Depot Crane

Rotting away in one corner of Railcorp property at Katoomba is an old siding and freight depot dating from the late nineteenth century. It is very charming and picturesque (or WOULD be if someone could find the money to restore and preserve it sympathetically) It must have some sort of heritage order governing it or else the area wouldn't be fenced off the way it is. My worry is that by the time someone finds the means and the will to do something about it, there'll be nothing left to save.

In any event, this charming (but rusting) old hand crane (1884) sits on the little depot platform. Its task must have been to unload rail wagons that had been shunted into the siding. It is testimony to how much simpler, slower and smaller scale such operations must have been in past eras. I can picture the horse drawn wagons that would pull up to the platform so that this cunningly designed hand operated device, with its intricate system of gears, might spring into action.

Here is some historical Information on the goods shed, the crane, the old station buildings etc. Here is another view of the crane from within the fenced off zone. There does seem to be some interest in preserving the old precinct. Much of the historic old station (especially the main station buildings) have since been rescued from the state they were in as pictured on the website. The roof structure for example has been returned to its 1880s appearance.

I shall shoot some more of the old place as soon as the weather improves.