Rydal railway station is a heritage-listed

railway station Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a prep ...

located on the Main Western line in Rydal,

City of Lithgow The City of Lithgow is a local government area in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. The area is located adjacent to the Great Western Highway and the Main Western railway line. The Mayor of the City of Lithgow Council is ...

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

, Australia. It is also known as Rydal Railway Station group. The property was added to the

New South Wales State Heritage Register The New South Wales State Heritage Register, also known as NSW State Heritage Register, is a heritage list of places in the state of New South Wales, Australia, that are protected by New South Wales legislation, generally covered by the Heritag ...

on 2 April 1999.

History

The station opened on 1 July 1870 and was the next finished extension west from Lithgow after

Wallerawang Wallerawang is a small township in the Central Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia. It is located approximately northwest of Lithgow, New South Wales, Lithgow adjacent to the Great Western Highway. It is also located on the Main Western ra ...

had been finalised four months earlier. Two years later the line was again extended finishing at before reaching in 1876. On 14 March 1915, the line was duplicated with a second platform built. The station closed on 27 May 1989, with the track lifted from the 1915 built platform in 1998 when the line was singled. The station building has been converted to a library.

Description

The complex comprises: *Station / residence - type 1 - sub-type 2, 1869 *Signal box - type 3, small, *Platform faces - stone and brick *War memorial

Services

Rydal is served by NSW TrainLink's daily '' Central West XPT'' service operating between Sydney and . The XPT only stops on request if passengers have booked to board/alight here. From 16 September 2019 the 4 times daily ''

Bathurst Bullet The Bathurst Bullet is an express passenger train on the Blue Mountains Line operated by NSW TrainLink between Sydney and Bathurst. The service operates from Bathurst towards Sydney in the morning, and returns in the afternoon. History At the ...

'' also stops here.Villages pleased that both Bullets will now be stopping
Western Advocate 30 August 2019

Heritage listing

As at 27 November 2000, the station building was constructed when the line opened to Rydal and retains its original form from that period. It is an important early railway complex that maintains its setting (largely through main road bypass) and which forms an important visual element in the valley viewed from both road approaches and from the level crossing. The changing view of the structure from the road is the visual focus of the town which is now a remnant of its previous importance as a centre for the production of fine wool. The station building symbolises the confidence in railway construction and the transition towards a railway architecture. It is a rare example of a combined station/residence, five of which remain. All similar structures, found further west towards Blayney, have major alteration or extensions. The other items on the site are significant as they indicate the development of the system and how early sites adapted to duplication and increased traffic followed by more recently decreased traffic. Rydal railway station was listed on the

on 2 April 1999 having satisfied the following criteria. The place possesses uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales. This item is assessed as historically rare. This item is assessed as scientifically rare. This item is assessed as arch. rare. This item is assessed as socially rare.

References

Bibliography

Attribution

External links

Rydal station details
Transport for New South Wales {{Transport for New South Wales railway stations, Western Region=y, state=collapsed Easy Access railway stations in New South Wales Railway stations in Australia opened in 1870 Regional railway stations in New South Wales New South Wales State Heritage Register Rydal, New South Wales Houses in New South Wales Hotels in New South Wales Articles incorporating text from the New South Wales State Heritage Register Main Western railway line, New South Wales