The Working Horse Museum is situated at the southern end of the Eureka! The National Children’s Museum site. The building is Grade II listed and is known as the Working Horse Museum as this was the previous purpose for the shed. Originally the building was a transshipment shed for goods being transported in and out of Halifax by rail and the immediate site is also known as Shaw Sykes Goods Station. Due to the demolition of most of the buildings in the complex and removal of most of the track, the former Goods Station appears isolated from the other buildings in the complex.
The building is approximately 62 metres long, the southern third has two storeys and the northern part is a single storey. Most of the roof truss of the building had collapsed due to years of water ingress. Urgent works were required as deterioration was likely to accelerate as much of the inside of the building was exposed to the elements.
We were contracted to stabilise the Grade II Listed Building by providing temporary support along with other remedial works. We worked closely with Eureka, English Heritage, Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council and the Surveyor, ensuring their requirements were achieved.
The National Children’s Museum was open to the public throughout the works. Our team ensured work was carried out with minimum disruption to the museum.
Our specialist team removed collapsed debris from the internal of the building. Materials that can be re-used were carefully salvaged and materials that were damaged or not usable were removed. A double Decker bus inside the museum was moved. A few trees and shrubs were removed as part of the site clearance.
Truss 5 was removed from its current location and stored securely. The principle rafters and post were lowered to the ground and stored.
Twelve steel columns and four diagonal braces were installed to the single-storey building.
Wall tops to the one storey building were re-built where the collapsed truss had dislodged the stonework. Pre-cast concrete flag stones were installed to the wall tops and coping stones were repointed as required.
The gable wall that adjoins the two-storey building was repaired.
For the two-storey building, eight steel columns were installed from the ground to the first floor to provide structural support.
The existing roofing slates were removed from the building and stored safely. Truss 8 was lifted to its original position using jacks and props. Steel work was installed to the 1st floor to provide support for the truss. The damaged section of roof was repaired and the steel braces for the gable walls were installed. New parapet gutters were installed and lined with torch on felt. New steel sheeting was installed prevent uplift.
All gutters and down pipes were checked for blockages and cracks and repaired as necessary. The copings were repointed as required.
During the works asbestos materials were identified and were removed from site by qualified personnel.
At the end of the works the site was thoroughly cleaned.
