Adrian Riley
Cathedral of Steam
The Derby Roundhouse - architecture in praise of the locomotive industry.
Derby Roundhouse (built 1839) is thought to be the first building of its kind. Designed by architect Francis Thompson with engineer George Stephenson, the innovative roundhouse was part of the North Midland Railway's impressive locomotive works.
At its peak the works buildings alone covered 20 acres of land and were constructing 50 new steam locomotives a year. The roundhouse gave 120 years of service repairing locomotives. It has now been given a fresh lease of life as part of the new Derby College campus which includes, appropriately, the engineering department.
Whilst some railway buildings consciously sought to imitate ecclesiastical architecture, the Roundhouse's beauty is born of its functionality and to my mind, is as impressive as any cathedral. The addition of colour amongst the latticework of beams in this image forms a fictional stained-glass window. It is my homage to the brilliant minds that worked in the building, and anticipates those to come.
Original photograph © Andrew Cowell
www.electricangel.co.uk
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