Locomotion Conservation Works

The project works are defined as undertaking repairs to the range of historic buildings at Locomotion in Shildon. The purpose of the project is to address the repairs required to arrest their decline and to make them structurally sound, water and weather tight, whilst addressing any M&E services which have been previously damaged by water.

There are seven historic buildings, all lying within the Shildon Conservation Area and the Stockton to Darlington Heritage Action Zone, namely:

-Welcome Building

-Soho House

-Soho Cottages

-Soho Shed

-Goods Shed

-Parcel Office

-Black Boy Branch Buildings

Soho House, the Soho Cottages, the Soho Shed and the Black Boy Branch Buildings are all Grade II listed buildings. The buildings are a fantastic asset to the site and add to the rich history of the area, which is highly significant in terms of connections with the Stockton to Darlington Railway, Timothy Hackworth and the development of the railway.

Many of the defects relate to the roof and rainwater goods of the buildings being in a poor state of repair leading to prolonged periods of water ingress through into the building. Resulting in internal damp conditions occurring. The primary aim of the proposed development focuses on the external repair works to the buildings, with the repairs to the external fabric of the buildings being carried out as a matter of urgency, in order to make them water and weather tight. Once the external repair works are completed then internal defects will be attended to. Schedules of repair works considered required to each individual building on the site are included as part of Howarth Litchfield's planning and listed buildings application drawings. The intention is that all the defects identified will be fully rectified as part of the proposed works.

It is intended that effective rainwater roof drainage will be introduced to the Soho Shed and the Black Boy Branch Buildings and connected into the public surface water sewerage network surrounding the site as indicated in 3E Consulting Engineers' concept design proposals. There are minimal existing services present in Soho House and the Soho Cottages. The installations that do remain in these derelict buildings are in a very poor unsatisfactory condition. New mechanical and electrical installations are proposed to these buildings as indicated in TGA Consulting Engineers' mechanical and electrical concept design services report.