Mount Victoria Railway Station: Refurbishment of the Railway Refreshment Room (RRR) - July 2015

Railway Refreshment Rooms (RRR)

From the 1870s Railway Refreshment Rooms (RRR) were provided at station intervals in anticipation of customer’s hunger. The RRRs at Mount Victoria opened in 1873 in the two story stone building on Platform 2, one of the earliest provided in NSW. Additional RRR were provided on Platform 1 in 1921.

During its hey-day it was said the dining rooms were full everyday – eventually closing in 1960.

Since then the Platform 2 RRR has been repurposed as the local historic society museum, while the Platform 1 RRR has been largely used as storage and for informal staff meetings.
Regional Learning Centre

In 2014 NSW TrainLink and Sydney Trains began planning for the adaptive re-use of the Platform 1 RRR space for a regional learning centre.

Historic paint test analysis was undertaken to select the new paint scheme. Interpretation panels were installed to preserve and communicate historic values of a former green paint scheme and the RRR counter joinery. Other works included the installation of sympathetic interior pendant lighting and the reconstruction of traditional exterior room signs.

The Regional Learning Centre was opened on 28 July 2015.

As a result of this careful work the RRR’s interior historic fabric is conserved for another generation.