History Mitchell railway station

bullock team wool wagon, mitchell railway station, 1898

the opening of rail mitchell brought increased commerce township due role western rail terminus. outward bound wool statistics stations during period when western railway being built shows rail arrived @ township, centre enjoyed brief period of high goods traffic until rail moved further west. thus, in 1882, year before opening of east mitchell railway station, roma railway station recorded highest quantity of outward bound wool on western line @ 6,687 bales. in 1884, figure dropped 1,308 bales new terminus @ east mitchell recording 9,545, largest quantity on western line. however, rail opened places west of mitchell, wool traffic through station reduced. after opening of morven railway station in march 1887, wool leaving mitchell station dwindled 774 bales.

the extant passenger station third occupy site. first building destroyed fire on night of 13 december 1887. replaced shelter shed comprising waiting area, office , lavatory. in 1901, refreshment rooms (no longer extant) erected comprising bar, dining room , semi-detached kitchen. second shelter shed burnt down on 29 june 1933. present station erected later year utilising shelter shed evanslea railway station , storeroom silverwood railway station. architectural style of buildings suggests date no earlier 1910.

the core of goods shed appears date 1884-1885. 101 feet (30.8 metres) long, shed quite large , indicative of high goods traffic passing through station initially. in february 1963, approval given reduce length of shed 45 feet (13.7 metres). material recovered used repairs building.

a contract station master s house, still extant on site, let on 19 july 1884 warren brothers, well-known building , architectural firm based in roma , completed time mitchell station opened in january 1885. warren brothers erected many government buildings in roma district including roads , lands office @ roma (1878), court house @ surat (1878-1879) , railway buildings @ roma (1880). mitchell station master s house may prototype later queensland rail standard design since design similar queensland rail s architectural standard first class station masters houses in 1889. 1894 standard had changed , in 1917 mitchell residence recorded third class station master s house.

the architect responsible standard design first class station master s houses henrik hansen. born in denmark in 1843, hansen had emigrated australia 1877, when practising architect in maryborough. between october 1877 , 1904, employed in chief engineers branch of queensland railway s southern division. in position, responsible design of many standard railway buildings including station masters residences.

minor modifications station master s residence in 20th century included removal of original brick chimney , replacement iron stove recess c. 1945 , extension of awning on northeastern side verandah in 1963.

after charleville station opened in 1888, carriage , engine sheds @ mitchell railway station moved charleville. of these 2 buildings, engine shed remained intact until 2003 when blown down in severe windstorm.

since station first opened in 1885, accommodation train , maintenance crews has been erected on site. in 1950s, train crews quartered @ mitchell relieve crews travelling roma , charleville. modified goods shed , 2 fettlers cottages moved site accommodate crews. 1961 there 12 residential buildings on site providing accommodation maintenance , operations staff. currently, there 3 residential buildings, comprising station master s house , 2 more recent houses.