When did Mount Victoria become a railway station?
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The Mount Victoria railway station is a heritage-listed former barracks and now staff accommodation, guest accommodation, railway signal box and railway station located on the Main Western line in Mount Victoria in the City of Blue Mountains local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by NSW Government Railways and built from 1868 to 1913 by Allan McClean and James Barrie . It is also known as Mount Victoria Railway Station group. The property is owned by RailCorp, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. The station opened on 6 September 1869.
Mount Victoria railway station
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Mount Victoria has always been an important railway centre since its opening in 1868. It was the first platform structure made of material other than timber built after Penrith station. The original station building still remains and was to a design consistent with the time of John Whitton, Engineer-in-Chief of the NSW Railways. Further additions were carried out in 1899 to the ladies' toilet and other areas. The parcels office was added in 1911 to the Sydney end of the building.
Mount Victoria railway station
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The Mount Victoria Railway Station is associated with John Whitton, Engineer-in-Chief of the NSW Railways, as the original station building was built to a design from his time, and with George Cowdery, Engineer-in-Chief for Existing Lines, as the two-level stone addition containing the Railway Refreshment Room was built under his supervision.Note: There are incomplete details for a number of items listed in NSW. The Heritage Division intends to develop or upgrade statements of significance and other information for these items as resources become available.
Mount Victoria railway station
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The historical importance of Mount Victoria Railway Station Group as a railway location is demonstrated by a variety of high quality buildings which clearly show the development of the Station over time, particularly between 1872 and 1912, illustrating clearly the growth and decline of railway facilities in the Blue Mountains area. Mt Victoria was a convenient place to construct a locomotive facility (now demolished) to service terminating trains to serve railway tourism associated with the Jenolan Caves and handling goods trains over the steep grades of the Blue Mountains, particularly the section to Lithgow. The structures indicate the importance of Mt Victoria as a health and holiday resort, the Railway Refreshment Rooms and accommodation provided in the station building reinforcing this. The Mount Victoria Railway Rest-House (Barracks) is associated with the duplication of the railway line over the Blue Mountains in 1910 and is significant for its continued use as accommodation. The Station Group is the most substantial railway station complex in the Blue Mountains, demonstrating clear layers of growth from its original construction as a terminus station, through its growth at the turn of the century to the duplication of the railway line.
Mount Victoria railway station
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A locomotive depot existed at Mount Victoria in 1897 and was greatly expanded in 1911-13 when duplication of the line through Mount Victoria was completed. The depot was home to the locomotives and crews who worked the famous "The Fish" commuter train to Sydney. Mount Victoria also was the destination of the Caves Express from Sydney, which conveyed holidaymakers to the Blue Mountains.
Mount Victoria railway station
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Mount Victoria Railway Station Group is of state significance as a large complex of buildings illustrating clearly the pattern of development of railway facilities in the Blue Mountains area. It is the most substantial railway station complex in the Blue Mountains and indicates the former importance of the location with the former locomotive depot (now demolished) to service terminating trains for railway tourism associated with Jenolan Caves and handling goods trains over the steep grades of the Blue Mountains, particularly the section to Lithgow. The structures indicate the importance of Mount Victoria as a health and holiday resort, the RRR accommodation provided in the station building reinforcing this.
Mount Victoria railway station
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Mount Victoria railway station was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999 having satisfied the following criteria.
Mount Victoria railway station
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The Mount Victoria Railway Station Group has a high degree of research potential for its ability to demonstrate construction techniques and architectural character of various types of buildings in one station. The station is a fine example of railway architecture including Victorian Regency and Federation buildings and is an important landmark in the townscape of Mt Victoria being located at the lower end of the town at the termination of the main street vista. The Mount Victoria Railway barracks is an unusual surviving example of a purpose built rest-house still used by the railways for staff accommodation. The signal box is one of a few examples of brick on platform elevated signal boxes that remain in operation in the state. The footbridge is rare as an intact example of a standard Warren Truss trestle and stairway with channel iron stair stringers. The overall aesthetic character of the station is further enhanced by the setting of the station within the rock escarpment, a typical natural setting of the Blue Mountains stations, featuring a collection of numerous flora ranging from mature trees, shrubs and potted plants along both platforms.
Mount Victoria railway station
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Mount Victoria Railway Station Group is a representative example of a substantial railway station complex combining various types, periods and styles of buildings dating from the 19th Century and early 20th Century, each individually representing their standard designs and types.
Mount Victoria railway station
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The site of former Station Master's Cottage was built in 1868 and was constructed of stone similar to the pointsman's cottage at Glenbrook. The cottage was located a short distance to the south of the station and continued to be occupied by successive station masters until the twentieth century. It was demolished in 1934 when it became redundant and in poor condition due to vacancy for a long period. The site of the former cottage is now in a park named after Errol Barden, a Blue Mountains Shire Council employee who took a special interest in the environment of Mount Victoria.
Mount Victoria railway station