Midland Junction railway station, Western Australia

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Midland Junction railway station history started on the 1st March 1886 when Frederick Broome, WA's Governor, turned the first sod.

It was the first railway station in Midland Junction and was replaced by the Midland station 300 metres west, across the tracks from the Midland Railway Workshops and an important junction station on the Eastern Railway (Western Australia)

Original Midland Junction Railway Station platform looking north east from track-side
Original Midland Junction Railway Station platform looking north east from track-side


Contents

[edit] Junction era

Midland Junction was an aptly named locality and railway station , as it had the following services leaving from its platforms: -

It was also a stopping point for WAGR Railway Bus Services until its closure.


The Midland Railway workshops and sheds were to the west on the area now developed with the Centrepoint Shopping Centre just south of the Midland Town Hall and original Post Office.

In the 1890's following the construction of the Eastern Railway, second route, Midland Junction had regular metropolitan passenger services running through on to Chidlow and Mundaring until 1954. The Mundaring Loop or "first route" at that date had services cease, but the line was not closed by Parliament until 12th March 1965. The second route continued until the closure of the Bellevue to Northam line, on the 13th February 1966.

Due to the amount of traffic passing the railway station, adjacent workshops, marshalling yards and other services, there were two signal boxes either end of the railway station area.

[edit] Following closure

Removal of the old pedestrian footbridge in mid 2006.
Removal of the old pedestrian footbridge in mid 2006.

The railway station buildings were removed, as well as surrounding fixtures, excepting the footbridge over the railway line to the Midland Railway Workshops

In the 2000's the adjacent footbridge to the Midland Railway Workshops south of the site was removed when the Helena Street railway crossing was re-opened.

The old platform has been utilised by photographers and railfans to watch mainline traffic pass.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  • Watson, Lindsay The Railway History Of Midland Junction : Commemorating The Centenary Of Midland Junction, 1895-1995 Swan View, W.A : L & S Drafting in association with the Shire of Swan and the Western Australian Light Railway Preservation Association, [1995]
  • Watson, Lindsay.Midland Junction Railway Station Western rails, Vol 9, no.4(July 1987), p.10-12
  • Verney, Terry 'Thru Midland' The WESTLAND issue 218, March 2003 p.4