The North Ipswich Railway Workshops is a place which contains an extensive complex of buildings and linking rail tracks constructed between 1878 and the present day.

A considerable number of these have architectural merit those constructed between 1884 and 1905 were a result of the first major expansion to the northern end of the site in the 1880s and further development resulting from criticisms levelled by an 1899 Inquiry into two boiler accidents.

These buildings include the gable ended brick structures to the north of the Traverser, which although simple and robust industrial buildings, are carefully articulated and detailed in the late Victorian style with bold use of brickwork in projecting plinths, pilasters, corbels, dentil courses and string courses.
Some buildings such as the Bogie Repair Shop and Blacksmiths' Shop feature the restrained use of coloured brickwork.

The large main entrance doorways are generally round arch openings symmetrically placed in gable ends and often flanking a smaller central window.
Long side window and door openings are generally of the segmental arch headed type with multi-pane windows in carefully detailed cast iron frames, astragals, and pivoting sections.
Door and window dressings are a combination of Helidon freestone, brickwork, or cement render usually with restrained use of coloured brick or stone voussoirs and keystones, raking arches and label moulds.

In the early years of the twentieth century, well designed and finely detailed industrial brick structures such as the Power House, Erecting and Boiler Shops were constructed, completing the intended lateral expansion along the northern and southern sides of the Traverser.
These buildings continued the style of the 1880s buildings, some with affinities to Romanesque detail.
The final result, when viewed along the strong central axis of the Traverser, is a streetscape of robust brick industrial buildings.
Each facade exhibits subtle variations on a simple architectural theme, and although the roof lines vary from simple pitched roofs to extensive saw tooth profiles, there is a great subtlety of scale and material texture which is aesthetically pleasing and impressive.

The influence of quality engineering practice, upon the designs for the North Ipswich Railway Workshops is clearly evident in the drawings and specifications produced at this time.

The timber buildings from the 1910–1920 period, such as the Dining Rooms and Chief Mechanical Engineer's Office are of the simple Federation Bungalow type.
The Timekeeper's Office at the entry to the Workshops is a two-storey timber structure with outsized roof ventilators, which makes a self- conscious architectural statement.

The Tool and Gauge Shop and Metrology Laboratory built in the 1930s and 40s are severely geometric structures of the Functionalist style of architecture, with plain facebrick walls, metal framed and louvre windows set in walls with horizontal parapets devoid of decoration.

A number of major extensions were made to the original buildings fronting the Traverser, between the years 1910 and 1950.
In the main these were simple industrial structures with a steel frame and corrugated galvanised iron cladding.
These buildings were built with function and price rather than style as the primary criteria.
They are essentially the same as numerous other industrial buildings and railway workshop buildings such as Rockhampton, Launceston, South Maitland and Eveleigh (Sydney).

A great many modest out-buildings and single storey ancillary structures such as amenities blocks, toilets, storage sheds, electric sub-stations and lean-to buildings have been constructed, demolished, up-graded or rebuilt over many decades.
While these are important in their contribution towards understanding how the railyards functioned, they are generally unimportant examples of architecture, and in some instances are an intrusive element to the intrinsic architectural quality of the building.
In most cases these small ancillary buildings form an interesting contrast both in scale and construction type
The North Ipswich Railway Workshops is a place which contains an extensive complex of buildings and linking rail tracks constructed between 1878 and the present day.
A considerable number of these have architectural merit those constructed between 1884 and 1905 were a result of the first major expansion to the northern end of the site in the 1880s and further development resulting from criticisms levelled by an 1899 Inquiry into two boiler accidents.
These buildings include the gable ended brick structures to the north of the Traverser, which although simple and robust industrial buildings, are carefully articulated and detailed in the late Victorian style with bold use of brickwork in projecting plinths, pilasters, corbels, dentil courses and string courses. Some buildings such as the Bogie Repair Shop and Blacksmiths' Shop feature the restrained use of coloured brickwork.
The large main entrance doorways are generally round arch openings symmetrically placed in gable ends and often flanking a smaller central window. Long side window and door openings are generally of the segmental arch headed type with multi-pane windows in carefully detailed cast iron frames, astragals, and pivoting sections. Door and window dressings are a combination of Helidon freestone, brickwork, or cement render usually with restrained use of coloured brick or stone voussoirs and keystones, raking arches and label moulds.
In the early years of the twentieth century, well designed and finely detailed industrial brick structures such as the Power House, Erecting and Boiler Shops were constructed, completing the intended lateral expansion along the northern and southern sides of the Traverser. These buildings continued the style of the 1880s buildings, some with affinities to Romanesque detail. The final result, when viewed along the strong central axis of the Traverser, is a streetscape of robust brick industrial buildings. Each facade exhibits subtle variations on a simple architectural theme, and although the roof lines vary from simple pitched roofs to extensive saw tooth profiles, there is a great subtlety of scale and material texture which is aesthetically pleasing and impressive.
The influence of quality engineering practice, upon the designs for the North Ipswich Railway Workshops is clearly evident in the drawings and specifications produced at this time.
The timber buildings from the 1910–1920 period, such as the Dining Rooms and Chief Mechanical Engineer's Office are of the simple Federation Bungalow type. The Timekeeper's Office at the entry to the Workshops is a two-storey timber structure with outsized roof ventilators, which makes a self- conscious architectural statement.
The Tool and Gauge Shop and Metrology Laboratory built in the 1930s and 40s are severely geometric structures of the Functionalist style of architecture, with plain facebrick walls, metal framed and louvre windows set in walls with horizontal parapets devoid of decoration.
A number of major extensions were made to the original buildings fronting the Traverser, between the years 1910 and 1950. In the main these were simple industrial structures with a steel frame and corrugated galvanised iron cladding. These buildings were built with function and price rather than style as the primary criteria. They are essentially the same as numerous other industrial buildings and railway workshop buildings such as Rockhampton, Launceston, South Maitland and Eveleigh (Sydney).
A great many modest out-buildings and single storey ancillary structures such as amenities blocks, toilets, storage sheds, electric sub-stations and lean-to buildings have been constructed, demolished, up-graded or rebuilt over many decades. While these are important in their contribution towards understanding how the railyards functioned, they are generally unimportant examples of architecture, and in some instances are an intrusive element to the intrinsic architectural quality of the building. In most cases these small ancillary buildings form an interesting contrast both in scale and construction type 
North Ipswich Railway Workshops