Rail Transport Museum

Child Places

• 23526 Four Wheel Steel Open Wagon

Statement of Significance

• The place has historic value as the repository of a wide range of items which tell the story of the history and development of rail transport in Western Australia.
• The place has social value as the destination for visitors interested in the history of rail transport in Western Australia since 1974.
• The place has social value for its contribution to the Bassendean community's sense of place as it represents the strong ties between rail transport and the district.

Physical Description

Timber framed and weatherboard building, signal box, metal shed, brick exhibition building, brick store, non-original platform canopy and a collection of trains. The weatherboard building altered to resemble a station building, is a simple building with low pitch gabled
roof extending down to form the verandah canopy at a broken pitch. The façade is symmetrical in its presentation with a set of centrally placed double doors flanked by high level windows, five to either side. The timber framed and weatherboard signal box is a small square shaped building with steeply pitched gable roof clad in replacement corrugated iron. The principal façade orientated towards the replica station building and consist of a bank of timber framed windows with a shallow skillion canopy above. The entry into the signal box is via a timber panelled door on the south east elevation. The ‘platform’ canopies are open sided canopies protecting the trains and are of steel framed construction with colorbond roof. An original platform canopy is sited behind the brick N C Zeplin Exhibition Building.

History

In the 1960s the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) had a small but significant collection of historical items that it displayed each year at the Royal Show. This collection was given on permanent loan to Rail Heritage WA for display in a future museum. In 1969, Rail Heritage WA began fundraising to develop a museum to display the collection of locomotives, rollingstock and items of railway memorabilia that had been collected over the years. There were no structures available but the WAGR assisted by laying rail trackage and loaning items for display. The Museum was opened in November 1974 on this land donated by CSBP & Farmers in recognition of their ties with railways in WA. At this time the Exhibition Building had a comprehensive display of photographs and ephemera. The museum also had a small office and archives / library. The collection continued to grow beyond the early vision and additional land was obtained at the rear of the property, some by donation and another area was vested by the crown. However the biggest problem
was the exposure of the collection to the elements. In 1991, using funds from the commercial lease of a locomotive purchased by the Society, the first section of roof cover for locomotives and rolling stock was constructed. In the following ten years three more stages
were added but less than half the collection was undercover. Further roof cover for 'as is' vehicles was built in 2003 and 2004. In 1992, Westrail (WAGR) made a formal donation to RHWA of all items on permanent loan. This included some items at Boyanup Museum as well. With the donation was a sum of $30,000 which was to be used to provide roof cover for the special service carriages. There are several heritage structures relocated to the museum. These structures would otherwise have been destroyed and could not be left in situ. These include a section of timber platform canopy which is from the Kalgoorlie Railway Station and the Zanthus Railway Station building originally built in1915. In 2005 a new entry building was opened - formerly an apprentice classroom at Midland Workshops, the front has been altered to look like a railway station.

Integrity/Authenticity

High
High

Condition

Generally good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.