| Physical description: | BUILDINGS
Former Office/Station Master’s Residence, Platform 2- (Type 1) (1856)
Platform Building, Platform 1- (Type 4) (c.1891)
Platform Building, Platform 2- (Type 3) (c.1860)
STRUCTURES
Footbridge, (1918, c.1990)
Platform 1/2, (c.1891, c.1870s?)
Canopies. (1990, 1999)
Vine Street Footbridge, (1965)
OTHER
2-ton yard jib crane with makers plate - "Morris Bros Sydney" on display within garden set on a tiled concrete plinth (date unknown)
CONTEXT
Fairfield Railway Station is accessed from The Crescent to the north. The Bus Interchange stands in front of the station between The Crescent and the station buildings. At some stage pre-1990 a covered shopping arcade was constructed immediately to the north-west of the station. The station is also accessed from the south from Dale Street. Flanking the station on both sides to the south are car parking areas. Across Dale Street is the Fairfield RSL complex.
FORMER OFFICE/STATION MASTER’S RESIDENCE- Platform 2 (1865)
External: Brick building, dating from 1856, originating as a square plan form with a gable roof. The roof has timber bargeboards and finials and the two original chimneys remain with corbel detailing to the top. The corrugated metal roofing material and guttering has been recently replaced. In the 1930s the building was extended in brick (along the platform to the west) to include two extra rooms and there is a further corrugated metal sheet clad extension to the west for a laundry. The detailing of the windows to these extensions is inappropriate in the context of the 1856 building. The concave veranda awning which flanks the building on the north and east elevations has recently been painted in a striped colour scheme (post 1980s). This awning is a timber framed structure supported on the original timber posts and beams. There are original framing members as well; and some of the purlins are bowing in the centre. To the rear of the building, the veranda to the original building is enclosed by brick walls to either end. The awnings to the rear have shallow pitched roofs, and the entire extent of the western additions, and a section to the original building, have now been enclosed to become interior spaces. There is also an intrusive timber trellis across the open part of the veranda at the eastern end of the building. The open veranda has a timber deck. A covered area, which is fenced off to the platform, links this building and the platform building. The building remained in use as a residence until the 1970s.
Alterations to the 1856 building include: corrugated metal sheet clad extension to the west for a laundry; enclosing of the south-west veranda and improved sanitary facilities in 1941; a full height picket fence in front of the veranda posts to the platform elevation, enclosing of rear veranda to 1856 building; security doors and window bars installed; air-conditioning units fixed through original windows. The building has recently been repainted.
PLATFORM BUILDING- Platform 1 (1891)
External: The original building took the form of a rectangular brick building, with a rendered plinth, with three rooms (booking office, general waiting room and ladies waiting room), with a relatively steep gable roof which features decorative timber bargeboards and finials and has small ventilation openings; this section of the building was linked to a further room (originally the men’s toilet) to the western end which was orientated 90 degrees to the rest of the building, and maintains the same detailing, but has a raised ridge vent. The link (which housed the ladies toilets) also originally had a gable roof, but with a much lower ridge height, giving the sense of it being a deferential element. The original chimneys to the eastern section of the building still remain intact.
The windows are mostly the original timber framed sash windows with segmental arch heads with rendered detailing, and rendered and painted window sills resting on cement bracket mouldings. The extensions to the building follow the same detail, but with a simpler sill detail. Modifications such as Perspex secondary glazing and air-conditioning units and standard ticket windows have been installed within the original openings. One opening on the north elevation has been bricked up and there are some ‘blind’ openings to the entrance way and to the western building on the north elevation. Some of the windows have been reglazed with wire mesh glass. The doors are mostly new, either solid or panelled, and there are security flyscreen doors fitted to the station master’s office. A door way opening on the western elevation of the building (opposite the stair) has been bricked up. The building and all the awnings and canopies, have all been recently re-roofed with corrugated steel and new guttering. The building has been recently repainted.
The main part of the building, to the east, has a typical shallow pitched awning supported on cast iron columns, with Corinthian capitals and decorative cast iron brackets. The awning had a timber boarded valance to the east and west ends and a timber fascia to the platform edge. A new addition to accommodate a parcels office and signal room was constructed to the eastern end of the building. This addition had sensitive detailing and reused displaced elements of the original building such as the finial to the gable. This addition significantly altered the original roof structure. Documentary evidence shows that the parcels office addition also had a cantilevered awning over the platform, constructed in steel sections, which was replaced as a part of the 1990s works with a steel framed canopy supported on modern steel posts, the design of which is based on the 1890s original awning. This 1990s canopy structure extended around the entire platform building, except where the original awning remains and is described further on. The 1990s upgrade also saw major changes to the building form, by the removal of the link building, which was replaced with an open area with brick arched openings, with head details to match the original doors and windows. The other major alteration at this time was the large openings to the north and west elevation of the parcels office (to the Crescent) and the installation of new aluminium framed doors and windows, in order that the space could be used as a travel centre. More recently as part of the access upgrade an accessible toilet (from the platform) and new staff toilet was constructed in the south-east corner of the former parcels office.
Internal: The building has been modified internally over time to suit changing operational requirements; however a good degree of original fabric remains intact, particularly in what is now the booking office, which features pressed metal ceilings with ceiling roses and original cornices, and chimney breast with staff mould detailing. The doors and window architraves are mostly intact, and some of the windows with security bars to the inside. Standard ticket windows have been installed in the booking office. The former signal box room is now used as a CCTV monitoring room and is fitted out accordingly. To the eastern end there are new partition walls which are a remnant of the works to the former parcels office and new walls to the accessible toilet and new staff toilet. The parcels office and former travel centre are currently used for storage.
PLATFORM BUILDING- Platform 2 (c.1860)
External: A rectangular form brick building with a hipped roof form. The corrugated metal roofing material and guttering has been recently replaced. The original eaves fascia remains with new guttering and rainwater goods. The two original chimneys remain with corbel detailing to the top. The windows typically are double hung timber sashes with rendered lintels and sills. The doors are original timber panelled doors with bolection mouldings and have arched brick heads.
The original building consisted of 3 rooms with a small toilet annex, with a flat roof, to the south-west corner. At some stage (between 1916 and 1931 according to documentary evidence) the building was extended with a flat roof structure to the west. This space is currently used as the booking office. Also added to the south was a lean-to workshop, which is a timber framed structure clad in weatherboards. The date of this extension is not known but this section of the building has detailing which is contemporary to construction dating from 1930-1950. The windows have security bars fitted to all the windows and doors along the southern elevation.
A new concourse building, constructed in brick with a hipped roof to match the existing roof profile, was built to the west of the original building c.1990; this structure provides a covered entrance to the station (and ticket window) from this side. This building has a mini-orb ceiling and a paved ground surface.
The 1860s building has a timber framed awning to the platform elevation. The awning is supported by timber posts (recently replaced) with a shallow roof pitch, the soffit is the underside of the corrugated steel roofing which is supported on intermediate purlins. The building has recently been repainted.
Internal: The current booking office has a modern fitout, including standard ticket window installation.
The buildings also includes a former ladies room (western end) and a kitchen fitout with new floor coverings, ceilings and cornices. There are original windows and doors with original architraves. There are toilet and washroom facilities in the annex to the south which have a modern fitout. There is a heater fixture installed with the modified fire place opening.
The central room has original timber floors and plaster walls with staff mouldings on either side of the chimney breast. The ceiling has been replaced and there are no cornices. There are numerous services and conduits fixed to the walls. This room is used for storage. The former parcels & booking office (eastern end) has original timber floors and plaster walls with staff mouldings on either side of the chimney breast and new skirtings. The ceiling has been replaced. There are original windows and doors with original architraves. There is a new partition wall which contains electrical equipment. This room is used for storage. The lean to at the back has fibre cement sheeting to the walls and ceilings with timber floors and the original doors and windows intact. This room is also used for storage.
FOOTBRIDGE (1918)
The original 1918 footbridge still remains. The footbridge is a riveted steel ‘Warren Truss’ footbridge, which features angle iron trestles and channel iron stair stringers with compressed fibre cement decking. The footbridge was covered as part of a station upgrade c.1990. The surface of the footbridge was replaced recently with a tiled finish and the sides have been enclosed with frameless glass panels. The treads to the stairs have been replaced with precast concrete and a new tubular stainless steel handrail has been installed. The original iron risers are still visible.
The 2003 access upgrade included the installation of lift enclosures on both platforms which are located to the west of the footbridge and connected by a simple link.
PLATFORMS
Platform 1 (Up) is a wayside platform and is concrete faced with an asphalt surface; Platform 2 (Down) is a wayside platform and is brick faced with an asphalt surface. The surface to both platforms was recently replaced as part of the 2003 access upgrade project. Tactile ground surface indicators run along the edge of the platforms and at the foot of the ramps and stairs.
CANOPIES
Platform 1: New canopy structures (c.1990) with transverse gable (with timber trellis detail) facing the platform. A steel skillion (1999) roofed canopy also covers the ramp access to the western end. A new canopy (c.1990) to the eastern end (in front of the Parcel Office extension) is constructed in steel to a detail loosely based on the existing awning to the heritage building.
Platform 2: New canopy structure (c.1990) abutting existing awning with timber framing supported on timber posts with transverse gable (with timber trellis detail) facing the platform. All the canopies are clad in corrugated steel. The canopy cover continues up and over the stair and footbridge, with similar gable detailing to landings and to the north and south elevation of the footbridge.
The Crescent Entrance: New canopy structure (c.1990) abutting existing awning with timber framing supported on timber posts with transverse gable (with timber trellis detail) facing the street. The canopy cover continues up and over the stairs and footbridge, and returns along the platform edge. All the canopies are clad in corrugated steel.
There is also a hipped roof shelter in front of the booking office and several canopies, to the same detail as above, over the waiting areas of the bus interchange.
Dale Street Entrance: New canopy structure supported on steel posts and timber roof framing and corrugated steel to the roof. The canopy has a gable detail to match 1990s structures. A steel skillion (1999) roofed canopy also covers the ramp access to the western end.
VINE STREET FOOTBRIDGE (1965)
Simple structure constructed from standard steel sections on concrete foundations with a precast concrete deck and steel balustrade. The footbridge appears to be unchanged based on original documentation.
JIB CRANE
Existing documentation shows a goods shed (no longer extant) located to the north of the station with a single track located adjacent to where the crane was originally located. This is a standard 2 tonne iron jib crane built by the Morris Brothers in Sydney. In 2014-2016 during the Interchange upgrade, the crane was relocated to the Interchange Forecourt
MOVABLE
NSW Railway heritage listed sites contain significant collections of stored movable railway heritage, including furniture, signs, operational objects, ex-booking office and ticketing objects, paper records, clocks, memorabilia, indicator boards and artwork. Individually, these objects are important components of the history of each site. Together, they form a large and diverse collection of movable objects across the NSW rail network. Sydney Trains maintains a database of movable heritage. For up-to-date information on all movable heritage items at this site, contact the Sydney Trains heritage team.
Key items at this station include but are not limited to:
Two hurricane lamps / lanterns stored in the station masters residence
Steel and canvas ambulance stretcher in storage at the station.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL POTENTIAL
Based on the surviving documentation and the evidence on site it is unlikely there would be any potential archaeological remains at Fairfield Railway Station. |