Midland Railway Workshops
For 90 years the Midland Railway Workshops played a major role in the development of the State of Western Australia, being at the centre of the WA Government Railway (WAGR) network of railway lines that extended through to Wiluna to the North, Laverton to the East, Esperance to the South and Augusta to the West. The Midland Railway Workshops were the largest industrial workshops in the State with a workforce ranging from 2,000 to 3,500 people manufacturing and repairing railway engines, rolling stock and railways, including bridges. The Workshops personnel designed, created, maintained, tested and supported much of what was required to keep WA trains moving and ensured that both goods and people arrived at their destination.
The Workshops produced innovation in locomotive designs, contributed to the national rail network and supported the national war effort through munitions production and construction of machinery components for warships. The wartime years saw the influx of women into traditionally male administrative and heavy workshop roles.
Over time, through cadetships and apprenticeships, the Workshops provided skilled workers for the State’s and the Nation's industrial workforce. Thousands of men worked their entire working lives at the Workshops. Many others, men and women, moved into other government or private operations in WA and around the Nation, with the benefit of the start given to them by the Workshops.
The physical presence of the Workshops in the townsite (known then as Midland Junction) and the impact of its activities on the town contributed to a strong sense of local identity of Midland as a railway town. The closure of the Workshops in 1994 brought to an end not only a specific industrial complex but also a complex social community.
Associated with the March 1994 closure planning, the Western Australian Government commissioned an industrial Archaeological Report which was completed by C & MJ Doring Pty Ltd. The report provides an inventory of the Workshops' equipment and artefacts that were considered to have high heritage significance and interpretative value. Carl and Margret Doring have made their 1994 report available to Engineering Heritage Western Australia and a copy can be accessed below:
- Midland Workshops Volume 1 ~ Report (Guide to the Inventory)(7.5 MB)
- Midland Workshops Volume 2 ~ Inventory (Item Numbers Under 3000)(113.2 MB)
- Midland Workshops Volume 3 ~ Inventory (Item Numbers Over 3000)(116.1 MB)
A 25.5 MB 600dpi version of Volume 1 is available for download here. Uncompressed 600dpi versions of Volume 2 (540 MB) and Volume 3 (591.2 MB) are available on request from EHWA.
Plans of the Midland Railway Workshop buildings have been made available by Bill Larke from his collection and are available here.
A set of contemporary photographs were taken in 2024 and a copy are available here.
Engineering Heritage Recognition Program
| Marker Type | Engineering Heritage Marker (EHM) |
| Award Date | 11 October 2024 |
| Heritage Significance | The substantial nature of the 1904-12 complex signifies the importance of the Workshops to the Western Australian Government Railways and to the State. It was the largest industrial complex in the State, and one of the largest in Australia. During WW2, the workshops manufactured munitions, ship boilers, marine engines, propellors, etc, and made a major contribution to Australia's defence. |
| Nomination Document | Available here. |
| Ceremony Booklet Ceremony Report |
Ceremony not yet held. |
| Plaque/Interpretation Panel Image | Panel not yet installed. |
