Jackfield gates project gets in the swing

Under the care and guidance of one local craftsman, the first 38ft railway gates and pedestrian gate from Jackfield, near Ironbridge, have now been completed. Work on the second railway gate is now well under way.

The gates date back to 1862, and were installed as part of the Severn Valley Railway which ran from Shrewsbury to Hartlebury. In their heyday, they would have been opened and closed several times a day.

Although the line has been disused for many years, the gates remained in place and became a beloved – but neglected – feature. It is believed the last time the gates were removed and repaired was in the 1980s.

After setting aside funding to restore them last year, Telford & Wrekin Council arranged for the gates to be taken down for restoration by the Coalbrookdale-based Small Woods Association in April.

Over the summer the gates dried out on a purpose-built frame at Small Woods’ headquarters. Engineers and craftspeople used the drying time to properly inspect them and found that much of the wood was neither original nor in good condition.

It was also apparent that the removal and subsequent repairs in the 1980s had compromised the structural integrity of the gates and that the timber was beyond repair. Also, apart from the metalwork, few of the original features remained.

Blueprint

With restoration not an option, the team from Small Woods and engineers from Telford & Wrekin Council worked with a council conservation officer to draw up plans to create a replacement set of gates.

Historical photographs taken in the 60s and 70s became the blueprint for the new gates which are now nearing completion.

Neill Mapes, Small Woods heritage craft officer who has overseen the work, said: “The gates have been a labour of love. As well as putting my skills to good use, we have used the project as an opportunity to teach others new skills.

“Our trainee, Teresa, has put in almost as many hours as me on the project. Although I have been teaching and guiding her, I am proud to say that the pedestrian gate was mostly down to her.

"We’ve also had a great group of volunteers working on the gates, many of them hadn’t even picked up a hand plane before they started. Helping them to learn new skills and seeing how they have come on is probably what I am most proud of.”

Councillor Rae Evans, Telford & Wrekin Council cabinet member for partnerships, said: “The traditional skills and techniques being used to create the gates are quite something. Watching Neill working with Teresa and the volunteers and seeing the gates progress has been a joy.

"Jackfield gates are a piece of Ironbridge’s history and I am looking forward to seeing them back where they belong.”

Work on the remaining gate is expected to take around eight weeks to complete. An application for Listed Building Consent to reinstate the gates has also been lodged and a decision is expected in April.

Once finished, the gates will go home to Jackfield.