Lawson railway station

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.[2]

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.[2]

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.[2]

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.[2]

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. 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.[2]

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.[2]

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.[2]

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.[2]

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 c. 1946 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.[2]

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 1950s 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.[2]

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.[2]

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.[2]

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.[2]

Internal: Interiors were not inspected (2009).[2]

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.[2]

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.[2]

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.[2]

Lawson Railway Station houses a number of movable items including:

• A Milners' 2'2 Patent floor safe in the ticket office below the ticket window desk
• A bubbler on platform next to the subway entrance
• Three bench seats (2 in the waiting room, 1 in the ladies room)
• 16 lever frame and CTC panel in the disused signal box
• A work bench for booking window[2]

There are no known potential archaeological elements on the station site with the exception of a remnant side platform and siding on the Down side. The recent findings during the widening of the Great Western Highway indicate the potential existence of surviving remnants of the former Goods Yard along the Highway. The Electrical Depot Site containing the substation and other associated structures may also have archaeological potential.[2]

• Station Buildings and platform structures - Good
• Island Platform- Good
• Side Platform - No longer presents as a platform but in its garden bedlike form is in good condition
• Subway - generally Good condition
• Station Master's residence - Moderate externally, Very Poor internally
• Electrical Depot Site - Generally Good externally
• Signals and Earthworks Depot - Good externally
• Substation - Good[2]

The station building and associated shed are intact externally and maintain their overall integrity. The Station Master's residence has lost most of its internal and some of its external fabric. Its integrity is therefore moderate. The buildings within the Electrical depot have a high level of integrity and intactness externally. While most equipment originally installed has been removed from the Substation the building is relatively intact despite the fire damage in 2003.[2]

• 1970s: Mercury arc rectifiers in the substation replaced with solid state equipment
• 1994: Internal fabric of station building was altered.
• 2000: The collection of old electric metres were relocated to Strathfield Depot September.
• 2003: Substation damaged by fire.
• N.d: Modern platform canopy has been added. Modern platform fence and station seats. Roof extended over the platform entry to the pedestrian underpass. Brick screen to lavatory at east end of main building. Fence to underpass entry from platform. Side platform has been significantly modified and Down siding removed (in part) and covered with aggregate recently.
• N.d: The original roof of the Station Master's residence, with an ornate ridge, has been replaced at an unknown date; internally, virtually all original fabric has been removed.[2]

Modern demountable buildings within the depot sites are excluded from the listing.[2]

A (1907) Monier Arch overbridge lies outside the curtilage and is located northeast of the island platform. It consists of a concrete arch with abutments set in rock cutting. The bridge was widened in 2009. Excluded from listing.[2]

Another 1907 Monier Arch bridge (used for pedestrian access) - 1 km east of station near Somers Street and GWH overbridge has separate S170 listing.[2]

• Attraction Homepage (2007). "Lawson Railway Station group".
• BMACHO Inc. (2014). "Lawson Station Master's Residence".

This Wikipedia article contains material from Lawson Railway Station Group, entry number 01177 in the New South Wales State Heritage Register published by the State of New South Wales and Office of Environment and Heritage 2018 under CC-BY 4.0 licence, accessed on 2 June 2018.