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Waverton railway station, Sydney

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Coordinates: 33°50′16″S 151°11′51″E / 33.8379°S 151.1975°E / -33.8379; 151.1975
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For other uses, see Waverton railway station (disambiguation).

Waverton
Southbound view from station concourse looking at station platforms, December 2020
General information
LocationBay Road, Waverton
Australia
Coordinates33°50′16″S 151°11′51″E / 33.8379°S 151.1975°E / -33.8379; 151.1975
Elevation40 metres (130 ft)
Owned byTransport Asset Holding Entity
Operated bySydney Trains
Line(s)North Shore
Distance6.11 kilometres (3.80 mi) from Central
Platforms2 (2 side)
Tracks3
Connections Bus
Construction
Structure typeGround
AccessibleYes
ArchitectNew South Wales Department of Railways
Other information
Status
  • Weekdays:

Staffed: 6am-7pm

  • Weekends and public holidays:
Staffed: 8am-4pm
Station codeWVT
WebsiteTransport for NSW
History
Opened1 May 1893
ElectrifiedYes
Previous namesBay Road (1895-1929)
Passengers
2023[2]
  • 1,039,210 (year)
  • 2,847 (daily)[1] (Sydney Trains, NSW TrainLink)
Services
Preceding station Sydney Trains Following station
North Sydney
towards Emu Plains or Richmond
 North Shore & Western Line Wollstonecraft
towards Berowra
North Sydney
via Strathfield
towards Hornsby
 Northern Line Wollstonecraft
towards Gordon
Preceding station NSW TrainLink Following station
North Sydney
towards Central
 Central Coast & Newcastle Line
(peak hour services)
 Wollstonecraft
towards Wyong
Official nameWaverton Railway Station group
TypeState heritage (complex / group)
Designated2 April 1999
Reference no.1284
TypeRailway Platform/ Station
CategoryTransport - Rail
BuildersNew South Wales Department of Railways

Waverton railway station is a heritage-listed suburban railway station located on the North Shore line, serving the Sydney suburb of Waverton in New South Wales, Australia. It is served by Sydney Trains T1 North Shore line services. The station is located on Bay Road, Waverton, in the North Sydney Council local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was designed and built by New South Wales Department of Railways. It is also known as Waverton Railway Station group. The station was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.[3]

History

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Present day Waverton Railway Station is located on the North Shore line, between Wollstonecraft and North Sydney railway stations. The "North Shore" of Sydney can be defined as a relatively narrow strip of land extending from Milsons Point to Waitara, a distance of approximately 20 kilometres (12 mi).[3]

In 1887, tenders were called for construction of a branch line extending south from Hornsby to the North Shore. The 16.8 km section between Hornsby and St Leonards was opened on 1 January 1890. Stations provided at the opening of the line included Chatswood and St Leonards. A single line was constructed at the time. The line between St Leonards and Milsons Point (the terminus at the edge of the harbour) was completed 1 May 1893.[3]

Waverton Railway Station was opened on 1 May 1895. At the time, the station was named Bay Road but on 20 May 1929, Bay Road was renamed Waverton - the name it carries today.[3][4][5][6][7]

The area was scarcely settled in 1893, but a committee of inquiry found that the route for the line recommended was the best to give a good grade for the railway to the harbourside, hence the route opening up new areas for settlement. The line between St Leonards and Milsons Point (the terminus) was built as double track and both Wollstonecraft and Waverton stations were built to suit the duplicated track from the outset.[3]

At the time of opening, Waverton railway station consisted of two side platforms (for Up and Down North Shore lines), with a small timber station building on each of the platforms. Bay Road tunnel (and Lavender Bay tunnel) were both built during construction of the line between St Leonards and Milsons Point and opened for service as double track tunnels in 1893. After leaving the previous station (Wollstonecraft), the North Shore line passes through a series of curves before passing through the relatively short Bay Road tunnel ('S' curve within the tunnel), then a rock cutting before entering Waverton station. The rock cutting is spanned by a bridge carrying a local road (Bay Road). The Booking Office for Waverton Railway Station was built on the overhead bridge with steps leading down to each of the platforms at the time of opening.[3] After Waverton, the line then proceeded to the original Milsons Point station at Lavender Bay.

Electrification of the North Shore line was opened in 1927, with full electric services in 1928. Automatic signalling followed and most signal boxes on the line were closed. The signalling in the vicinity of Waverton was then controlled by North Sydney signal box.[3]

With the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1932 and construction of new stations at North Sydney and Milsons Point on a much higher level (to suit the bridge arrangements), the trackwork at Waverton was substantially altered. The original line which was laid down the grade, through the Lavender Bay tunnel to the original Milsons Point station at Lavender Bay became a branch line. The original terminus sidings at Milsons Point was then re-used as off peak storage sidings for the suburban electric cars, and is still in use today. To suit this new arrangement and allow electric car sets to either re-enter service after storage at the sidings, or for car sets to proceed to the sidings, a new dead-end siding was laid in behind the existing Down main platform at Waverton, but at a slightly higher level. Trains from the storage sidings would proceed into the dead-end, reverse and proceed through points toward North Sydney, whereas trains coming out of service would enter the dead-end siding from North Sydney, reverse and proceed down to Lavender Bay. This arrangement is still in use today.[3]

The 1895-built overhead Booking Office was replaced in 1993, with the design of the original structure and original features such as steps being repeated in the new building.[3]

The station received an accessibility upgrade which included lifts on each platform at some point between January 1992 and September 1998. It was one of the first low patronage stations in Sydney to receive an easy access upgrade, along with Pennant Hills.

The station received unusual attention in January 2007, when part of the Platform 2 face was seen to have an apparition of Jesus Christ on it. Church leaders are unconvinced but remaining open-minded about the apparition, which has been explained as a combination of worn away paint and moss. People visited the station to see the apparition, requiring station staff to ensure that no observer is hit by a passing train.[8][9]

Description

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Buildings

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Overhead Booking Office - 1993 replica of 1893 building[3]

Context

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Waverton Railway Station consists of two platforms, platform shelters, new stairs and lifts, and an overhead booking office.[3]

Overhead booking office (1993)

[edit]

The present building was rebuilt in 1993 substantially in the form and design of the original 1893 structure. The building fronts Bay Rd and spans across both railway tracks and is a single storey weatherboard building with corrugated-iron gabled roof with timber finials and gablets. The streetside verandah is supported on timber posts with decorative cast iron valance.[3]

Condition

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As at 10 September 2008, the station building was good.[3]

Modifications and dates

[edit]

Waverton Booking Office remains on the bridge much as it was built in 1893. Apart from a number of shelters on the platforms, there are no other railway buildings at Waverton station. Lifts have been added to the station arrangements in recent years.[3]

Services

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Platforms

[edit]
Platform Line Stopping pattern Notes
1 Services to Penrith, Emu Plains & Richmond via Central & Strathfield [10]
Services to Epping & Hornsby via Central & Strathfield[11]
6 Morning peak services to Blacktown via Central[12]
2 Services to Lindfield, Gordon, Hornsby & Berowra [13]
Services to Gordon[11]
6 Evening peak services to Gosford & Wyong via Gordon & Hornsby[12]
[edit]

Busways operates one bus route via Waverton station, under contract to Transport for NSW:

Bay Rd:

Waverton station is served by two NightRide routes:

Trackplan

[edit]
Waverton
↑N to Wollstonecraft
Bay
Road
Station
Concourse
Platform
2↓
Platform
1↑
↓to buses
plt
2 1
2 1
2 1
↓S to North Sydney
Tracks around Waverton
Legend
To Wollstonecraft
To North Sydney
Sidings
To North Sydney
[edit]
  • Station platforms and concourse building in September 2006
    Station platforms and concourse building in September 2006
  • Waverton railway station's booking office
    Waverton railway station's booking office
  • A siding adjacent to the northbound platform in 2020
    A siding adjacent to the northbound platform in 2020

Heritage listing

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As at 8 May 2013, Waverton Railway Station Building has significance for its aesthetic contribution to the historic character of the North Shore Line as a whole. The current overhead booking office was rebuilt in 1993, substantially in the form and detail of the original 1893 structure and makes an important contribution to the streetscape and surrounding setting.[3]

Waverton railway station was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999 having satisfied the following criteria.[3]

The place is important in demonstrating the course, or pattern, of cultural or natural history in New South Wales.

The place has historical significance for its associations with the opening of the Short North Line (connecting the North Shore to the harbour) and the resulting phase of increased development in the surrounding area in the late 19th century.[3]

The place is important in demonstrating aesthetic characteristics and/or a high degree of creative or technical achievement in New South Wales.

Waverton Railway Station has significance for its aesthetic contribution to the historic character of the North Shore Line as a whole. The current overhead booking office was rebuilt in 1993, substantially in the form and detail of the original 1893 structure and makes an important contribution to the streetscape and surrounding setting.[3]

The place has strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group in New South Wales for social, cultural or spiritual reasons.

The place has the potential to contribute to the local community's sense of place and can provide a connection to the local community's history.[3]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ This figure is the number of entries and exits of a year combined averaged to a day.
  2. ^ "Train Station Monthly Usage". Open Data. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s "Waverton Railway Station group". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01284. Retrieved 2 June 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  4. ^ "Bay Road Station". The Sydney Morning Herald. 21 May 1929. p. 12 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "Waverton Station". NSWrail.net.
  6. ^ "Waverton Railway Station Group". New South Wales Heritage Database. Office of Environment & Heritage.
  7. ^ "60 Years Ago". Railway Digest. May 1989. p. 190.
  8. ^ "Vision of Christ at station". The Daily Telegraph. Australia. 8 January 2007. Archived from the original on 3 April 2008.
  9. ^ "Ghostly face has commuters guessing". The Australian. 8 January 2007.
  10. ^ "T1: Western line timetable". Transport for NSW.
  11. ^ a b "T9: Northern line timetable". Transport for NSW.
  12. ^ a b "Central Coast & Newcastle line timetable". Transport for NSW.
  13. ^ "T1: North Shore line timetable". Transport for NSW.
  14. ^ "| transportnsw.info". transportnsw.info. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  15. ^ "| transportnsw.info". transportnsw.info. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  16. ^ "| transportnsw.info". transportnsw.info. Retrieved 3 April 2024.

Attribution

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This Wikipedia article contains material from Waverton Railway Station group, entry number 01284 in the New South Wales State Heritage Register published by the State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) 2018 under CC-BY 4.0 licence, accessed on 2 June 2018.

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