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Civic Railway Station, revealing part of Newcastle modernism

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Modernism is partially revealed in the architectural style of railway buildings and other infrastructure across Australia. The now-closed Civic Railway Station on the Hamilton-Newcastle branch line is just one example of how this happens in the regional city of Newcastle.

The retail concession and footbridge at Civic Railway Station on the now-closed Newcastle-Hamilton branch railway line. The ghostly deserted station and walkway now provides access to the Newcastle Museum and the Newcastle harbour precinct. (I Willis)

Modernism is a form of architecture which emerged in the first half of the 20th century and became dominant after World War II. It was based upon new technologies of construction, particularly the use of glass, steel and reinforced concrete, and upon a rejection of the traditional neoclassical architecture and Beaux-Arts styles that were popular in the 19th century. (Wikipedia)

According to the New South Wales Heritage Inventory, Civic Railway Station is:

The station building is the first Interwar Functionalist railway building in NSW to employ domestic architectural features, demonstrating the NSW Railways experimentation with new styles during the Interwar period. The footbridge is unique as the only known example of this structure constructed on brickpiers. The signal box is unique as the smallest elevated box constructed on the NSW rail system.

The Civic Railway Station and surrounding buildings were built in 1935 in the Interwar Functionalist style using dichromatic and polychromatic brickwork as a simple decorative effect.

The railway station is located between Wickham and Newcastle railway stations.

The new Civic Railway Station in 1935 was built in the Interwar Functionalist style. The new station was located on the site of the previous Honeysuckle station, which was built to access Newcastle’s river port and Maitland’s growing agricultural centre. (G&S Ray, Newcastle)

History

Originally, the station was part of the railway line built between ‘East Maitland’  railway station and ‘Newcastle’.

The line was initially built in 1857-1858 as a link between the government town of East Maitland and the river port at Newcastle.

The Newcastle station was renamed Honeysuckle and Honeysuckle Point near the river port and has several locations.

The large goods yards east of ‘Newcastle’ railway station was constructed in 1858.

The site of Civic Railway Station is significant as it was the former 1857 site of the Newcastle (Honeysuckle) terminus of the Great Northern Railway Line.

Electrification of the Gosford-Newcastle line occurred in 1984, after the Sydney-Gosford section in 1960.

Civic Railway Station was closed in 2014 by the Baird Liberal Government when the line between Hamilton and Newcastle was finally closed after much community dissent.

The now deserted ghostly platforms of Civic Railway Station on the Newcastle branch line were built in 1935 to serve the thriving river port of Newcastle. Built-in an Interwar functionalist style, the station is mainly intact and retains much of its integrity from the 1930s. (I Willis)

Significance

According to the New South Wales Heritage Inventory:

The Civic Railway Station site is historically significant as the location of the Newcastle terminus station on the Great Northern Railway line (1857), one of the first railway lines in Australia. The station building represents the first attempt to adapt domestic architectural styles for railway purposes. The station buildings and footbridge, are good examples of Inter-War Railway Domestic style in regional NSW.

The seating and signage at the now deserted platform of the closed Civic Railway Station on the Newcastle branch line. Originally, the line was built in the 1850s to serve Maitland’s thriving farming area and Newcastle’s new river port. The station is still largely intact and retains much of its 1930s integrity. (I Willis)

Civic Railway Station is mainly intact and retains much of its original integrity from 1935, along with the signal box, platform shelter, footbridge and forecourt.

Updated 1 June 2023. Originally posted on 9 July 2017 as ‘Revealing Newcastle modernism at Civic Railway Station’.