Building record 10869/1/0 - Chester General Railway Station

Chester became an important railway junction in the mid 19th century following the construction of the Crewe line (CHER 2468/1/0) and the Birkenhead line (CHER 2527/1/0), both of which were completed by 1840. The lines originally met at an informal station at Brook Street for several years before the General station was opened in 1848. Subsequent lines to Shrewsbury (CHER 10866/1/0) and Holyhead (CHER 10868/1/0) were also added in 1848 and the Birkenhead line extended to Warrington in 1850.

The original station was designed by Wild and Thompson in collaboration with Robert Stephenson (3), it is two storeys red brick with sandstone moulded cornice, stringcourse and window dressings. Two projecting wings, also of two storeys, are of a high elevation. The roof includes a parapet and two small towers. There is a wrought iron verandah over the entrance. The Mold Wing is a later addition in a similar style. The station appears to have undergone expansion between 1872 and 1911 with an enlargement of the station itself and the demolition of a goods station to allow this growth. In 1856, it was estimated that 140 people were employed there; 98 passenger trains and over 70 goods trains arrived and departed every day (3).

<1> Sylvester D, 1971, A History of Cheshire with Maps and Pictures, /58-61 (Book). SCH70.

<2> English Heritage, 2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 469916 (Digital Archive). SCH4666.

<3> Carrington, P., 1994, English Heritage - the Book of Chester, /106 (Book). SCH1117.

<4> Ashmore, O, 1982, The Industrial Archaeology of North West England, /33 (Book). SCH3181.

<5> Hewitt H J, 1972, The Building of Railways in Cheshire down to 1860 (Book). SCH3087.

<6> Ordnance Survey, 1871-1882, Ordnance Survey County Series (Epoch 1) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire (Maps and Plans). SCH2462.

<7> Ordnance Survey, 1872-1875, Metric Ten Foot Scale Town Plan of Chester (Maps and Plans). SCH6780.

<8> Ordnance Survey, 1896-1898, Ordnance Survey First Revision County Series (Epoch 2) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire (Maps and Plans). SCH3848.

<9> Chester Local History, 1996-Present, Chester Local History News, Winter 2012 (Newsletter). SCH4494.