Narrogin Railway Station

Child Places

• 04778 Railway Signal Cabin
• 14860 Railway House Narrogin (fmr)
• 01824 Railway Houses
• 04777 Railway Footbridge
• 04779 Railway Goods Shed
• 03450 Railway Institute Site

Statement of Significance

Demonstration of a way of life. custom. process or function: This precinct is a marker of the once important function of the Narrogin Junction as a rail transfer point for passengers, post, parcels, bulk goods in and out of the district The Precinct is a vestige of the total railway workplace providing an important development stream of the population and industry of the township. Historical significance of development: The time-frame of the important era of this railway junction to the functioning of the railway grid and the districts served, the unusual and short-lived connections to other districts is of significance. As a junction station, Narrogin had the largest number of branch lines of any railway junction in WA. Social Significance: As the railway was the lifeblood of the town for many years, many families dependant on it for work, transport and communication, it was and still is a symbol of the development of Narrogin, Narrogin is known as a "railway town”. Scarcity value (or unique) example: The combination of elements in this precinct forms the only such remaining example in the State, and in general the product as an important railway junction is a fine example. The signal box is one of only two left intact in the country area of Western Australia. Design of the station building on the island platform in a “one-of”.

Physical Description

STATION BUILDING The Narrogin Railway Station was built as a masonry and timber structure with a corrugated iron roofIt has been modified over the years with internal re-arrangements rather than constructional changes. Its design is similar to stations at Wagin and Katanning on the same GSR line. PLATFORM: built as an island with station buildings on it. Southern end surface and coping deteriorate to the point that it is fenced off for safety reasons. Access to the station for passengers in the past and future users is generally by footbridge. FOOTBRIDGE: - grey steel frame with timber decking. In good condition due to its relatively new construction. GOODS SHED: Two bays under a two pitched roof with box gutter between, corrugated ironclad 100’ x 42’, with timber frame. Reasonable condition and leased to a private SIGNAL CABIN: -two storey, steel supports, fibre clad. stairs on south side which is semi enclosed, upper level of cabin has some windows on all sides. Flat roof on slight angle with all around overhang. Decommissioned in 1994 but still intact.

History

Assessment 1995 Narrogin is situated on the Great Southern Railway and thus trams have been running through the area since 1889. Its importance as a railway centre came into being in 1906 when the first branchline from Narrogin was opened necessitating the need for shunting facilities, marshalling yards, a wagon workshop and a locomotive shed. This was only a beginning for Narrogin as by- 1915 there were branch lines_to Collie, Wickepin/Corrigin and Kondinin. In 1926 the final branch line from Narrogin to Pinjarra was opened. With its new status as a junction, facilities at Narrogin had to be improved to cope with the increased traffic and its resultant effect on staffing and locomotive usage. The construction of the present railway station began in January 1906 by contractor J.V. Miles of Subiaco. Trams began using the island platform that year on completion of the station building in March 1907. The exterior of the station Has changed little but the interior was remodelled in 1952. This re-modelling joined the two buildings under the main roof structure also resulted in a fibro building being constructed as the Ladies WC. The station building comprised four sections in 1906. The first comprised a booking hall, Station Master's Office, instrument room, parcel's office and porter's room. A ladies waiting room was the second section with the privately operated bar and refreshment room being the third. The fourth (now fenced off) was the men’s lavatory and the lamp room. The refreshment rooms last traded on 28th February 1961. The current footbridge was built in 1964 to replace the 1906 bridge which was slightly further south. The The Goods Shed, replacing a small single gable building, was built following the 1922 Royal Commission, and is still in situ. The signal cabin just taken out of service, was erected in 1962 and is of similar design to those formerly on the old Eastern line. Replacing a ground signal frame, it is now one of only two complete country signal cabins remaining (the other at Merredin). Several early facilities have been replaced. The former wagon depot was a l960's structure, the locomotive depot further south was constructed in the 1950's alongside the new larger 80' turntable. The railway water supply was originally a small dam in the creek, where the bush yard was later built. A new larger dam was later constructed to the south of the present locomotive depot and it supplied water to the railway station, locomotive depot and to the fuel depot It can be seen that Narrogin was an important railway junction and town. Unfortunately this aspect of the town's prosperity has declined to the point that Westrail have virtually no staff left in the town.

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