MIDDLE BRIGHTON RAILWAY STATION COMPLEX

The Middle Brighton Railway Station Complex is situated on the Sandringham Line. The line was reconstructed after the government acquired it from the Melbourne and Hobson Bay United Railway Co in 1878. The station buildings on the Sandringham line were built for the Victorian Railways during the period 1882-1895. Middle Brighton Railway Station was constructed in two stages with the upside building constructed in 1882 by the contractors R & J Shimmin and the down-side building constructed in 1887 by A Ringholm.

The two station buildings are constructed of bi-chromatic brick in a Victorian Free Style design, with bluestone platform walls and copings to the upside only. The upside building has a slate hipped roof with a later addition at south end and a concave verandah supported on cast iron columns. A long platform wall supports the verandah at the north end, which was probably extended to its current length in 1887 when the down-side building was constructed. The down-side building has a similar wall/verandah configuration with later timber extension to the north. Details common to both buildings include, arch openings, wrought iron lace work, fine wrought iron lattice panels in the verandah ends, and fluted cast iron columns.

How is it significant?

Middle Brighton Railway Station Complex is of social, historical, aesthetic and architectural importance to the State of Victoria.

Why is it significant?

Middle Brighton Railway Station Complex is of social and historical importance as an early representative example of a station building constructed after the government acquired the Melbourne and Hobson Bay United Railway Co in 1878. The Middle Brighton Railway Station demonstrates the expansion of Melbourne and the establishment of Brighton as a major metropolitan centre with a station at Brighton Beach, North Brighton and Middle Brighton constructed between 1882 and 1895. The complex is important for its potential to yield information on the changing nature of railways, locomotive technology and public transport use in Victoria.

Middle Brighton Railway Station Complex is of aesthetic and architectural importance as a fine intact example of the Victorian Free Style design of station buildings. The detailing features the now rare lion’s head motif in the lace work on the verandahs of the down-side building, as well as fine wrought iron lattice panels at the verandah ends and fluted cast iron verandah posts with a leaf motif. The Middle Brighton Railway Station is an important element in the Sandringham Line Railway Precinct, which is unique in that each station on the line is of a different design.

Group

Transport - Rail

Category

Railway Platform/ Station