Large Erecting Sheds - West End Photo: National Trust of Australia (NSW)

Significance:

One of the finest historic railway workshops in the world containing one of the most complete late 19th century and early 20th century industrial heritage collections. The value is increased by the fact that it is comprised of assemblages, collections and operational systems which were still in use until 2006. Australian Technology Park promotional material notes that the Blacksmith’s Workshop in Bay 2 houses the largest collection of steam-powered machinery in the southern hemisphere, with some equipment still in working order.

The entire complex has a strong industrial character generated by the rail network itself, by the large horizontal scale of the buildings, the consistent use of brick and corrugated iron, the repetitive shapes of roof elements and of details such as doors and windows and because of the uniform grey colours. *The simple, strong functional forms of the buildings have landmark quality, not only as important townscape elements in the Redfern/Eveleigh area, but as part of the visual train journey of thousands of commuters, marking arrival in the city centre.  The major buildings from the original 19th century development of the site are well designed, detailed and built exhibiting a high degree of unity of design, detailing and materials. (State

Projects 1995:109)

(See Nomination Form for more detail)

Statement of Risk:

Various buildings within Eveleigh have already been redeveloped and adapted to a range of non-railway uses but several significant buildings which are yet to be adapted have been rezoned for multi-storey development under the Redfern–Waterloo Authority’s Built Environment Plan. The on-going maintenance and repair of steam locomotives and heritage rolling stock within the Large Erecting Shop ceased in December, 2006 and Locomotive 3801 and several historic carriages were relocated to open-air storage at Thirlmere, 85 kilometres south west of Sydney. In general, government policy appears to be primarily directed towards the economic commercial redevelopment of this historic site, with rail heritage pushed into inadequate facilities remote from its potential audience. The Blacksmith’s Shop was considered safe and permanently conserved but the Blacksmith’s lease is being terminated and the future for this place is unknown.

Degree of Risk:  Immediate risk – no solution agreed

Threats/Risks:    Destruction

Fate/outcome:   Stuffed (shattered or smashed)

Desired Outcome / Vision:

The Eveleigh Railway Workshops should be adaptively reused in a manner consistent with its heritage values and the totality of its site. Redundancy at Eveleigh provides a valuable opportunity for rail heritage activities at a traditional railway site with excellent access to an audience, to support facilities and to technical staff however, urban property values mean that this opportunity is being progressively degraded in favour of the higher short-term returns from commercial redevelopment.

(Revisit 2007 Nomination)

Bibliography

– Eveleigh Rail Yards Locomotive Workshops Conservation Management Plan, Heritage

Group, State Projects, 1995

– Rail workshop to become platform for inner city hub Claire O'Rourke, SMH 26/7/03

– Sparks still fly over rail's long-silent workshops, Geraldine O'Brien, SMH 2/12/03

– Eveleigh Precinct Sydney Conservation Policy Schwager Brooks and Partners, 1994