Fassifern To Toronto Branch Railway Line

Item details


Name of item:	Fassifern To Toronto Branch Railway Line
Other name/s:	Fassifern Underbridge, Mudd Creek and Stoney Underbridge
Type of item:	Built
Group/Collection:	Transport - Rail
Category:	Railway
Primary address:	South and Railway Parades, Fassifern, NSW 2283
Local govt. area:	Lake Macquarie

Boundary:

North: edge of the easement; South: edge of the easement; East: Western side of Cary Street, Toronto; West: Western end of elevated platform at Fassifern Station. NB: This curtilage excludes the section of line running along the foreshore at Toronto and the former Toronto terminus station, as they are owned by the NSW Department of Lands. It also excludes the majority of Fassifern Station, which has its own listing. Any proposed development within the vicinity of the listed site should also consider the historic relationship between the listing and its surrounding area.

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
South and Railway Parades	Fassifern	Lake Macquarie			Primary Address

Owner/s

Organisation Name	Owner Category	Date Ownership Updated
TAHE - Sydney Trains	State Government
TAHE - Sydney Trains	State Government
TAHE - Sydney Trains	State Government

Statement of significance:


	The Fassifern to Toronto branch line, including its components of underbridges, overbridge, remnant track and platforms has historical significance at a local level. It is the only surviving branch line off the Main Northern line, which was deliberately privately planned and constructed and contributed to the subdivision and development of Toronto for tourist purposes at the end of the 19th century. The line has remained largely intact since reconstruction in 1910, from which time the majority of components date. The original alignment of the track can be accessed and understood through the siting of a public cycling/walkway adjacent.
	Date significance updated: 03 Feb 09
	Note: The State Heritage Inventory provides information about heritage items listed by local and State government agencies. The State Heritage Inventory is continually being updated by local and State agencies as new information becomes available. Read the Department of Premier and Cabinet copyright and disclaimer.

Description


Designer/Maker:	New South Wales Department of Railways
Builder/Maker:	New South Wales Department of Railways
Physical description:	STRUCTURES Fassifern railway platform, 142.310kms (1911) Rail overbridge, 142.467kms (1910) Concrete underbridge, 143.955kms Blackalls Park station, 144.442kms (1911) - platform, stairs, tracks, toilet block Stoney Creek Underbridge, (1911) Mudd Creek Underbridge, 145.182kms (1911) Toronto Station CONTEXT The former Fassifern to Toronto line is a section of single track and associated infrastructure running approximately 4km from the Fassifern Railway Station junction to the Toronto foreshore on Victory Parade. The line has been converted to a walking/cycling track, with the extant railway tracks running parallel to the cycling track. Generally the railway track is overgrown with vegetation, but still visible. There were also platforms at Fennells (144.800kms - closed in 1910) and Bowers (145.706kms - closed in 1910), but these sections of line were not inspected in early 2009 and it is not known if evidence of these exist. Given their early closure dates and the urban expansions of Blackalls Park and Toronto since that time, it is unlikely that evidence remains. RailCorp own the section of the line from Fassifern railway station to Cary Street, Toronto. The original station at Toronto is still intact but is outside RailCorp ownership. The section of line between Cary Street and the Toronto terminus is owned by the NSW Department of Lands. FASSIFERN RAILWAY STATION PLATFORM (1911) The former Fassifern - Toronto line platform is located on the eastern side of the railway station complex, and comprises an elevated, curved (in plan) concrete platform supported on a steel structure, with a cantilevered steel framed and clad awning over. All steel components have a cross section similar to railway tracks. Adjacent are the remains of two railway tracks, which converge and head southeast towards Toronto. RAIL OVERBRIDGE (1910) The rail overbridge is a reinforced concrete arched structure immediately east of the elevated platform at Fassifern Station, which is only wide enough to allow one lane of pedestrian and vehicular traffic. A modern steel balustrade and concrete deck has been installed above. CONCRETE UNDERBRIDGE The concrete underbridge includes a culvert over a creek, and large tapered abutments. The track is supported on steel beams spanning the abutments (3-4 metres). BLACKALLS PARK STATION (1911) Blackalls Park Station, located on Railway Parade at the corner of Bayview Avenue, includes a concrete platform, iron stairs from the platform to the track, a single line track and a small face brick former toilet building (presently disused). The track and platform are presently overgrown. STONEY CREEK UNDERBRIDGE Stoney Creek Underbridge (on Railway Parade at Stoney Creek), is a low structure, approximately 25m long to take the railway line across the creek. It is constructed from squat concrete pylons supporting large steel girders, which in turn support the timber sleepers and railway track. It has a concrete support beam at either end flanked by decorative concrete abutments. The line is level with adjacent ground. It is a single line of track with an inner set of rails. MUDD CREEK UNDERBRIDGE Mudd Creek Underbridge (on Railway Parade at Mudd Creek) is located approximately 50m west of Stoney Creek. This is identical in construction style to the Stoney Creek Underbridge but is shorter, being approximately 10m long. TORONTO RAILWAY STATION The former Toronto Railway Station complex is extremely intact and includes weatherboard station building, single track, brick and concrete stair leading to Brighton Road, concrete platform, station sign, distance post, and a corrugated iron shed (listed by Lake Macquarie Council).
Physical condition and/or Archaeological potential:	Fassifern railway platform - Moderate Condition Rail overbridge - Good Condition Concrete Underbridge - Moderate Condition Blackalls Park Station - Poor condition (very overgrown with vegetation) Stoney Creek Underbridge - Moderate Condition Mudd Creek Underbridge - Moderate Condition Railway Line - Poor Condition (very overgrown with vegetation)
Modifications and dates:	1990 - Track closed for rail services c2016 - RMS removed 6m of track removal as part of road widening works at Cary Street


Current use:	Bike Track
Former use:	Branch Railway Line

History

Historical notes:

The Main Northern line between Sydney and Newcastle was constructed in two distinct stages and in the earliest years, was worked as two separate railway systems.

The line between Sydney (actually the junction at Strathfield) and the Hawkesbury River was opened on 5 April 1887, with the terminus being on the southern bank of the Hawkesbury River. The line between Newcastle and the northern bank of the Hawkesbury River (near present day Wondabyne) was opened in January 1888. The line was completed through between Sydney and Newcastle with the opening of the massive bridge over the Hawkesbury River in 1889.

Fassifern was a junction station from its earliest days, with a short branch line to Northumberland Colliery leading off the northern end of Fassifern station on the down side of the line, through facing points.

In addition, the three-mile long branch line to Toronto was built and opened by the private company Excelsior Investment and Building Company in 1891 and junctioned with the main line at Fassifern. This branch line was on the up side of the line, with the points facing up trains. Blackall’s Park Railway station (originally named Blackall’s) was opened on the same date, and served as a stopping place on the relatively short line. The Fassifern to Toronto branch line was built and operated as a single line and remained so until its closure.

After operating as a private line for 18 years, the line eventually fell into disrepair and closed in 1909. The Government (particularly the NSW Railways) took over the line in 1910, rebuilt sections of it and re-opened the short branch line in 1911. Blackall's Railway station was rebuilt at a new site in May 1911.

With the re-building of the line, the original grades were eased and government railway standards were applied. Accordingly, two new underbridges were built, one over Stoney Creek and the other over Mudd Creek.

Electrification of the main line between Wyong and Newcastle was opened in 1984, but the electrification was not extended between Fassifern to Toronto on the branch. Diesel railcars provided the passenger service on the line until closure, meeting with the electric multiple unit trains at Fassifern.

The new electrification project involved new or rebuilt platforms, station buildings, footbridges, overbridges and underbridges, line side buildings, sidings and a myriad of structures in that section in order to permit the operation of the wider electric passenger rollingstock and electric locomotives. Accordingly, major upgrading was undertaken at Fassifern, including the replacement of some of the original station buildings and platforms. The signal box on the platform was also made redundant about that time, replaced by a centrally located signal control centre near Broadmeadow station.

The underbridge at the northern end of Fassifern Railway Station was modified to suit the electrification project, which included strengthening and adaptions to suit the fitting of hardware suitable for the 1500 volt DC catenary

Services were withdrawn on the Fassifern to Toronto branch line in 1990.

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local theme
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Transport-Activities associated with the moving of people and goods from one place to another, and systems for the provision of such movements	Building the railway network-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Leisure-Activities associated with recreation and relaxation	Moving people to events and leisure activities-

Assessment of significance


SHR Criteria a) [Historical significance]	The Fassifern to Toronto branch line, including its component underbridges, overbridge, remnant track and platforms has historical significance at a local level, as evidence of a privately planned and constructed branch line operating off the Short North Line between Sydney and Newcastle at Fassifern in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. The line is historically significant at a local level for its contribution to the subdivision and development of Toronto for tourist purposes at the end of the 19th century. The line has remained largely intact since reconstruction in 1910 and remains a rare remnant section of unelectrified line between Sydney and Newcastle.
SHR Criteria c) [Aesthetic significance]	The Fassifern to Toronto Branch line and its component underbridges, overbridge, railway track and remnant platforms derive aesthetic significance at a local level from their bushland setting. The Toronto station has an outstanding degree of aesthetic significance, retaining its historic setting, visually separated from the township but with views across the water and with a high degree of integrity in terms of historic signage, lighting, paint scheme and landscaping. The high degree of aesthetic significance embodied in the station contributes to the significance of the line overall. The Fassifern to Toronto branch line including its component parts are all examples of well documented railway infrastructure from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It is able to demonstrate line construction techniques, but none of the component parts including the line, under and overbridges and platforms are outstanding examples of their type or demonstrate significant variations to their type.
SHR Criteria d) [Social significance]	The location of a public walkway along the alignment of the former railway track may result in some public appreciation of the historical connections between the railway and the development of the area. In addition, the Lake Macquarie Historical society has its offices in the former Toronto Station building and maintains displays about the history of the line and its impact on the local area.
SHR Criteria f) [Rarity]	The Fassifern to Toronto line is considered locally rare as a remnant passenger branch line off of the Main Northern line, which was privately constructed and which contributed to the development of the township of Toronto for tourist purposes. Although no longer in operation, the alignment of the line remains accessible through the installation of a public cycling/walkway adjacent.
SHR Criteria g) [Representativeness]	The Fassifern to Toronto line and its components are representative of common late 19th to early 20th century railway infrastructure.
Integrity/Intactness:	Despite its disuse, the Fassifern to Toronto line, including overbridge, underbridges, railway track, platforms and alignment remains relatively intact, although in poor to moderate condition.The cycling/walking track located along the alignment of the railway track allows the original alignment of the track to be read and interpreted.
Assessment criteria:	Items are assessed against the State Heritage Register (SHR) Criteria to determine the level of significance. Refer to the Listings below for the level of statutory protection.

Recommended management:

1. Conservation principles: Conserve cultural heritage significance and minimise impacts on heritage values and fabric in accordance with the ‘Australia ICOMOS Charter for Places of Cultural Significance’. 2. Specialist advice: Seek advice from a qualified heritage specialist during all phases of a proposed project from feasibility, concept and option planning stage; detailed design; heritage approval and assessment; through to construction and finalisation. 3. Documentation: Prepare a Statement of Heritage Impact (SOHI) to assess, minimise and prevent heritage impacts as part of the assessment and approval phase of a project. Prepare a Conservation Management Plan (CMP) prior to proposing major works (such as new additions, change of use or proposed demolition) at all places of State significance and all complex sites of Local significance. 4. Maintenance and repair: Undertake annual inspections and proactive routine maintenance works to conserve heritage fabric in accordance with the ‘Minimum Standards of Maintenance & Repair’. 5. Movable heritage: Retain in situ and care for historic contents, fixtures, fittings, equipment and objects which contribute to cultural heritage significance. Return or reinstate missing features or relocated items where opportunities arise. 6. Aboriginal, archaeology and natural heritage: Consider all aspects of potential heritage significance as part of assessing and minimising potential impacts, including Aboriginal, archaeology and natural heritage. 7. Unidentified heritage items: Heritage inventory sheets do not describe or capture all contributory heritage items within an identified curtilage (such as minor buildings, structures, archaeology, landscape elements, movable heritage and significant interiors and finishes). Ensure heritage advice is sought on all proposed changes within a curtilage to conserve heritage significance. 8. Recording and register update: Record changes at heritage places through adequate project records and archival photography. Notify all changes to the Section 170 Heritage & Conservation Register administrator upon project completion.

Listings

Heritage Listing	Listing Title	Listing Number	Gazette Date	Gazette Number	Gazette Page
Heritage Act - s.170 NSW State agency heritage register	Railcorp S170 Register

Study details

Title	Year	Number	Author	Inspected by	Guidelines used
S170 Heritage & Conservation Register Update	2009		NSW Department of Commerce		Yes
Heritage Platforms Conservation Management Strategy	2015		Australian Museum Consulting		Yes

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title
Written	C. C. Singleton		The Short North. The Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin. Various issues.
Written	John Forsyth		Line Histories
Written	Ray Love	2009	Historical Research for RailCorp s170 Update
Written	State Rail Authority of New South Wales	1995	How and Why of Station Names. Fourth Edition

Note: internet links may be to web pages, documents or images.

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Data source


The information for this entry comes from the following source:
Name:	State Government
Database number:	4800229

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