Eskbank Rail Heritage Centre

'Eskbank Station, N.S.W.'
c. 1910

Built by Engineer-in-charge of NSW Government Railways, John Whitton, and opened in 1882, Eskbank station was built to service Thomas Brown's Eskbank Colliery at Lithgow (later Eskbank Ironworks). By 1925, Lithgow's shopkeepers and publicans had successfully argued the necessity for a railway station closer to the expanding town. With the construction of Lithgow Station in 1924-1925, Eskbank Station then served as the Lithgow Goods Depot and Station Master's Headquarters until the 1980s. The heritage-listed Eskbank Station is now a depot for railway maintenance activities.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyYYhrPtTas&ab_channel=MathewBaker

3801 - Eskbank 3801 shunting and departing Eskbank4/6/21

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAX-kZ5Xadg&fbclid=IwAR3OOsFv7xiH5EIz91uHoGDlyAcf8HpvEad0JppQ9zydd0SnykXBdsAS6Eg&ab_channel=LithgowStateMineRailwayLimited

Lithgow is rapidly emerging from a town with a history of coal and dust to a city with opportunity for the 21st Century. The town is not forgetting its past, but rather using its location and unique history to create a new future for the community and the greater region in the Central West of NSW.

COC Limited trading as the “Eskbank Rail Heritage Centre” is seeking community support for a funding application we are submitting as part of the Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund. This initiative jointly funded by the Federal and NSW Governments will support social and economic recovery in regional communities most affected by the 2019 -2020 bushfires. The State Government is seeking applications for suitable NSW community projects of which ERHC are in a position to apply with community support for this shovel ready development.

The Eskbank Rail Heritage Centre together with its partners are applying for funding for two infrastructure projects which are interrelated and are located in the Lithgow Valley.
1. Refurbishment of the Lithgow State Mine branch line.
2. Development of the former Eskbank Locomotive Depot.

The Lithgow State Mine Branch line in its present state has been closed to all traffic since January 2020. The line was last re sleepered and laid without ballast between 1995 and 1997 with most sleepers now considered life expired. Some sections of rail on the line are also requiring replacement due to age and condition. Unfortunately the ravages of time combined with the recent bushfire and the lack of a regular maintenance program have had a detrimental effect on the line and its ability to continue to be serviceable unless there is some capital investment to refurbish the track to allow it to reopen to accommodate both tourist and workshop traffic.

The Eskbank Locomotive Depot development incorporating a rail Maintenance & Training Facility together with a Living Museum involves the construction of two buildings one of which will provide for the maintenance, restoration and storage of carriages and locomotives as well as providing a dedicated space for rail based training. The second building will be a replica of the former Eskbank Locomotive Depot’s three road running shed and will form part of the “living museum” concept to show case Lithgow’s unique rail heritage. The reinstatement of the Sellers 60’ turntable into the only remaining exposed sandstone turntable pit which was constructed in 1882 is also part of this development.

The Eskbank Rail Heritage Centre and its supporters are committed to helping Lithgow area and surrounding regions grow through the development of this joint initiative to develop industry, community and cultural partnerships, promote economic and cultural development and stimulate employment opportunities. We believe this project will provide a regional stimulus with several advantages in the form of formal, innovative digital rail technology research and development, vocational training and practical experiences in a non-live rail traffic environment, which currently is not available in this country. This, with an offering of extensive rail and civil maintenance upskilling and career opportunities, will provide business growth, diversification and employment opportunities through a trainee / apprenticeships program, a sustainable process to create the future employees for the Australian Rail Industry, leading to ongoing employment.

To assist with our application we need community support in the form of an email , a letter of support, a LIKE or comment below in this page.

Letters of support can be sent no later than the 31st December 2020 to;
The Chairman
Eskbank Rail Heritage Centre
PO Box 350
Lithgow NSW 2790
Or
E: [email protected]

Thank you in advance for your support.

Kind Regards
COC Limited (Eskbank Rail Heritage Centre)
Chairman & Board of Directors

We Need Your Help! - Eskbank Rail Heritage Centre Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund Application The Eskbank Rail Heritage Centre is seeking your support with a funding application they are submitting as part of the Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund....

The last LSMR working bee held on the 17/10/2020 at the Eskbank Depot saw the large mound of English broom which had been cut out from the depot site over a number of weekends was rounded up and taken away. Chris Ray (Chris Ray Earthmoving & Landscaping) assisted us with the removal and also took away a number of trees which were growing out of control in front of Eskbank Station which were causing drainage issues. Thanks Chris.

The rest of the day was taken up clearing the area between the original running shed wall and the rail embankment retaining wall which was full of rubbish and soil build up.

The Shell siding looking to Eskbank Station and the goods shed Lithgow. 14/5/1986. The siding was originally built to service Sandfords brickworks which was located on the other side of Mort Street in an area beside what is now Hoskins Church. Photo courtesy of Graeme Kirkby.

Recently Sydney Train's contractors returned to site to install the period fencing on the platform at Eskbank Station. The heritage fence also compliments the original sandstone flag stones which have been uncovered and are now are a feature in front of the station building under the awning.

The fencing was the last part of the works undertaken on the Up platform as part of the NIF upgrade of the ten tunnels and station platforms on the Blue Mountains line to accommodate the new trains.

We can only hope that the restoration work on the fence may be the impetus for Sydney Trains to continue the great work and restore the rest of this heritage listed building which has been neglected for many years.