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The Midland Railway Workshops in Midland,
Western Australia Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Aust ...
, were the main workshops for the
Western Australian Government Railways Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) was the state owned operator of railways in the state of Western Australia between October 1890 and June 2003. Owned by the state government, it was renamed a number of times to reflect extra respon ...
(WAGR) for over 80 years, (1904-1994).


History

The first railway workshops in
Western Australia Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Aust ...
were located at
Fremantle Fremantle () () is a port city in Western Australia located at the mouth of the Swan River (Western Australia), Swan River in the metropolitan area of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth. The Western Australi ...
and shifted to Midland in 1904. The Midland Railway Workshops were involved with all WAGR
rolling stock The term rolling stock in the rail transport industry refers to railway vehicles, including both powered and unpowered vehicles: for example, locomotives, Railroad car#Freight cars, freight and Passenger railroad car, passenger cars (or coaches) ...
and
engine An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert one or more forms of energy into mechanical energy. Available energy sources include potential energy (e.g. energy of the Earth's gravitational field as exploited in hydroelectric power ge ...
construction and maintenance. Steam engines continued to operate on mainline service until 1971, and all major maintenance occurred at the workshops.


Workforce

Generations of workers at the workshops had considerable numbers of European migrants who arrived in Australia with limited English language, and there were significant groups of Italian migrants in the workforce. The workforce of the workshops had a rich history and, since closing, there have been projects to record oral history and collect information about the place and people involved.


Closure

In April 1993, the Richard Court Liberal Party (conservative) State Government announced that the workshops would be eventually closed. A number of protests and rallies were held to save the workshops, but they were not successful. On 4 March 1994, the remaining workers assembled at the traditional workshops meeting area, the flagpole. Long-time employee and timekeeper, Kevin Mountain lowered the Australian flag for the last time, ending not only his career but 90 years of Western Australian railway history.


Coal dam

Located at the far western end of the workshops site is a dam. Initially created as a storage dam for water supplies in the late 1890s, it was increased in size in 1947 for coal storage. A treatment plant built on the site in 1974 used the dam to discharge wastewater. Development of the Woodbridge Lakes housing estate near the site prompted environmental studies of the
heavy metals upright=1.2, Crystals of lead.html" ;"title="osmium, a heavy metal nearly twice as dense as lead">osmium, a heavy metal nearly twice as dense as lead Heavy metals is a controversial and ambiguous term for metallic elements with relatively h ...
and sludge within the dam. The dam has been retained for its heritage value as a water feature, with some of the area comprising public open space.


Memorial to Fallen Soldiers

At the courtyard entrance to the workshops is a Memorial to Fallen Soldiers. The memorial commemorates the 70 railway workers who enlisted from the workshops and died in
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. It was unveiled in 1925. A further 25 men who lost their lives in
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
were later added to the memorial. The figure of
Peace Peace is a state of harmony in the absence of hostility and violence, and everything that discusses achieving human welfare through justice and peaceful conditions. In a societal sense, peace is commonly used to mean a lack of conflict (suc ...
atop the memorial was the work of Pietro Porcelli. The memorial reads "In enduring commemoration of the loyalty devotion and sacrifice of workshop comrades who fell in the Great War 1914–1918. These our glorious dead. Erected by their fellow employees."


Changes

Recent years saw use of the workshops for a very limited period of time
narrow gauge A narrow-gauge railway (narrow-gauge railroad in the US) is a railway with a track gauge (distance between the rails) narrower than . Most narrow-gauge railways are between and . Since narrow-gauge railways are usually built with Minimum railw ...
access to the workshops from the main railway line was re-instated in mid-2004, and effectively ceased in late 2007. The Midland Redevelopment Authority (MRA) appears to have removed the workshops from any significant working rail heritage status. Until late 2007 the
Australian Railway Historical Society The Australian Railway Historical Society (ARHS) has been a railway organisation concerned with history and preservation of railway heritage at a national level. It has had divisions in every state and the Australian Capital Territory, althou ...
had performed restoration work and housed part of their collection in the workshops. South Spur Rail Services used to occupy several roads, in part due to their association with the ''Spirit of the West'' restaurant train that was stabled in the workshops; they have since moved to an area closer to Bellevue and the Roe Highway overpass. Transwa used the workshops for storage of the new ''
Prospector Prospector may refer to: Space exploration * Prospector (spacecraft), a planned lunar probe, canceled in 1962 * ''Lunar Prospector'', a NASA spacecraft Trains * Prospector (train), a passenger train operated by the Denver & Rio Grande Western ra ...
'' and ''
Avonlink The ''AvonLink'' is a rural passenger train service in Western Australia operated by Transwa between Midland railway station, Perth, Midland and Northam railway station, Western Australia, Northam. History The consideration of revitalising pa ...
'' railcars during their trials. Likewise,
Transperth Transperth is the public transport system for Perth and surrounding areas in Western Australia. It is managed by the Public Transport Authority (PTA), a state government organisation, and consists of train, bus and ferry services. Bus operat ...
used the workshops for storage of the new B series railcars upon delivery from
Queensland Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...
until bogie exchanges from
standard gauge A standard-gauge railway is a railway with a track gauge of . The standard gauge is also called Stephenson gauge (after George Stephenson), international gauge, UIC gauge, uniform gauge, normal gauge in Europe, and SGR in East Africa. It is the ...
to narrow gauge could take place, at which time the cars were moved to either the Claisebrook or Nowergup depots. Despite its disinterest in supporting working rail heritage to continue at the workshops, the MRA has produced an undated pamphlet that gives a brief overview of the workshops history, which is derived from various sources including the ''Midland Railway Workshops Site Conservation Policy'' of 1994 produced by Heritage and Conservation Professionals. The eastern end of the workshops site has already been developed into a bulky goods retail area and the Western Australian Police Operations Centre has incorporated the former Flanging Shop into their centre. The St John of God Midland Public and Private Hospitals also occupy a portion of the former workshops site. The section of the workshop area to the east of the main railway buildings has been demolished to make way for projects which the Midland Redevelopment Authority has earmarked for further development. The main buildings in the middle of the workshop area remain.


Heritage strategy

In 2001 and 2004 the ''Heritage strategy for the Midland Central redevelopment area'' was produced by the Midland Redevelopment Authority. It identified railway workshops' "zones of significance" and assessed and considered as important heritage items more than 40 structures and areas including: * Chief Mechanical Engineer's Office * Laboratory - chemical and metal testing * Railway Institute * Pattern Shop * Tank Building/Pattern Store * Power House * Boiler House/Copper Shop * Tarpaulin Shop/ Electrical Shop * Block 1 * Block 2 * Block 3 * Gatekeepers Office * Timekeepers Office * Foundry * Main Store * Ambulance Building * Tool Room * Canteen * Recreation Hall * Plating Shop * Copper Shop * Weighbridge * Sewerage system * Elevated tank * Hydraulic Accumulator * Oil Store * Paint Shop * War Memorial and Garden * Main Conduit * Shunting Yard * Underwater Coal Storage Dam * Flagpole * Compressed Air Tanks * Supply Shed (1 and 2) * Wells * Panel Shop


Rail heritage centre

In 2004, the possibility of a railway heritage centre based in part of the workshops was investigated by the Midland Redevelopment Authority, following public meetings and consultation. However, the possibility of such a centre was not followed.''A Rail Heritage Centre at the Midland Railway Workshops'', Proposal summary prepared by Midland Redevelopment Authority. Midland, W.A. Circa 2004. The Steering Committee included members from the MRA, City of Swan, Swan Chamber of Commerce, and rail and heritage groups.


Personnel

George Alfred Julius, inventor of the automatic totalisator, was a premium
apprentice Apprenticeship is a system for training a potential new practitioners of a Tradesman, trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study. Apprenticeships may also enable practitioners to gain a license to practice in ...
here in the early years of the 20th century, before moving to
Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
and co-founding his own
engineering Engineering is the practice of using natural science, mathematics, and the engineering design process to Problem solving#Engineering, solve problems within technology, increase efficiency and productivity, and improve Systems engineering, s ...
partnership.


References


Further reading

*


External links


Rail Heritage WA
{{subject bar , auto=y , portal1=Western Australia , portal2=Train Railway workshops in Western Australia Midland, Western Australia State Register of Heritage Places in the City of Swan Western Australian Government Railways Defunct railway workshops of Australia 1904 establishments in Australia 1994 disestablishments in Australia