Newtown Tram Depot

This is essentially a large single storey structure with a major internal storage space and flanked on the north and south by small single storey annexes. Construction is of load bearing English bond face brickwork with attached piers to all four facades, the open end is supported now by steel RSJ posts and in-filled with corrugated steel vertical sheets on steel frames. The north and south brick gables enclose the iron sawtooth roof structure and has a series of large circular vents bordered by polychromatic brickwork.[1]

The vents enclosing the interior roof structure are fitted with timber louvres while the adjoining ones are completely open. Windows to the south-west areas of the facade, in the area of the converter room, are generally steel-framed with cement rendered external surrounds. The main roof is of corrugated steel and the skylights are of original wire-reinforced glass in steel glazing bars, except where the roof is fire-damaged.[1]

The annex buildings, where they have survived in near original form, are constructed of face brickwork in Flemish Bond with timber windows. The roofs are clad with unglazed terracotta tiles in Marseilles pattern, generally in a hipped form. Exterior detailing includes the use of bricks of special profile to give an ogee to the lower course under a window or an elegant scotia to the lower edge of an abutment.[1]

The interior of the main spaces are formed by the iron framed sawtooth roofing, supported on four arcades of cast iron circular columns. The northernmost row has had most of the columns replaced with fabricated welded steel RSJ posts. The surrounding walls are painted brickwork. The riveted frames are constructed of lightly framed roof principals spanning between lattice girders bracketed off stub posts, over the tops of the main columns. The floors are largely of reinforced concrete, or similar, with a long vehicle ramp at the west end in the centre. There are considerable areas of missing roofing (the total enclosed area of the former battery and converter rooms is roofless).[1]

Former Battery Room (to the south-east corner)

Built and partitioned within brick walls to roof for a battery room in 1914 as part of the system associated with the large sub-station installed. Roofing material is now completely removed.[1]

Former Converter Room (to the south-east corner)

Built 1914 as a substation occupying the same space as an earlier small sub-station. All equipment has been removed except for the overhead crane 6 tonne overhead crane which remains on its track. The substantial foundations for the rotary converters and the steel reinforced concrete sub floor remain. Roofing material is now completely removed.[1]

Former Meal Room (to the south-east corner)

Built shortly after opening of the tram depot in 1900 it remains largely intact as a single room accessed by a flight of stairs.[1]

Staff Amenities Room and Passage (to the south-east corner)

Built early 20th century to supplement the original meal room. The ceilings have been completely removed from this area.[1]

Toilet Wing (to the northern elevation)

Built as original staff toilets, now semi-demolished with no roof and the access from the tram shed bricked-up.[1]

Electrical Stores (to the northern elevation)

Built originally as stores and offices but now mostly demolished.[1]

Originally built in 1900 as tram traffic offices with attached toilets in the Federation Period style with a single storey only. In c. 1914 another floor was added in a similar manner for additional office space. The building is constructed from English bond brickwork with a hipped form roof clad with Marseilles terracotta tiles. There are timber-framed double-hung windows, and a timber bracketed terracotta tiled awning survives at first floor level while the ground floor veranda has been removed. The attached toilet block has a skillion roof behind brick parapets. The veranda to the north of the 1900 building has an open deck of concrete on a brick base; the timber veranda has now been demolished. The single storey offices to the west were originally built c. 1905 as offices in Flemish Bond brickwork with red "rubbing" brick voussoirs over the windows and doors. The building is now semi-derelict as the roof has been removed.[1]

All of the ground floor offices are now used as storage areas. They have timber floors, painted brick walls (which were originally plastered) and a plaster ceiling with the original cornices intact. The stair hall to the eastern end was originally part of the offices but converted c.1914 to give access to the first floor. The stair is of timber construction with original boarded wall on the ground floor to the old storeroom. The open passage to the east of the stair is a concrete paved access way to the attached brick toilet block, which is reached by a steel stair. The offices on the first floor have timber floors, painted brick walls (which were originally plastered) and a plaster ceiling with the original cornices intact. Each of the rooms has an original fireplace. The easternmost room has been converted into a bath room with a tiled floor and shower bath.[1]

This large open area was formed in 1899 with a series of 16 tram tracks fanning out from two tracks at King Street. Now partly paved over there is evidence of much of the original tram tracks remaining particularly obvious on the northern boundary with the railway line. A boundary wall on Railway Lane is part of the 1918 railway institute building (now demolished) while the other boundary brick wall is an original retaining wall. The main sewer line connecting to the station travels in a north–south direction from the station platform across the site to Railway Lane.[1]

This is a slightly smaller yard leading off Angel Street which contains a later railway signal and communications building but now is virtually vacant. This area is accessed through chain wire gates from the street. It may contain the foundations of a number of buildings which were once on the site including the Mortuary Station, stables and Blacksmith's shop. It also was on the north frontage of the tram storage shed with amenities and the electrical stores.[1]

This Wikipedia article contains material from Newtown Railway Station group and Former Newtown Tramway Depot, entry number 1213 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 13 October 2018.