Historic Yorkshire railway canteen where carriage workers ate is demolished after roof collapse

On April 4, the roof of the derelict Carriage Works cafeteria building on Holgate gave way and crashed through its end gable. Built in 1888, it was demolished last week for safety reasons.

Although it was not listed, it was an important part of the city’s railway heritage, and often appears on old photos of workers arriving and leaving. It was also the last remaining building on the site used for social purposes, and many former workers still alive would have used it.

Its fate has prompted the Civic Trust to ask York residents to suggest other heritage buildings which may be lost if they are not given attention and care.

CEO Andrew Morrison said: “There will be lots of people in York who remember using it, but after nearly 150 years this piece of the city’s railway engineering heritage is lost.”

The canteen was on York’s Local Heritage List, which provides only limited protection. The works closed in 2002.

Trust manager Duncan Marks added: “In almost 20 years, the city has lost nearly one in 12 of the structures on its Local Heritage List. We know York has world-class heritage such as The Minster and the City Walls – as recognised in York recently being added to the UK’s shortlist for UNESCO World Heritage Status – but we should also fight to keep our local heritage. It helps to tell a diverse, fascinating but often less-well known story of our city.

“We’re asking people to think of heritage in a broad way. It can include anything, such as buildings, bridges and street furniture. It might be a listed building standing empty, for example Bootham Park Hospital, or local heritage, perhaps like the Foss Islands Road cable bridge. And it can be from any period, including the 20th century. Basically, if it looks old, in a bad way, or has stood empty for years, has signs of roof tiles missing and water getting in, or has been vandalised – then we want to hear about it.”

Members will use information to compile a city-wide Heritage At Risk register.

To nominate a building, email [email protected].