KINGS CROSS STATION
Kings Cross railway station was opened in 1979 as part of the completion of the Eastern Suburbs Railway line (ESR). A line to the eastern suburbs had been part of the wider rail plan for Sydney since the late 1890s, with provisions made for the eastern suburbs made during the construction of the city underground stations in the 1920s. Work never proceeded past the planning phase at the time.Since the late 1940s the ESR had been under construction on and off, with some meaningful progress made from the early 1970s. The construction of the line was a contentious political issue, not only because of the extended period over which it was undertaken, but also because of the resumptions and demolitions throughout Woolloomooloo that were required to build it. The alignment and profile for the ESR was set in 1926 and construction on the railway was started by the NSW Department of Railways. In 1952, the project was abandoned until the mid 1960s. In 1967 the NSW Department of Railways engaged the Snowy Mountains Authority (SMA) to prepare and develop documents for the city tunnels and stations, Kings Cross tunnel and stations, and Rushcutters Bay viaduct and various other associated works.
The City and Suburban Electric Railways (Amendment) Act 1947, made provision for the construction of further electric railways within the City of Sydney, serving the eastern, southern and south-eastern suburbs. This Act amended an earlier scheme proposed by JJC Bradfield in 1916 which had provided for an eastern suburbs line (via St James Station) and a south-eastern railway including an airport link. The Act made provision for the construction of 70 kilometres of new suburban electric railways.
The design of the stations along the ESR line was an integral part of the process, with each station being a different colour to identify it and to reflect the character of the location. At Kings Cross Station orange was used in plywood ceilings and tiled columns. The concourse was paved in green-grey terrazzo and walls lined in white tile and precast white terrazzo panels. These colours were used to reflect Kings Cross as a district of restaurants and night life. The design of the ESR underground stations continued the design ideas of the city underground stations of the 1920s, with individual station colours and features.
More recently, the walls of the escalators leading to platforms have featured historic local photos from Sydney Council’s archival collection.
Today, it is one of the busiest lines the network with the KX station heritage-listed.
It links Edgecliff and Martin Place in one stop and is part of the southern line providing a direct link to Kiama on the south coast where it crosses over the beach.
Andrew Woodhouse
Director – Heritage Solutions
Suite 12
3 McDonald Street Potts Point NSW 2011
Ph mob: 0415 949 506
