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A 19th century Welsh railway station thought to be designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel has been named one of the most endangered historic buildings in Wales and England.

The Grade II-listed Old Bute Road Railway Station in Cardiff Bay was home to the first steam-powered train service in Wales.

But it has fallen into dereliction after a museum it housed closed and a modern shelter has been built at the station.

It has been named in the Victorian Society’s top 10 endangered buildings list.

Society spokesman Joe O’Donnell said: “This building is right at the heart of Welsh government power. We are hoping this will bang some heads together.

“Normally these building are not used whereas this building is still used day to day. This is the station that led to the transformation of Cardiff from a small town to major industrial city.”

The station building was built in 1842-43 and was a massive influence in Cardiff’s industrial story.

David Hilling is a rail enthusiast who nominated the building, he said : “I am passionate about it, I want to see it saved. It was one of the oldest purpose built railway stations, not just in the UK, but in the world.

“Without it we wouldn’t have the Cardiff we know today. Seven years after it was built over 600,000 tonnes of coal has been produced and much of that was coming through Cardiff.

“So much of the Bay has changed and you can’t keep all the buildings but would be good if we could save this one and turn it into a museum. It was the beginning of the railways in Cardiff. There used to be six lines down where Lloyd George avenue is and now the lines and the turntables have gone.”

The original designer of building is not certain but it looks likely to have a very prestigious creator.

“It is conceivable that Isambard Kingdom Brunel was involved in its design. At Bristol university there is a sketch he did that is very similar to the building” said Mr Hilling who runs the Changing Cardiff blog.

Other buildings named on the list include a mill in Grimsby which was part-converted to flats but has structural problems and a church in Cheshire with wall paintings and stained glass windows.

Also on this year’s list is a Devon brick factory where Grade II listed buildings are under threat and the derelict Philip Webb arts and crafts house in Redcar in Yorkshire.

The charity’s director, Christopher Costello, suggested the contrast in fortunes of old buildings in different areas reflected the “vastly different financial climate” for development in many places outside the South-East.

But he and the society’s vice-president, TV presenter and comedian Griff Rhys Jones, urged local people to seize the opportunity to save the buildings.

Publicity from inclusion on the endangered list often sparked new interest in the buildings which could help protect them, the charity said.

Mr Costelloe said: “This year, for the first time, the top 10 has no entries from London or the South-East. We simply got far more nominations from other regions.

“This perhaps reflects the vastly different financial climate for development in many areas outside the South-East.

“Retaining historic buildings like those in the top 10 is vital to maintaining local identity and creating places in which people want to invest, live and work.”

Rhys Jones added: “The nationally important buildings on the Victorian Society’s top 10 list are in dire need of help. Many of them are in prominent locations in their towns and cities.

“Following my experience with the Hackney Empire I know how difficult finding funding can be - especially outside London.

“However, restoring important historic buildings is worth investing in as it can be a catalyst for wider regeneration.

“I hope people living near these buildings will seize this opportunity and campaign to save them. Ultimately, it is the support of local people which will ensure that they are not lost forever.”