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Interlocking RailwaCrossing Gates Anderson Street Railway Crossing, Yarraville
Anderson Street YARRAVILLE, MARIBYRNONG CITY

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Maribyrnong City
HO19-Railway Gates, Anderson Street, Yarraville.JPG
HO19-Railway Gates, Anderson Street, Yarraville.JPG
HO19-Railway Gates, Anderson Street, Yarraville.JPG
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Statement of Significance

Note: SOS is for station complex not limited to gates.

The Yarraville railway station complex is of State technical significance and of Regional architectural and historical significance. It is of technical significance at a State level as the only surviving example of multiple sector interlocked wheel-operated railway gates in Victoria.

(However, this has been compromised by the removal and relocation of the gates.) (Criterion F1) These types of gates were once quite common in Victoria, but are now rare. The Yarraville railway complex is also historically significant at a Regional level for its associations with the development of the major manufacturing industries in the area along the Williamstown railway corridor (Criterion A3). The complex has architectural significance in that it represents a rare collection of railway buildings and works, comprising: a brick station building and platform, a timber station building and platform, signal box, interlocked wheel operated level crossing gates, disused siding gates, station master's residence and the remains of an important public siding with extensive pitched bluestone cart ways. (Criterion B2) The station building is (according to Andrew Ward) "an interesting variation on the Casterton Style Group in plan but the ornament is more classically oriented". It forms an important part of the Victorian character of the Anderson Street centre.

Both the station and rail siding yards reflect the commercial and residential development of Yarraville and its key riverside industries. (Criterion D2) The complex has social significance at the Regional level for the role it has played as an entrance to the Yarraville shopping centre and in shaping the suburb's commercial development (Criterion C2).

The Australian Heritage Commission criteria consist of a set of eight criteria which cover social, aesthetic, scientific, and historic values. Each criterion has sub-criteria written specifically for cultural or natural values. As this project is for cultural values, the sub-criteria used are identified by their alpha-numeric code and briefly described as follows:

. A.3 richness and diversity of cultural features

. A.4 demonstrates well the course and pattern of history, important historic events

. B.2 rarity

. C.2 research potential

. D.2 good example of type

. E.1 aesthetic importance to the community or cultural group

. F.1 design or technological achievement .

. G.1 social importance to the community

. H.1 association with important person or group

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    • Physical Description 1

      Interlocking RailwaCrossing Gates Anderson Street Railway Crossing, Yarraville - Physical Description 1

      The present station building is a hipped roof form with a picturesque central roof gable with overhanging canopy, polychrome brickwork and a basalt plinth. The king-post truss gable roof marks the original entrance to the booking hall facing Birmingham Street and overhangs the footpath by some 1.2 metres, but has since been closed in. Deeply bracketed but shallow canopies extend either side of the gable. The brackets are of carved timber and set in pairs at the gable. Walls are polychrome brick (red, brown, black), set on a dressed basalt plinth. Terra-cotta string moulds and eaves brackets add to the natural clay character of the walls and the chimneys (ribbed and banded with terra-cotta chimney pots) also add to the display of brickwork.

      To the south is an Edwardian parapeted porch which provides a small booking hall. Although red brick is used, the inverted basket-arch parapet form is foreign in style to the original building. With the added porch is a brick-sided ramp with wrought-iron picket balustrade and Chinese brackets supporting the roof fascia. Ogee guttering (bracketed) survived on this roof in 1989 (Butler: 29-30).

      The Edwardian down-side station consists of simple weather-boarded gabled pavilion, with a cantilevered fringed canopy attached. Lock-up shops have been added at the south platform end. Adjacent is a two-level hipped-roof signal box and part of the railway crossing gates - mostly replaced and repositioned with modern automatic booms across Anderson Street.

      Bluestone paved yards with rail siding north of Yarraville Station and on the east side of the main line once used for loading manufactured good and unloading supplies for the local area in the late 19th century. Part of paving was ripped up in 1988. The station building is distinguished by its picturesque roof gable. The down side platform has an Edwardian weatherboard pavilion with cantilevered canopy.

      Physical Conditions

      Interlocking RailwaCrossing Gates Anderson Street Railway Crossing, Yarraville - Physical Conditions

      In good condition, restoration work having been undertaken in recent years by the PTC, although not necessarily to the original configuration of the building. The signal box is disused, disconnected from the system and boarded up.

      Integrity

      Interlocking RailwaCrossing Gates Anderson Street Railway Crossing, Yarraville - Integrity

      Openings have been bricked up or sealed off, otherwise finishes such as pressed metal ceilings and ceiling roses (Edwardian?) survive in the main building. The down-side building's post verandah has been replaced with a cantilever and the north gable sheeted over. Much of the original bluestone pitching has been removed, either by the PTC or have been stolen. The gates have been removed and relocated.

      Historical Australian Themes

      Interlocking RailwaCrossing Gates Anderson Street Railway Crossing, Yarraville - Historical Australian Themes

      Australian Principal Theme Moving goods and people
      PAHT Subtheme: Moving goods and people by rail
      Local Theme Railways - freight

      Physical Description 2

      Interlocking RailwaCrossing Gates Anderson Street Railway Crossing, Yarraville - Physical Description 2

      Creation date(s): 1870 c.
      Heritage Significance state
      Map (Melway) 42 A8
      Boundary description Site bounded by Woods St. Somerville Road, Birmingham St. and Anderson St.
      Local Government Area: City of Maribyrnong
      Ownership Type State

      Heritage Study and Grading

      Heritage Study and Grading

      Maribyrnong - Maribyrnong Heritage Review

      Author: Jill Barnard, Graeme Butler, Francine Gilfedder & Gary Vines
      Year: 2000
      Grading:

Public contributions

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