Firstly, I need to say a big "Thank you" to the Station Master at Museum on the day of my visit. She knew the rules, but also knew that many people admire her station and she likes to help them. She let me through the turnstiles to read the signs, then suggested that I go and walk around downstairs and showed me where to find her when I needed to get back out again. A heartfelt, thank you.
Museum Station is on the SW corner of Hyde Park. The Australian Museum is midway along the eastern boundary of Hyde Park but relatively close to the location of the station. Hence, the name. It was originally going to be called Liverpool Street station. Bit like a Monopoly board really.
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Here is that chap, Bradfield, again. Not sure just how much all of this was his idea but in the popular imagination he is attributed the lot! There is chicken'n'egg here: which came first the underground or the bridge?
By the end of WW1 Sydney was a bustling metropolis of about 1 million souls. Things were starting to jam up. It was useless all the trains coming into Central stopping and then being driven from the other end to get back out! So Bradfield (and probably others) had the idea of an underground rail loop, starting from Central going under the CBD and returning to Central. Then Bradfield figured that it would work smoothly if this loop connected up with a bridge over the harbour joining the north side and the south side of the city. Piece of cake, really.
The work must have been horrendously hard: I have seen numerous grainy images of men with pick'n'shovel and WHEELBARROW!! I kid you not! Much of it was done handraulically ... They dug gouges through Hyde Park whacked in massive sleeves of concrete and put the dirt back over and - hey presto! - you would never know nowadays. Museum and St James were completed in 1926. Wynyard in 1932. Circular Quay in 1956. Dr Bradfield's plan of a rail loop beneath the city was finally realised. The City Circle was complete. Tomorrow: Some of the historic advertisements along the platforms down in Museum Station.
The mid-month Subway theme has contributions from the following cities:
Budapest - London - Paris - Stockholm - Sydney
and you can still catch Ming's earlier posts at New York
14 comments:
So did she let you in to take photos out of hours then, Julie?
Not out of hours, at all. It was a Sunday afternoon. But normally they are quite officious and concerned about breaches of security. She trusted me and did not charge me to go down onto the platform. I have been warned off other stations that dont have any underground component. She was cool ...
Not only was she cool but she was, in fact, a sort of midwife. These are beautiful little creations you and your camera have brought forth into the world.
Wonderful post and very informative. I really like train and subway stations. Your top pictures is fantastic!
Oh and I guess i'm getting to be provincial because it never occured to me that Monopoly had anything but American streets and railroads.
James, you will have missed then the pleasures of the UK edition which we have here in Australia, which includes Kings Cross Station, Fenchurch Street, Liverpool Street and Marlebone. Haven't played it since my son was a teenager: he sent me bankrupt each and every time!
Lucky you. The only station photos I've got (apart from my above ground home station) were taken surrepticiously. I've been warned off in 2 or 3 city stations.
Something really nice about subways... I love looking at them. All the same in some way but all interesting!
Gee they're good photos Julie. I particularly like the last one - the lighting going down the "underground" and highlighting the roof/ceiling is what makes it. Seeing so many great ohotos from so many talented bloggers makes me realise most of mine are "happy snaps". I have a lot to learn about photography.
Cheers.
I love those old stations and you've caught the spirit beautifully ... especially the lighting. Very impressive.
Love your picts!
Very nice photos and, as usual, I enjoy reading the history!
Brilliant shots Julie.
Sydney - City and Suburbs
We have 100 stations and 50+ museums but no particular Museum Station. How 'bout that?
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