TIMBER BOX CULVERTS

2 MACARTNEY STREET RESERVOIR, DAREBIN CITY

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Victorian Heritage Inventory

Statement of Significance

• Additional Place Information

  • History

    TIMBER BOX CULVERTS - History

    The timber box culverts and adjoining concrete drainpipe are situated to the north of Reservoir railway station in the former city of North Preston beneath the former Whittlesea railway line track (now Mernda railway line).

    The Whittlesea railway line, between Preston - Reservoir station (now Reservoir station) and Whittlesea station was opened in 1989 (Victorian Railways 1889). The line consisted of a single track which was set into a foundation of rail ballast. The track was later electrified in 1929, and then duplicated in 1959 (Dornan, 1979).

    The timber box culverts were probably constructed in 1889 in conjunction with the laying of the original track for the purpose of managing the flow of water on either side of the railway line. The adjoinging concrete drainpipe ws probably constructed in 1959 at the time the track was duplicated.

    Interpretation of Site

    TIMBER BOX CULVERTS - Interpretation of Site

    The timber box culverts are cut directly into the underlying natural clay. It is not known if the unlined drains were constructed before the railway line. However, it is reasonably clear that the timber insets and cover, which form the built fabric of the drains, were construced in 1889 along with the construction of the original Whittlesea railway line. The drains appear to have been deliberately filled with ballast, which was probably intended to act as a porous filter for water passing through the culverts.

    The adjoining concrete drainpipe, which directly abuts the northern timber box culvert, appears to have been construted at a later date, most likely when the track was duplicated in 1959.

    Heritage Inventory Description

    TIMBER BOX CULVERTS - Heritage Inventory Description

    **Extent was revised post site card submission to make a linear shape- Chris Lovell (ALA) sent the published extent on 12/02/2019

    The place consists of two timber lined box culverts running perpendicular to the former Whittlesea railway line. The features were exposed during Level Crossing Works being undertaken to remove the former railway line. The features are located at the base of the ballast fill and are cut directly into the underlying natural clay. A concrete pipe, which also runs perpendicular to the railway line, abuts the eastern side of the northern box culvert. Preliminary inspection of the northern box culvert indicates that no piping is present within the box culvert itself. Instead, it appears that both the northern and southern culverts have been filled with porous ballast. The timber feature is capped with railway sleepers, that are generally in a deteriorating condition. The underlying clay is impermeable, and the northern culvert readily held water at the time it was inspected.

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