The project to restore the historic stone workshop at the Crich Tramway Village to bring it back to life and to play a useful role has been rewarded with an award at the 2012 LABC National Building Excellence Awards. The workshop – originally built in 1841 and used as
a smithy and wagon works for Stephenson’s one-metre gauge mineral railway to transport limestone – was restored partly thanks to Lottery funding and has now become a learning centre and extra exhibition area.
The Stone Workshop had, over the years, become a rather derelict and dangerous building and due to its historic nature it was decided it needed to be fully restored whilst also playing a useful role for the Museum’s learning department as well as giving extra exhibition space telling the story of the earliest tramways and links the museum to George Stephenson and his mineral railway. It is linked to the adjacent Workshop Viewing Gallery by a glass walkway whilst the lower floor has been converted into a learning centre.
Glynn Wilton, Head of Exhibitions at Crich, said: “We are very pleased that the project has been so successful, it has brought the building back to life. The architect and builders have done a great job. Visitors really enjoy the new exhibition and schools love the Learning Centre. It is a great success.”