Central Station Archives - Surry Hills News

Surry Hills: Triumph Over Adversity at Central Station

Six months after an intense blaze in an adjacent building threatened to derail the plans for Sydney’s transport hub, the new Chalmers Street entrance of Central Station has recently opened, symbolising resilience and progress.

In May 2023, a fire erupted in an abandoned seven-storey building on Randle Street, mere metres from Central Station’s new Chalmers Street entrance. This inferno brought with it a wave of destruction, causing extensive structural and water damage to the station’s entrance, which was on the cusp of opening to the public.

The emergency response was swift and decisive. Within three minutes of the blaze being reported, Rail Fire & Emergency personnel, along with Fire & Rescue NSW teams, were on site, battling the flames.

Their efforts were concentrated in the narrow laneway separating the inferno from Central Station. Their heroism and quick action prevented a potential catastrophe at Australia’s busiest railway station.

The path to restoration was arduous but necessary. The damaged entrance required comprehensive repairs, including the installation of a new roof, re-tiling of stairs, and replacement of windows.

The lifts and escalators, crucial for commuter movement, were inundated during the firefighting efforts and had to be replaced or repaired. The total cost of these repairs, amounting to $3.4 million, was covered by insurance.

This incident did not dampen the spirits of Sydney’s residents or the resolve of the authorities. Instead, it served as a catalyst for significant improvements. The reopening of the Chalmers Street entrance marks the completion of major upgrade works at Central Station, a near-$1.3 billion project.

This includes new underground concourses, improved accessibility with more lifts and escalators, a revitalised Northern Concourse with a striking new roof canopy, and the upcoming North-South Concourse.

The renewal of Central Station is more than just a physical refurbishment; it symbolises the unwavering spirit of Surry Hills and Sydney at large. With the impending launch of the metro services in 2024, the station is poised to become an even more vital hub, accommodating thousands of commuters and significantly reducing travel times across the city.

Published 20-Nov-2023

Longest Escalators in the Southern Hemisphere at Sydney Metro’s Central Station

Did you know that the longest escalators in the Southern Hemisphere, can be found at Sydney’s Central Station, one of Australia’s busiest transport hubs?

Nine connected escalators, each spanning 45 metres long and weighing 26 tonnes, are now securely in place at the new Metro station box underground, which will link the rails, suburban trains, and the metro lines that have yet to be completed.

This new set will form part of the total 42 escalators to be installed at Central, stretching 955 metres from end to end, per Sydney Metro.

Currently, the longest escalator in the Southern Hemisphere is installed at the Parliament Station in Melbourne, which is 30 metres long. A Russian metro station in Saint Petersburg holds the title for the longest escalator in the world at 138 metres. Some commuters take books to read when they go up and down these long escalators.

Photo Credit: SydneyMetroNSWGov/Facebook

In addition to the escalators underground, a new 80-metre Central Walk for pedestrians was also completed for platforms 16 to 23. Transport Minister David Elliott said that the first phase of this construction is ready for its opening sometime in 2022.

“When complete, this underground link will make it easier for customers to connect with train, bus light rail, and metro services,” Mr Elliot stated during a press conference with Premier Dominic Perrottet as they inspected the installation.

Mr Perrottet, on the other hand, said that the progress of this $955-million infrastructure project has been “the biggest improvement to the station in decades.”

“This new development is in keeping with the aesthetics and the beauty of the most iconic station in the country,” he said.

The escalators will also link to the new Sydney Metro City and Southwest Metro lines that are scheduled to open in 2024. Once fully operational, travel time from Central to Martin Place’s station is estimated to take under four minutes, whilst it will take 15 minutes to get to the Chatswood Station in the Lower North Shore.

Sydney’s Central Station Clock Tower is 100 Years Old

A century before smartphones and digital watches, commuters in Sydney relied on the Central Station clock tower, standing 85 metres high, for the accurate time. On 12 March 2021, this major Australian landmark, visible from Surry Hills, turned 100 years old.

Preserved throughout the years, the clock tower “has seen more than 73,000 rotations of the hour hand and 876,000 rotations,” according to Transport for NSW chief Andrew Constance.

“The clock tower was designed to dominate the surroundings as a beacon, and it remains one of our most recognisable landmarks,” Mr Constance said.

A Brief History of the Clock Tower

Construction of the Central Station’s sandstone building, designed by prominent architechts Philip Thalis and Peter John Cantrill, started in 1901.

The railway station was built on the old Devonshire Street Cemetery on Surry Hills. It had all the modern features of that period, including restaurants and comfortable waiting rooms.

The train station opened in 1906 but it took until 1921 for the completion of the clock tower, which was skillfully designed to align to the nearby streets: Albion, Broadway, Foveaux, Pitt, Valentine and Wentworth Avenue.

“The tower, which will be situated near the north west corner of the station will be a commanding feature, and will be provided with a clock which will be visible from most parts of the city,” an annual report from the Sydney government underscored during the planning of the Central Station, per the NSW Heritage listing.

Photo Credit: NSW State Archives & Records

In 1920, architect Walter Liberty Vernon worked on the clocktower, which has 272 steps from the clock face and 303 steps to the flag pole.

Each of the four clock faces, which have an intricate mechanical working inside, has a circumference of 4.8 metres. Its hour hands measure 2.3 metres whilst the minute hands are exactly three metres long.

1937
Photo Credit: Archives & History Resources

1952
Photo Credit: Archives & History Resources

1986
*Photo Credit: Archives & History Resources*

2000
*Photo Credit: Archives & History Resource*s

This landmark was meant to be seen around the city for workers to sync with their pocket watches on their way to work thus the tower earned the nickname “The Working Man’s Watch.”

In 2011 to 2012, the government commissioned Otto Cserhalmi to refurbish the landmark.

Whilst the external architecture has not changed much in the modern period, the Central Station has had a number of improvements inside for its kiosks, bookstores bars and food and refreshments areas.

Looking back at the expansion of Central Station, Sydney and the addition of the clock tower which began operating 100 years ago! Standing tall at 85m, it was so visible around the city that it became known as ‘the working man’s watch’. pic.twitter.com/Wv0txu5WND
— NSW State Archives (@nswarchives) March 11, 2021

Meanwhile, an upcoming major city development threatens to block the view of the clock tower, with the construction of the Atlassian skyscraper and technology hub on Lee Street. The State Government approved this $1-billion project to improve Central Sydney’s connections with bordering suburbs like Chippendale, Redfern, Surry Hills, and Ultimo.