| Physical description: | STATION BUILDINGS
Station Building - type 11, initial island side building, brick (1902) incorporating signal box, reinforced concrete panel (1921), canopies (1994)
Out of Shed - brick (1902)
STRUCTURES
Island platform - mass concrete (1902), raised and extended in brick (1946) or 1944 – see plan above
Side platform - (remnant) timber paling face (c1879)
Pedestrian subway (1902, 1915, 1925-6, 1944, c1985 c2010-2012)
OTHER
Station Master's Residence - 10 Loftus Street, type 11, brick, tile roof (1896)
Electrical Depot Site:
- Former District Engineer’s Office - brick (1961)
- Workshops - brick base, corrugated iron walls (1958-59, 1993)
Signals and Earthworks Depot (c1984-1994) (no longer extant)
Substation - face brick (1956, 2013)
STATION BUILDING (1902) AND SIGNAL BOX (1921)
External: Constructed of face brick with corrugated metal gabled roof extending as an awning to both platforms, Lawson station building is a single storey early phase 'type 11' island platform building in standard Federation style design. It is an 8-bay long building featuring 7 bays to the original face brick section and 1 long bay to the signal box extension and has a linear arrangement along the platform with tuckpointed red brickwork and engaged piers between the bays. The extended bay at the southwest end has painted fibrocement wall panels on rendered brick base with 6-pane horizontal sliding windows and a timber door with decorative fanlight. Other features include rendered splay course to plinth, moulded cornice, two horizontal moulded rendered string courses at corbel height, timber framed double-hung windows with multi-paned coloured glass upper sashes, timber framed and panelled doors with multi-paned coloured glass fanlights, contrasting decorative trims and sills around windows and doors, standard iron brackets over decorative corbels supporting ample platform awnings, fretted timber work at the end of awnings and gable ends, timber cross finial to gable end, two tall face brick corbelled chimneys with rendered tops. A modern corrugated metal gable roof with flat awning has been extended off the southwest end of the station building to provide shelter over the subway entrance and extended platform shelter area for commuters. It is supported by steel beams and posts. Another gabled roof with corrugated clear sheeting and corrugated metal awnings on both sides extends above the men’s toilets entry. All windows and doors are fitted with metal security grills and gates.
Internal: In 1994 the building underwent internal fabric alterations, however it maintains its original linear floor layout, which from Up end to Down end incorporates a former signal room, combined Station Master’s office and booking office, general waiting room, ladies’ waiting room and toilets, and men’s toilets. Original features include timber panelled doors with multi-paned coloured glass fanlights in the ladies room and work station areas, moulded architraves to all external and internal doors and the ticket window. Light fittings, fans and floor covering including carpet finish in the offices and tiles in the toilets and the waiting room. Plasterboard ceilings are from the upgrade works. Doors have been clad with fire rated panels from inside. The former signal box within the station building is now used for storage purposes, however its interlocking 16 lever frame and the CTC panel are still extant.
OUT-OF SHED (1902)
External: A small square shaped detached face brick shed featuring moulding and rendered string course detailing similar to the main station building. It is located on the northeast (Up) side of the station building. The shed features a gabled corrugated metal roof with timber bargeboard and narrow eaves with exposed rafters, contrasting rendered moulded trim above the fanlight over a single door on northeast side elevation and two double - hung windows with multi-paned upper sash featuring multi-coloured glass panes similar to the station building on both of the side elevations. There are two rows of string course throughout all elevations. There is no opening on the south-western (Down) elevation of the building.
Internal: Currently used as a storeroom with a timber cupboard and shelving, the out-of shed consists of a concrete floor with painted brick walls, exposed timber roof structure with ceiling joists, rafters and relatively new corrugated metal roofing, and one single modern light fitting.
ISLAND PLATFORM (1902, 1944)
Lawson Railway Station has an island platform in a curved shape with slightly pointed ends. The platform is brick faced with concrete deck and asphalt finish. Original platform is unreinforced concrete cast in situ, with stepped coping bevelled on bottom edge and rectangular weepholes. Coping has been cut back in some areas, revealing evidence of one course of bricks above concrete coping. This suggests platform has been raised in brick. Platform has been extended to both ends with brickwork laid in English bond with corbelled coping. Lever bay has been filled in.
Garden beds are located along the length of the platform planted with low to medium height shrubs and plantings. One mature tree is present on the platform at the northeast end. The platform also features period and modern light fittings, timber bench seating, an early bubbler, modern signage and aluminium palisade fencing located around three sides of subway cavity for safety and at both ends of the platform.
SIDE PLATFORM
The original side platform is no longer clearly visible as a former platform rather it presents a garden bed like appearance, with a raised flat surface with timber paling edgings and earth infill. The end of the down siding, which was only used occasionally until recently to store track machines when waiting to start or be collected after trackwork, has been partially removed and completely covered with aggregate as part of upgrading works along the road boundaries of the rail corridor. Only two posts of the end timber stopper remain.
PEDESTRIAN SUBWAY (1902, 1915, 1925-6, 1944, c1985, 2010-2012)
Access to the island platform is via an asphalt ramped access way from the Great Western Highway and Loftus Street (and commuters’ car park) which leads to the face brick vaulted subway and a central stairway to the station platform on the southwest side of the main station building. The entry to the pedestrian subway on the island platform has brick walls with stone capping and metal palisade fence between the iron posts supporting the new corrugated metal gabled roof with awnings on both sides. The underpass tunnel extension towards the Great Western Highway exit features a flat ceiling with curved edges unlike the Loftus Street tunnel and painted with graffiti all-around. Light fittings and security cameras are other features of the subway.
STATION MASTER’S RESIDENCE (1896)
External: The site of the residence is located between the Electric Depot and the Signals and Earthworks Depot. It is a single-storey cottage of painted brick construction with a stone base, a tiled-hipped roof with square flat apex, three tall chimney stacks with corbelled tops, timber front and rear off set concrete verandahs supported on timber posts with pitched corrugated iron awning and a rear brick skillion wing extended with timber weatherboard addition. The residence does not conform to any standard design although has similarities to a standard J3 design. Segmental arched vertically proportioned windows feature rendered sills, some with skillion timber awnings. All openings have been boarded up.
Internal: The original floor layout remains containing three bedrooms, two open into a corridor and the other into the living room, and a separate sitting room off the corridor. A wing accessed via an enclosed verandah (and from one of the bedrooms by later opening) includes a kitchen with a later c1946 timber extension for a laundry and internal bathroom. Most of the original elements have either been replaced or removed including all fireplaces. Early features include timber framed double-hung windows with moulded timber architraves and skirting, ventilation panels in some rooms, timber panelled front door with fanlight and an early kitchen shelf above the boarded fireplace. The kitchen has been fitted with modern cupboards and the bathroom fittings are modern. Exposed rendered brick walls are present in the kitchen and timber floor ceiling boards are exposed in some of the rooms where the later fibro ceiling panels are damaged. The residence is currently unoccupied.
ELECTRICAL DEPOT SITE
Located to the northwest of Lawson Station adjacent to the laneway and subway entrance, the Electrical Depot site is a combination of the former District Engineer’s Office and a series of brick and corrugated iron workshops and stores that were built in the 1950’s as part of the electrification of the railway to Lithgow. The buildings appear to be original and demonstrate an important component of the electrification project. The workshops and the stores are placed at the railway and street boundaries of the site while the L-shaped office block is located on the northern corner next to the entrance to the depot. The areas between the buildings are used for the storage of dangerous goods containers, ladder storage, truck waiting, steam cleaning and water treatment areas. The surface of the site is bitumen.
FORMER DISTRICT ENGINEER’S OFFICE (1956)
External: A large one to two-storey brick office building with hipped terracotta tiled roof, in an L-shaped form and accommodates administration and amenities and facilities for the engineers and field/admin staff. The building’s fenestration includes a series of regularly placed tall timber sash windows and doors generally facing the courtyard.
Internal: Interiors were not inspected (2009). However, the original drawings indicate a linear floor layout with offices around the perimeters opening into a central corridor. The main entrance to the building separates the building into two distinct layout with offices and staff amenities on one side and the general exchange and depot/services rooms on the other.
WORKSHOPS (1957)
External: There are seven workshops and stores on the depot site all of which are generally of similar construction with utilitarian appearance in various sizes and one or two storeys in height. They are constructed of brick bases with corrugated metal walls to about 1200mm high above with corrugated metal gabled roofs. All have timber framed multi-paned vertically proportioned windows and doors. They accommodate an electrical workshop, blacksmith and carpenter workshop, and stores for various goods.
Internal: Internally the workshops generally are unpartitioned open areas with wooden framed roofs and concrete floors. They are used for warehouse storage and various workshop uses.
SIGNALS AND EARTHWORKS DEPOTS (no longer extant)
Two adjoining sites at the western side of the Station Master’s residence and contain only demountable corrugated metal sheds and containers with carport and garages in between. They appear to be replaced over the years with relatively new fabric.
SIGNALS BUILDING (modern)
A new signals building has been constructed at the site of the former signals and earthworks depot. It is rectangular with a skillion roof construction of timber and corrugated iron.
SUB STATION (1956)
External: Located at the most western portion of the depot site, the substation is a two-storey face brick building in rectangular form with gabled roof covered with corrugated metal tray roof sheets. The substation combines a large relatively square shaped control house and a rectangular rectifier house at the back. The building elevations are strongly modelled with large vertical engaged piers. The gable end to the control house is parapeted with piers projecting horizontally. The rectifier house has a ventilation tower at the centre of the gable apex below which is a large roller shutter. All windows are steel framed with horizontal panes. The building is screened from the road by banks of outside transformers.
Internal: Interiors were not accessed (2009). However, it is noted to have a steel truss exposed roof structure and concrete slab floors with painted wall finishes to the essentially large warehouse type spaces.
MOVABLE ITEMS
Lawson Station
Platform and subway: all original and early station signage, three wrought iron and timber platform benches with “Lawson” in painted letters, SRA white station names sign with yellow underline on platform building, cast iron stormwater grates, cast iron bubbler next to subway stairs, SRA sign “Have you left your headlights on?” above subway entrance.
Signal box: 16 lever frame and framed “Lawson” CTC line diagram suspended from ceiling, tall timber two-door cupboard with painted cream, wall-mounted signal key box.
Staff rooms: Fitted timber ticket bench / desk and cast iron Milners 2’2 patent floor safe under ticket bench, timber-framed noticeboards and remnant signs in storage, early painted two-door low timber cabinet with two doors and carved corbels, red and white "Emergency Response" box with contents and contents list, large timber-framed noticeboard, painted timber “Private” sign on staff room door.
Waiting room: several timber-framed noticeboards, double timber rollover indicator board with clock faces and foot pedals – still in use, painting by local Blue Mountains artist, Vernon Treweeke (part of a group of artworks by the same artist at Blaxland, Blackheath, Wentworth Falls, Lawson and Woodford Railway Stations).
Toilets: large SRA painted sign on upper window, large timber-framed mirror
In storage: timber luggage trolley with “Lawson” in painted letters, part of “Lawson” signalling line diagram stored in roof rafters (timber box), loose timber picture frame stored in roof rafters.
General
Pressed metal ceiling roses and ripple iron ceilings throughout the station
Original and early light fittings, switches and timber mounting blocks
Original and early door and window hardware (handles, locks, hinges, sash latches and lifts etc)
LANDSCAPE FEATURES
The setting of the station within the rock escarpment is the typical natural setting of the Blue Mountains stations. The island platform and stations buildings are a prominent aspect of the landscape and a local landmark. Most garden beds are built up with treated pine edges containing low to medium sized shrubs. One mature tree exists at the northeast end of the platform. Brick dwarf walls to the subway tunnel entries on both sides of the trucks together with the low height plantings add to the overall setting of the site.
POTENTIAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL FEATURES
Archaeological potential of the site can be assessed by comparing the site today with historic plans, photos, and aerial imagery.
There may be some evidence of the first phase of the Lawson Railway Station preserved on the site. Rock cuttings on the Down (south) side of the Station sub-precinct may provide evidence as to the layout of the station prior to the duplication of the line; however, relics associated with the original platform are likely to have been disturbed by construction of the 1879 station building. Relics associated with the 1879 station platform and buildings are likely to have been disturbed by construction of the pedestrian subway and the operation of a goods platform in the location of the main building for much of the twentieth century. That being said, a brick cistern has purportedly been uncovered during the 2010-2012 road widening works, which is likely associated with the men’s toilets of the 1879 station (see Figure 2.8 and Figure 2.10 above). This cistern is thought to have been capped with cement and buried beneath the footpath and/or road on the north side of the highway; however, it has not been possible to confirm its status with RMS at the time of writing this report.
There may be some evidence of various early railway worker’s cottages preserved on the site. The c1871 pointsman’s cottage, the first railway residence within the Precinct, was sited along the northwest boundary of the Station sub-precinct, opposite the station building. This building was likely demolished during the 1902 duplication of the line, and associated construction of the Up Refuge siding. That being said, the majority of this building was outside the rail corridor, and there is some potential for subsurface archaeological relics associated with the occupation of the house to remain in the east corner of the commuter car park, outside the SHR curtilage, and in the adjacent area of the bowling club (see Figure 2.2 and Figure 2.10 above).
The c1880 Station Master’s cottage, the second railway residence within the Precinct, was sited near the southwest corner of the Electrical Depot (see Figure 2.2 and Figure 2.11 above). This building was likely demolished during the 1902 duplication of the line, and associated construction of the Up Refuge siding. That being said, the majority of the building was outside the rail corridor, and there is some potential for subsurface archaeological relics associated with the occupation of the house to remain within the Depot yard.
The 1896 Station Master’s Residence was the third railway residence within the Precinct, and is the only extant residence on the site today. Analysis of plans and early aerial photographs indicates that the yard of the residence previously extended into the area now occupied by the Signals Depot. There is some potential for residential refuse deposits associated with the occupation of this house to be present within Station Master’s Residence sub-precinct and the adjoining Signals and Earthworks Depots sub-precinct.
A railway worker’s cottage was constructed near the southwest corner of the former Earthworks Depot between 1915 and 1928, the fourth railway residence within the Precinct (see Figure 2.22 above). An analysis of aerial photographs indicates that this cottage was demolished in the late 1970s or early 1980s, prior to the construction of the depot. A 20,000 gallon tank stood between this cottage and the 1896 Station Master’s Residence from 1915 until 1984. There is potential for subsurface archaeological relics associated with the occupation of the 1915-1928 cottage and the 1896 Station Master’s Residence to remain within the Depots yard.
Should relics associated with the four early railway cottages survive in situ, these have the potential to provide information about the domestic life of early railway workers associated with the site, information that is not readily available from other sources. As such, the areas associated with cottages are assessed as having moderate research potential (Figure 3.67). Discovery of archaeological relics in this area would need to be managed in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Heritage Act 1977.
Relics associated with the original station site, and other remnant works associated with the supply of water to steam locomotives, including rock cuttings and foundations are unlikely to have research potential which is not readily available from other sources. As such, their research potential is low. Based on the background information reviewed for this report, other areas in the Lawson Railway Station and Yard Precinct have little or no archaeological research potential.
(CMP, 2013, pp87-89) |