NEW STREET RAILWAY GATES

The New Street Railway Gates are located at the intersection of New Street and the Sandringham Railway Line, just inland of the intersection of New Street and Beach Road, and between the Brighton Beach and Hampton Stations. The railway gates are hand operated and are kept open for road traffic. There is a pair of timber gates on each side, flanked by lengths of timber picket fencing and with pedestrian gates on the north side.

The gate-keeper's cabin on the north is a small timber framed weatherboard structure with gabled corrugated iron roof and a single doorway facing the track. A small brick fireplace and chimney are located opposite the door. The signal levers are housed in an open sided timber lean to off the cabin on the crossing side. The weatherboard outhouse with small gable roof is at the other side of the cabin.

The Brighton Beach railway line was extended with a single track to Sandringham, via Hampton Station, in 1887. The line was duplicated in 1902, and the current gate layout probably dates from that time. There were five level crossings with gatekeeper's houses on the line, and as this caused excessive expense, the number of gatekeeper's houses was reduced and some of the crossings closed. From mid-1892 over 900 crossings across Victoria had gates and gatehouses removed. Most of the remaining hand operated gates were in inner suburban areas with a handful at the major country stations.

The addition of signals at crossings began in 1903 with New Street receiving them in 1919. Pedestrian gates were introduced from the 1920s. Mechanically operated gates (sector gates) operated by a wheel from a distance, usually at the signal box, were introduced at inner suburban stations from 1879, with 80 being introduced up to 1935, at which time there were over 60 hand operated gates in Melbourne. Until the 1930s hand operated gates were kept open for trains rather than road traffic. Boom barriers were introduced from 1956. Following continuing installation of booms and grade separations, only 16 hand operated gates remained in the Melbourne suburbs by 1988. Most of these were on the Upfield Railway Line. No other hand operated gates are still in operation, although some of the gates and cabins remain in various locations.

How is significant?

The New Street Railway Gates are of historical and social significance to the State of Victoria.

Why is it significant?

The New Street Railway Gates are of historical significance for their rarity as the last remaining functioning hand operated railway gates in the State and as the most intact hand operated railway gates in the State.

The New Street Railway Gates are of historical significance for their rarity as the last working example of a railway safe-working technology from the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century.

The New Street Railway Gates, while in operation, are of historical significance for their capacity to demonstrate a way of life, working environment and functions once common in Victoria.

Group

Transport - Rail

Category

Railway gate/ fence/ wall,