Warden Law, Warden Law Engine House

HER Number:
2977

District:
Sunderland

Site Name:
Warden Law, Warden Law Engine House

Place:
Warden Law

Map Sheet:
NZ35SE

Class:
Transport

Site Type: Broad:
Railway Transport Site

Site Type: Specific:
Engine Shed

General Period:
Early Modern

Specific Period:
C19

Form of Evidence:
Extant Building

Description:
Two important colliery railways passed over Warden Law - the Hetton Railway going north and the Londonderry Railway going east. The two crossed between Copt Hill and Warden Law. At the highest point on the Londonderry Railway stands the Warden Law Engine. The trackbed can be followed in the area and the engine house is virtually complete. The extant buildings comprise the original stone engine house with mid-19th century brick extensions, featuring some fine railway architecture which were built to form a locomotive shed. The original engine house probably dates from circa 1830 and so is perhaps the oldest colliery railway building in the county. The importance of the Londonderry Railway is well recorded and gives this survival added significance. Recorded ahead of conversion in 2017.

Easting:
3661

Northing:
4983

Grid Reference:
NZ36614983

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
<< HER 2977 >> 1st edition Ordnance Survey map, 6 inch scale, Durham14 C.E. Mountford, 1970, The Development of Colliery Railways in Co. Durham, p.16 Pers. Comm. I.M. Ayris, 1990; Vindomora Solutions, 2017, Engine House and Loco Shed, Houghton le Spring Building Recording