Three of the national amenity societies are objecting to proposals to demolish part of the workshops of the pioneers of railways and locomotives, George and Robert Stephenson. The amenity societies include the Victorian Society, the Georgian Group, and Historic Buildings & Places who are all statutory commentators as part of the planning process. This year marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Locomotion No.1, the first modern steam locomotive.
The former Machine Shop And Smiths Shop buildings are part of the pioneering Stephenson’s Works, which are in the eastern part of the site now known as the Stephenson Quarter which extends to 10-acres in the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne. The site was acquired by Clouston Group in 2004 and subsequently sold to the Council. One significant building on the site has already been developed, but there are other buildings which are proposed for conversion to housing and offices also on the site.
The planning proposal is for the Machine Shop and Smiths Shop which are Grade II and curtilage listed respectively. The former industrial buildings and the now converted Pattern Works form the historic Robert Stephenson & Co. Locomotive Works, established in 1823 as the first manufacturing company of its sort in the world: which helped power the Industrial Revolution. Only in 2023 Newcastle celebrated the 200th anniversary of the opening of these buildings which made up the world’s first locomotive works.
The Machine Shop fabric is shown as ‘uncertain date’ on the planning application is potentially c.1820s-30s, but more study is needed to be definitive. The cast iron columns are likely to be c.1837-8. The unlisted Smith’s shop on Hannover Street is almost entirely Victorian.
The proposed scheme has the potential to cause irreversible harm to the valuable planform, and fixtures and fittings of the building, as a survival of an early locomotive works. The amenity societies need to know what phase the internal walls, columns and other features of the machine shop date to before they could ever consider these buildings demolition. The demolition proposals need to be put on hold until asbestos has been removed from both the buildings and a more conclusive assessment of their significance undertaken.
Thomas Ollivier, Conservation Adviser, The Victorian Society, said:
“The Victorian Society is very concerned by the proposed demolition of parts of the Stephenson’s Works in Newcastle. Birthplace to the world’s first commercial steam locomotives and directed by two of Britain’s most recognised engineers, George and Robert Stephenson, this site is of global importance. Without this site, the modern world as we know it simply would not exist.
Any proposal for the redevelopment of this site must be informed and holistic, and should be devised with a long-term view. That being so, the demolition of any of the site’s buildings in the absence of a clear and detailed plan for what will replace them is not acceptable.”
Tom Whitfield, The Georgian Group, said:
‘The Georgian Group is extremely concerned by the proposal to demolish large parts of the historic machine shop, the world’s first purpose built locomotive manufactory. The building is highly significant in railway and industrial history as the place where George and Robert Stephenson developed and built some of the worlds earliest steam locomotives. The proposed works would however almost totally destroy the last remaining vestiges of the building’s historic layout, severely eroding the ability to understand how the building functioned and the remarkable things that happened therein. We continue however to be optimistic that the developers will work with the local planning authority, the National Amenity Societies, and other stakeholders to secure a sympathetic and sustainable future for this internationally significant building.’
Ross Anthony, Caseworker, Historic Buildings & Places said:
Historic Buildings & Places is deeply concerned about the extent of demolition proposed at Stephenson’s historic Railway Workshops in Newcastle. These buildings, including the Grade II listed Former Machine Shop and the Smiths Shop, form part of what is most likely the world’s first purpose-built locomotive factory and are integral to early railway engineering history. The proposals would result in the loss of much of the historic fabric, including the roof, box girders, and cast iron columns, with only partial sections of the original walls remaining. While we support schemes that bring historic buildings back into use, removing such significant elements without a clear and viable plan for the site’s future is unjustifiable. No demolition should take place until a sustainable and appropriate future for these nationally significant buildings has been secured.
Robert Stephenson and Company, founded in 1823, was the world’s first company specifically established to manufacture locomotives. It was founded as part of the construction of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, the world’s first steam-powered public railway, which opened on 27 October 1825.
The Patternworks on the site, behind Central Station, had been left vacant since 2008 and fell into a state of disrepair, but has now been developed as office accommodation.
