From Dublin City Council:
The tram shelter will become a central feature of the new scheme as shown on the attached photomontage. The roadside part of the tram shelter will be used as a bus shelter for the adjacent bus stop. The architect inspected the existing and determined that the bricks had been re-pointed in sand/mortar, this would make it difficult/impossible to take down the existing brick work without damaging a large percentage of it. Also, noted was that a large number of asbestos roof tiles were missing (not original), and a lot of the internal wooden trusses and beams were missing or damaged from fire. It was decided that as much of the brick would be salvaged and incorporated into the new design which was to use brick of similar colour and finish, exact dimensions, roof truss details and construction to be replicated and other features to be replicated including cast iron guttering. The proposed design includes taking down the existing brickwork, construct a steel frame and building the recovered brick back up around the it to match the existing. The Contractor is retaining the brickwork.
In summary:
· The tram shelter is being taken down to facilitate construction of the S2S scheme and will be rebuilt.
· The conservation details were captured in the development of the design. This includes a process to put back a structure that retains the historic character of the original even though it will be re-made.
· A full photographic record was made prior to removal of the tram shelter so that good quality images would be available to inform the re-building.
· The careful dismantling and re-use of original materials where possible, particularly the bricks, is being done.
· The provision of site exemplars for brick/jointing detail and roof work will be approved on site by the conservation officer.