Both the taller mechanical coaling stage and the smaller ash

plant at Carnforth are Grade II listed structures by Historic England. In their citation Historic England waxes lyrical about the efforts to which the LMS went to in order to drive efficiency in the Steam Age and that these probably represented the pinnacle of their efforts. Another factor that led to their designation is that they both still contain the operational mechanicals that were, thankfully, not stripped out when steam finished at the depot in 1968. Notice the lineup of various locomotives in the foreground, some in working order, others not and to be used for spares.