Eskbank railway station, New South Wales facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eskbank railway station |
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Eskbank railway station, c. 1900
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| Location | Main Western Line, Lithgow, City of Lithgow, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1882 |
| Architect |
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| Architectural style(s) | Victorian Italianate |
| Owner | Transport Asset Holding Entity |
| Official name: Eskbank Railway Station group; Lithgow Goods Station/ Lithgow Site S1 | |
| Type | State heritage (complex / group) |
| Designated | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference no. | 1138 |
| Type | Railway Platform/ Station |
| Category | Transport - Rail |
| Builders | Goodsell & Wright (station building) |
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The Eskbank railway station is a very old railway site in Lithgow, Australia. It used to be a busy train station and a place where train engines were kept and fixed. Today, it's a place used by community groups. The station was designed by the New South Wales Government Railways and built by Goodsell & Wright in 1882. It's also known as the Eskbank Railway Station group. This important site was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999, because of its special history.
Contents
A Look Back: Eskbank's Railway Story
How the Railway Arrived
The main railway line, called the Great Western Railway, reached Lithgow in 1869. As part of building this line, a special bridge was put up over the road at Eskbank. This was the first road bridge built over a railway outside of Sydney. It was finished on October 18, 1869, making it one of the oldest railway bridges still around in New South Wales. It was changed a bit in the 1880s when a second track was added.
From Private Stop to Public Station
In 1875, a private train stop was made near Coal Stage Hill. This stop was for Thomas Brown, who owned a property called Eskbank. It was first known as 'Brown's Siding'. In August 1876, its name was changed to Esk Bank.
The new Eskbank Station officially opened on March 1, 1882. This happened after the Western Line through Lithgow got a second track in October 1880. Two platforms were built, but only one had a shelter at first. The brick and stone building you see today on the Sydney-bound platform opened when the second track was finished.
Testing Trains at Eskbank
Eskbank was a key spot for testing different types of train engines in the 1880s and 1890s. These tests helped decide which engines were best for pulling freight and passengers over the Blue Mountains line. One big test in 1887 compared British-built engines with American ones. The American designs proved better, and this influenced how New South Wales bought trains for many years.
The Engine Depot
A small, busy engine depot opened at Eskbank in 1882. It was used to house and service engines that traveled between Eskbank, Sydney, Bathurst, and Mudgee. Engines here also helped push trains up the steep hills of the Lithgow Zig Zag. The depot closed in 1915 when a bigger one opened about one kilometre east.
The new depot had a large turntable to turn engines around. It also had sheds for engines, storage areas, and ramps for loading coal. There were even living quarters for the engine drivers. You can still find some old remains of the 1880s engine shed today.
The Goods Shed and Other Structures
The goods shed at Eskbank was also built in 1882. It was designed for trains to go straight through it. It had an open area for loading goods, where a crane once stood. The current roof over the loading area was added around 1960. In 1996, the goods shed had a big fire, which damaged parts of its roof. It was made shorter after the fire.
The railway yard also has other old structures:
- A small workshop/shed from around 1940.
- A large weighbridge and its shed from around 1950, used to weigh heavy items.
- Two types of cranes, one from around 1960 and another from around 1940.
- A water tank and column, moved here in the 1990s from another location.
- Old parts of the railway, like loading areas and tracks, are still hidden underground.
The Oldest Signal Box
The signal box at Eskbank opened in 1885. It is the oldest signal box still in use in New South Wales! It was built as part of the new passenger and goods facilities for Lithgow in the 1880s. It was a common design for that time.
Changes and Closure
For over 40 years, Eskbank was the main railway hub in the Lithgow Valley. Trains would start or end their journeys here, and through-trains would stop. However, its importance faded in 1925. A new, bigger Lithgow Station was built about 1 kilometre west. This new station was created because people wanted one main station instead of two so close together.
After the new Lithgow Station opened, Eskbank Station closed for passengers in 1925. It then became the Lithgow Goods Depot and the Station Master's main office until the 1980s. Since then, it has been used by railway workers for maintenance. The old platform building was used as an office until about 2005.
What You Can See Today
The Eskbank railway site has many interesting old buildings and structures.
- Main Station Building (built 1882)
- Down Platform Shelter (around 1890)
- Workshop/Gang Shed (around 1940)
- Weighbridge and Shed (around 1950s)
- Goods Shed (around 1940, repaired around 1996)
- Yard Signal Box (built 1885)
- Up Platform (around 1882)
- Down Platform (around 1890)
- Bridge Street Overbridge (built 1869)
- Water Tank and Water Column
- Yard Crane (around 1950s/60s)
- Horse Dock (around 1882)
- Remains of the old Locomotive Depot, including a Gantry Crane
The Main Station Building
The main station building from 1882 is a great example of the style used by John Whitton, a famous railway architect. It's built in the Victorian Italianate style, which means it looks a bit like old Italian buildings. It has a simple design with a pointed roof. The building uses red bricks and fancy stone details around the windows and corners.
The northern side of the station was the main entrance. It used to have two covered porches, called verandahs, where visitors would enter. These verandahs were later removed. The platform area has a large roof supported by fancy cast iron columns.
Inside, the station still has its original layout. The big central room was the waiting room. Next to it was the booking office where you bought tickets. Other rooms included a telegraph office, a parcels office, and separate waiting rooms and toilets for men and women. The rooms' uses changed when the station became a goods depot. The inside still has its old timber floors, plastered walls, and wooden details, though some parts show their age.
Down Platform Shelter
This shelter was built around 1890 to match the main station building. It has brick walls and a low roof. It originally had two small enclosed rooms, but these walls were later taken down, making the whole structure open.
Workshop / Gang Shed
This simple wooden shed with a metal roof was built around 1940. It's located on the north-western side of the old station area. Inside, it's plain with no lining, and it has some old wooden storage racks.
Weighbridge and Shed
The weighbridge, made by Avery in England, is from the 1950s. It was used to weigh heavy loads. The scales themselves are no longer there, but the small shed that protected them still stands.
The Goods Shed
This shed, built around the 1940s, is made of timber with a corrugated metal roof. It has a raised wooden platform for loading goods onto trains. There are large sliding wooden doors on one side. The shed was partly damaged by a fire in 1996 and was made shorter during repairs.
Yard Signal Box
The signal box, built in 1885, is a small, elevated wooden building. It has a pointed roof and decorative wooden details. It's clad with timber planks and has small, multi-paned windows. You get to the control room by a steel staircase. This signal box is special because it's the oldest one still working in New South Wales!
Inside, the walls and ceiling are covered with wooden boards. The signal and point control levers are still there, with 16 of the original 24 levers still in use. Some levers now control modern electric signals, while others still work mechanically for nearby tracks. Old track diagrams and tools are also still on the walls.
Platforms
The main station platform (Up Platform) is made of brick with a bitumen surface. The other platform (Down Platform) is also brick-faced with a stone edge.
Bridge Street Overbridge
This bridge, built in 1869, is made of sandstone and iron. The modern concrete bridge deck was added in 1957 when the railway line was electrified. The bridge's original stone parts are still there, though some sections were rebuilt to make the road wider.
Old Locomotive Depot Remains
The old locomotive depot was located east of the station. It used to have a large turntable and a shed for three train engines. There were also places to load coal and get water for the engines. Today, only the foundations of the buildings, pipes, and the pits where engines were inspected remain. The turntable pit has a rare sandstone edge.
Yard Crane
This crane, from around 1950, is a type of tripod crane made of welded steel on a concrete base.
Horse Dock
This wooden loading dock, built around 1882, was used for loading goods from horse-drawn carts onto trains. It's located near the yard crane.
Why Eskbank Station is Important
The Eskbank Railway Precinct is very important to the history of New South Wales. It was the first railway yard and engine depot in the Lithgow Valley. It played a huge role in the industrial growth of the area, especially during the busy 1880s.
A Place for Train Testing
Eskbank was key for testing new train engines in the 1880s and 1890s. These tests helped engineers decide on the best designs for trains that would be used in New South Wales for many years. The site shows how early railway places were built.
Beautiful Old Buildings
The Eskbank station building is a beautiful example of early railway architecture in New South Wales. Its Victorian Italianate style, with its brickwork and stone details, was a model for many grander stations built later. The signal box is also a great example of an old timber signal box, and it's amazing that it's still working!
Connecting with History
The Eskbank station building is a largely untouched example of the simple, classic station buildings designed by John Whitton in the 1860s. Its history is closely linked to Lithgow, an area known as the "cradle of Australian industry." This makes it very important for understanding transport, technology, and industry in the past.
Learning from the Past
The Eskbank Railway Precinct is a great place for research. It has many different buildings and structures that are still partly intact. It shows what traditional country railway yards in New South Wales were like. The old weighbridge, cranes, horse dock, and bridges all add to its importance.
The remains of the locomotive depot are also important for understanding how British and American train technologies were tested and adapted in Australia in the 1880s and 1890s. Engineers faced the challenge of moving freight over the tough Blue Mountains. They looked worldwide for solutions, testing them between Sydney and Eskbank. The results helped create Australian locomotives that combined the best of both British and American designs.
Rare and Special Features
Eskbank Railway Precinct has many rare and special features:
- The goods shed is an early example of a "through-shed" (where trains could go straight through), and only a few like it remain.
- The Down platform shelter is also an early and rare type of platform shelter.
- The locomotive depot is an archaeological site with a turntable pit that has a unique sandstone edge. This might be the only pit of its kind left.
- The yard signal box is one of the oldest in New South Wales and one of only six similar boxes still around in the state.
A Typical Example of Early Stations
The Eskbank Railway Precinct is a good example of the many railway stations built in New South Wales between the 1860s and 1880s. The station building shows the simple yet elegant style of John Whitton. The layout of the yard is also typical for that time. The signal box is a classic example of its design. Even the remains of the locomotive depot show what a medium-sized engine servicing depot from the 1880s looked like.
