Junee railway station facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Junee
Southbound view of platform and building, April 2012
Location	Railway Square, Junee
Coordinates	34°52′13″S 147°35′02″E / 34.870210°S 147.583950°E / -34.870210; 147.583950
Owned by	Transport Asset Holding Entity
Operated by	NSW TrainLink
Line(s)	Main Southern Hay
Distance	485.67 kilometres from Central
Platforms	1
Tracks	12
Construction
Structure type	Ground
Other information
Status	Weekdays: Staffed: 10.30am-2.45pm Weekends and public holidays: Unstaffed
Station code	JUE
History
Opened	6 July 1878
Previous names	Junee Junction (1881-1940)
Services
Preceding station NSW TrainLink Following station Coolamon toward Griffith NSW TrainLink Southern Line Griffith Xplorer Cootamundra toward Sydney Wagga Wagga toward Melbourne NSW TrainLink Southern Line Melbourne XPT
Former services Preceding station Former Services Following station Former NSW Main line services Harefield via Junee Racecourse towards Albury Main Southern Line Marinna towards Sydney Former NSW Branch line services Old Junee towards Hay Hay Line Terminus
Location
Junee Location in New South Wales

Junee railway station is a historic train station located in the town of Junee, New South Wales, Australia. It's an important stop on the Main Southern railway line. This station is special because it's listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register, meaning it's a significant historical site. It was added to the register on 2 April 1999.

Train Services at Junee

Junee station is a busy place for train travel. It serves two main types of trains operated by NSW TrainLink.

Daily XPT Services

There are two daily XPT train services. These trains travel in both directions. They connect Sydney and Melbourne.

Twice-Weekly Xplorer Services

A Xplorer train also stops here twice a week. This service runs between Griffith and Sydney. Part of this train separates from Canberra services at Goulburn.

History of Junee Station

The station around 1882

Junee station first opened on 6 July 1878. This happened when the Main Southern railway line was extended. It was the end of the line for a short time. The line was then extended to Bomen on 3 September 1878.

Name Changes and Growth

The station was first called Junee. On 28 February 1881, its name changed to Junee Junction. This was when the Hay railway line opened, connecting to Narrandera. In April 1940, it went back to its original name, Junee.

A wooden station building was built first. As more branch lines opened, Junee became a major railway hub. Railway workshops were even moved here from Wagga. This made Junee grow very quickly in the 1880s.

New Station Building

The original wooden station building unfortunately burned down in January 1882. Plans for a new, stronger building were approved in February 1883. The current station, which cost £3,434, opened on 5 March 1885. It was designed under the direction of John Whitton, a famous railway engineer.

Junee Locomotive Depot

In January 1947, a large, covered roundhouse was finished. This Junee Locomotive Depot was the last steam locomotive depot built by the New South Wales Government Railways. It was a place where steam trains were repaired and maintained.

The State Rail Authority closed the depot in July 1993. Today, it's leased to a company that repairs trains, Junee Railway Workshop. It also houses the Junee Roundhouse Railway Museum, where you can see old trains.

Recent Changes

On 23 December 1999, a footbridge and signal gantry at the north end of the station were damaged. They were hit by a container and had to be removed.

Station Description

The Junee railway station area includes the main station building, the train yard, and the locomotive depot/roundhouse.

The Station Building (1883)

Station entrance

The station building is a great example of Victorian Italianate Renaissance style. It looks grand and fits well with other important buildings in Junee.

It was built in 1883 under John Whitton's guidance. The building has a central section with a hidden roof and two square towers on each side. It's made of brick and stucco. There's a fancy iron verandah at the entrance and along the platform. The building also features decorative details around the windows and on its corners.

The station complex once had a beautiful garden room. It featured a fountain, a pond, and flower beds.

The Locomotive Depot / Roundhouse

The roundhouse at Junee is a large, circular building. It has 42 tracks arranged like spokes of a wheel around a central turntable. This design allowed trains to be moved easily for repairs and maintenance.

The building is made of brick with a peaked roof. It originally had smoke chutes to let out smoke from steam locomotives. Some of these were changed when diesel trains arrived. Inside, there are inspection pits for working on the trains.

Other important parts of the depot include a 100-foot wide electrically operated turntable, a machine shop, and other buildings for staff and storage.

Condition of the Buildings

The station building and roundhouse have been used for many years. They have seen some wear and tear.

However, they are in good condition overall. Some minor changes were made over time, especially as steam trains were replaced by diesel trains. But the main structure and its original features are still there. This means the buildings still look and feel like they did when they were first built.

Why Junee Station is Important

Junee railway station is a very important historical site in New South Wales.

A Major Train Hub

It was one of the main places for servicing and maintaining steam locomotives. These trains were used in the southern part of the state. The depot helped keep trains running on the main lines and many branch lines.

The 42-track roundhouse was completed in the late 1940s. It was the largest complete roundhouse building in the state. For over 25 years, it serviced and repaired the biggest steam trains in New South Wales. The depot was used by the government for about 46 years.

Preserving History

Many old railway centers have been torn down or changed a lot. Junee is special because many of its important parts are still here.

In the 1940s and 1950s, when steam trains were at their peak, Junee was a huge railway center. It had a large station, a big train yard, signal boxes, and a modern locomotive depot. This depot had a roundhouse, a coal bunker for fueling trains, and a machine shop. All these things were needed to quickly service and repair steam trains.

Even though some parts have been removed (like the coal bunker), the roundhouse and other items are still in good condition. The roundhouse at Junee is a great example of a once very busy and important train servicing center. It shows how important railways were to the state's development.

Historical Significance

The roundhouse and turntable at Junee are historically important for the whole state. They show a key part of a major locomotive depot. This depot was responsible for keeping trains running reliably on the main southern line and its many branch lines.

Community Connection

Railway stations and depots were huge employers. The "railways" were the biggest employer in NSW for many years. They operated 24/7, and many people worked to keep them going.

The Junee locomotive depot provided many jobs in the southern region. The wages from these jobs helped the local economy. Local businesses also thrived by supplying goods and services to the railway. Big, busy railway facilities often meant success and wealth for a town.

Learning from the Past

The Junee locomotive depot, with its roundhouse and other buildings, shows us a past era. It illustrates a time when trains were the main way to transport people and goods. The roundhouse and its equipment were essential for these busy train activities.

The site is important for research because it's a remnant of a time when railways were crucial for transport.

A Rare Example

Steam locomotives were the main type of train in New South Wales for about 110 years (1855–1965). Many servicing facilities were built, including about 25 roundhouses.

By 2002, only nine roundhouses (or parts of them) remained in the state. The Junee roundhouse is considered a rare and important example of New South Wales's history. It represents a type of industrial building that has almost disappeared.

Images for kids

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  Junee Railway Refreshment Room, 1950