Oatley railway station facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Oatley
View of the station from Mulga Road, December 2016
Location	Oatley Parade, Oatley
Coordinates	33°58′50″S 151°04′44″E / 33.98067°S 151.07902°E / -33.98067; 151.07902
Owned by	Transport Asset Holding Entity
Operated by	Sydney Trains
Line(s)	Illawarra
Distance	18.28 km (11.36 mi) from Central
Platforms	2 (1 island)
Tracks	2
Construction
Structure type	Ground
Disabled access	Yes
Other information
Status	Staffed
Station code	OAL
Website	Transport for NSW
History
Opened	26 December 1885
Rebuilt	7 July 1905
Electrified	Yes
Previous names	Oatley's Grant Oatley's Platform
Traffic
Passengers (2013)	1,580 (daily) (Sydney Trains, NSW TrainLink)
Rank	129
Services
Preceding station Sydney Trains Following station Como toward Waterfall or Cronulla Eastern Suburbs & Illawarra Line Mortdale toward Bondi Junction
New South Wales Heritage Register
Official name	Oatley Railway Station group
Type	State heritage (complex / group)
Designated	2 April 1999
Reference no.	1214
Type	Railway Platform/ Station
Category	Transport - Rail
Builders	NSW Government Railway

Oatley railway station is a special train station in the Sydney suburb of Oatley, Australia. It's on the Illawarra line and is served by Sydney Trains' T4 line. This station is so important that it's listed on the heritage register! It was built by the NSW Government Railway and is also known as the Oatley Railway Station group.

A cool fact about Oatley station is that it was the end point for the very first electric train services in Sydney. These services started way back on 1 March 1926, coming from Central.

A Look Back: History of Oatley Station

Early Days and Naming

The Oatley area is named after James Oatley. He was given a large piece of land here in 1833. The land was called Needwood Forest.

In 1881, plans for the Illawarra railway line were approved. Work began in 1882. The railway reached Hurstville in 1884. Then, in 1885, a single train track opened all the way to Sutherland. This new section included stations at Como, Penshurst, Mortdale, and Oatley.

The small platform at Oatley opened on 26 December 1885. It had a timber building. The station was built here partly because of Judd's Hurstville Brick Works, which opened nearby in 1884.

Changing Names and Location

When it first opened, the station was called "Oatley's Grant" until 1886. Then it became "Oatley's Platform" by 1889. Finally, in 1890, its name officially changed to "Oatley". The railway line was made into a double track in 1890.

In July 1905, the railway line was changed to make it less steep. This meant the station had to move about 370 metres (400 yd) to the west. The original timber platform building from 1890 was moved to the new spot. This building is now one of only two such timber platform buildings left in Sydney! Part of the old railway land is now the Oatley Memorial Gardens.

Special Features and Electrification

To help people cross the tracks, brick tunnels called subways were built. The Mulga Road underbridge and subway were built in 1905. This underbridge is a large brick arch that goes over a two-lane road. It's one of the biggest brick arch bridges in the NSW rail system. You reach the platform through a subway stair from Mulga Road.

In 1918, a signal box was added to the station building. This box helped control the train signals. A big change happened in the 1920s when the line from St James to Oatley was electrified. The very first electric train ran on this line on 16 August 1926. This made Oatley station part of a major milestone in Sydney's transport history.

Recent Changes

In 1992, the platform building was updated. New toilets and a bigger waiting room were added. A new steel roof (canopy) was also built over the platform.

On 3 March 2001, a special trip was made to celebrate 75 years since the first electric train journey. In 2005, some of the 1992 changes were reversed to bring back more of the original look. The 1918 signal box is still mostly original.

More recently, in 2015, Oatley station got a big upgrade. A new car park for 100 vehicles was built, along with a pedestrian footbridge that has lifts. This makes it easier for everyone to use the station.

Platforms and Services

Oatley station has one island platform. This means trains stop on both sides of the same platform.

Track layout with crossovers north of station allow trains to terminate on either platform

What Oatley Station Looks Like

The station has several important parts. These include the main platform building, a signal box, the Mulga Road underbridge and subway, the island platform itself, and some smaller buildings.

Platform Building

The main platform building was moved and changed in 1905. It's made of timber and has a signal box added to its northern end. The building has timber posts and brackets supporting its roofs (awnings) on both sides. Inside, the waiting area has timber walls and original ripple iron ceilings.

Mulga Road Underbridge and Subway

This is a large brick arch bridge built in 1905. It allows Mulga Road to pass under the railway line. What's special is that the pedestrian subway, which leads to the station platform, is built right into the middle of this bridge.

Island Platform

The platform itself is curved. It has brick edges and an asphalt surface where people wait for trains.

Other Structures

There's a small concrete hut from the 1920s near the southern end of the platform. It has a corrugated steel roof. Modern canopies (roofs) were added in 1992. They connect the subway entrance to the platform building and extend further south.

Surroundings

The station is set in a park-like area. There are parks on both sides of the Mulga Road underbridge, near the northern end of the station.

Inside the Signal Box

The signal box still has its old signalling equipment. This includes a signal panel, signal levers, and three old telephones mounted on the wall. Even though it's not used for electric signals anymore, it's a cool glimpse into how trains were controlled a long time ago.

Why Oatley Station is Special

Oatley Railway Station is important because of its history and unique features. It shows how the suburb of Oatley grew since 1885. The station was also important for Judd's Hurstville Brickworks, which operated nearby for many years.

The station's location changed in 1905, and the old railway path is now the Oatley Memorial Gardens. This shows how the area has changed over time.

Oatley station is also special because of its look. It has a simple but attractive timber platform building. This type of building is quite rare in urban areas today. The Mulga Road underbridge and subway are also important examples of railway construction from the early 1900s.

The station's signal box helps us understand how train signalling worked in the past. It's a great example of old railway technology.