history: Tamworth station manager Garry Semms with some of the heritage items that are coming off the heritage register. Photo: Geoff O'Neill 261012GOF02
THE Heritage Council of NSW is recommending the removal of some relics from the state heritage register from the Tamworth and Werris Creek railway stations, as well as the entire Moree station.
The items owned by RailCorp are part of the 180 items or groups of items that were added to the heritage register as part of a bulk listing in 1999.
This list is now being reviewed with some more items being listed, and some of the items being de-listed that do not meet current criteria for state heritage significance.
A RailCorp spokesperson said: “RailCorp has one of the largest portfolios of heritage assets in NSW. To maintain the integrity of this list, changes have been made to ensure there is a statutory list of places and items that warrant protection and conservation for future generations.”
The relics in Tamworth and Werris Creek are listed as movable relics, and will continue to be protected under RailCorps heritage and conservation register.
Tamworth station manager Garry Semms said it was nice to have the old things around, to keep some of the history alive. People still ask at the ticket box for a pillow for one cent.
The items in Tamworth include signalling equipment, signage, a chair and a table, whilst Werris Creek also has some chairs, a seat and a clock under the registry.
The Moree railway station was the only station in NSW to have two island platform buildings constructed end to end on the same platform, one brick, the other wood, which showed the difference in building periods from 1904 and 1922, when they were built.
Two fires, one in 2004, the other in 2009, caused extensive damage to the wooden platform leading to its eventual demolition, and leaving the remaining platform an insignificant relic.
The remaining platform and station will also be afforded on-going protection under the RailCorp heritage and conservation register.
A community consultation period is being managed by the Heritage Council of NSW, and they encourage the public to submit their comments and concerns in writing to their head office or online by November 13.
