway Station, 21 Station Road, Randalstown, Antrim, Co Antrim, BT41 2AE

Former Railway Station, Randalstown

This is a former railway station built in 1855–6 for the Belfast and Ballymena Railway Company, designed by the notable Irish architect and engineer Charles Lanyon, with William Dargan as contractor. The branch line from Drumsough Junction to Randalstown had opened in 1848, and this station was constructed when the extension from Randalstown to Cookstown was added. The line closed in 1959. Despite various alterations, the building retains its original character and architectural value.

The structure is a two-storey gabled building with smooth rendered walls and slate roofs, comprising two linked parts: the former station building and an attached domestic house. The main entrance faces north onto the road.

The north elevation displays a roof of Bangor blue slate in regular courses with overhanging eaves carried on shaped exposed rafter ends. The walls are smooth rendered with rusticated quoins at the extremities and a projecting two-step plinth. Three smooth rendered chimneys with offset bases and moulded cornices (without pots) punctuate the roofline.

The station portion occupies the right side. A central ground floor doorway leads to a storage cellar with a segmental arch, raised surround, and keystone, fitted with a sheeted timber door. To the left of the door is a small circular opening with incomplete timber window. The first floor has three sets of coupled semi-circular arched windows with raised surrounds and a projecting stringcourse; these are round-headed timber sliding sash windows, vertically hung with 2-over-2 lights and horns, set on projecting stone cills. To the left end of the station portion are two rectangular fixed light timber windows, originally lighting the station toilets.

The domestic quarters to the left of the entrance feature rectangular coupled timber sash windows (2 over 2 with horns) on both floors at the left side. On the ground floor to the right is a cellar doorway matching that described above, with a three-light fixed timber window above and a small dormer with timber sashed 2-over-2 window above that. Cast iron gutters and downpipes serve both sections. A lean-to porch projects from the end gable with a rectangular doorway; a low red brick wall encloses a small front yard. Beyond this is a short screen wall linked to a single-storey loading bay with a timber sheeted sliding door; a derelict lean-to iron and timber shelter is attached to the front.

The west gable is rendered to match the entrance front and contains a central semi-circular arched recessed doorway accessed by granite steps rising from the entrance front. The doorway is surmounted by rectangular timber panelled original double doors (now in poor condition) and a round-headed 3-pane fanlight, with raised block surrounds and a projecting stringcourse at impost level. Overhanging eaves are supported on shaped timber brackets.

The rear elevation overlooks the former platform and comprises a single storey with slated roof matching the front and rendered walls. A four-bay arched concourse, now partly filled in, is supported on square chamfered timber posts resting on chamfered squared iron posts with splayed stone bases. Timber arched corners frame rectangular openings containing vertical timber tongued-and-grooved sheeted panels with shaped ends at the bottom. The fourth bay to the right has been later filled in with horizontal timber boarding containing a doorway and window. Windows are round-headed or rectangular, some original sashed similar to the entrance front, though others are boarded up or modern replacements. Cast iron rainwater goods, in poor condition, serve this elevation. A tarmac surface covers the concourse and platform, with concrete nosings to the platform edge. To the right is a short screen wall with an entrance to a small open toilet yard, and a single-storey gabled former loading bay with sheeted timber sliding door at the right extremity.

Setting

The building stands within the town's built-up area, set back from the main road within its own grounds. The approach is via a gateway comprising a pair of large rusticated rhyolite piers (now missing their caps) mounted with modern iron gates. The front boundary walling is of basalt rubble with rhyolite copings. The walling was later ramped at the left extremity, with an original section to the east removed to provide an access road to housing behind the station. At the right extremity, the front boundary wall terminates with a single rusticated pier retaining its moulded cap, though the corresponding pier and gates have long been removed. Set back behind this single pier is a modern gateway with rendered piers and tubular metal gate.

Within the gateways, a driveway and hard standing area serve the property, with a garden next to the road. A single-storey modern shop is adjacent to the west gable. Just inside the main entrance gateway stands a small gabled building, the former weigh-room, constructed with red brick plinth walls supporting horizontal timber boarded sides, timber fascias and barge boards to a felted roof, a red brick chimney, and rectangular timber windows.

The listing encompasses the railway station, platform, steps, weigh-bridge, boundary wall, and gate piers.