Symmetrical, one-storey, red-brick, Italianate, (reconstructed) railway station with concrete periphery, and with round-headed apertures, buff-brick trim, low, hipped, cedar-shingled roofs and central, two-storey tower with bell-cast roof and widow’s walk (c. 1880/1990)

West Elevation – Former Town façade of railway station presents long, low, almost Prairie-style elevation, with deep projecting eaves in all directions, supported by large, curved, wooden brackets built off posts at walls. Engaged posts rest on blocks which step forward from pre-cast stone base extending around building. These also articulate bays of structure, within which tall, round-headed apertures rise above pre-cast stone sills to voussoirs with alternating bands of tapered, red- and buff-brick voussoirs. Outer arch of voussoirs is pointed, giving Venetian flavour to Italianate building, while windows consist of two round-headed panes with wood mullions and central transom, and with single pane above. Jambs are finished in buff-brick throughout, and additional courses of buff-brick surround sills. Horizontal soffits are finished with v-jointed boards, with metal strip vents. Fascias are plain, with K-type gutters. Dominant feature is central tower, which projects well beyond general wall-plane, and rises far above low, hipped, shingled roofs. Tower has modest, buff-brick quoins (five courses high) and window and masonry trim as elsewhere. Horizontality of adjacent station eaves is broken by plain gable at tower, supported towards peak by two thin wooden brackets. Sloping, buff-brick band-course above follows roof-pitch, and typical band-course exists below high-level windows - which are similar to floor below, only smaller. Unusual, thick wooden roll forms simple cornice of tower, stepping up over windows to follow line of gablets above. Profiled wooden brackets above are built against vertical, buff-brick bands and v-jointed soffit boards. Hipped, bell-cast tower roof has flat top with simple iron cresting (or widow’s walk) comprising metal balustrade with projecting, pointed pickets and metal swags below handrail.

East Elevation – Features at east (former platform) side are similar to those at west side, but without projection of base of tower, but with central, boarded gable with decorative timber truss, and painted sign marked Collingwood. Entry to museum is by means of centrally located, single, four-panel door. Transom window above comprises upper portion of typical window, with two round-headed panes and one addition pane above. Moulded keystone within round arch is an artefact assumed to be salvaged from original station and, judging by fine tooling of surface, is some 130 years old. Keystone has upper and lower ogee profiles with vertical face between, and triglyph-like incisions in lower area. Spun-metal light fixtures at ends of building and over door provide turn of the century illumination.

North Elevation – North side also has features as elsewhere, with arcade under projecting roof supported on typical wooden posts.

South Elevation – South elevation, away from streets, is used as service area, with modern equipment tucked away between red-brick spine walls.

Comments – A well-executed reconstruction, with convincing period detailing, though not so convincing as to fool an informed public. Building is generally in excellent condition, with a few exceptions as noted below, and needs only to be better reintegrated into the Heritage District, something one hopes will occur over the coming years. Areas of concern are as follows. Pre-cast stone bases are collapsing in various areas, this presumably because of front heave of concrete slabs below. Brickwork behind is somewhat erratically laid, though bearing of central steel rod may be sufficient. Slab needs to be cut beyond perimeter of bases, and removed from beneath, to prevent recurrence of problem. Wooden posts have numerous checks, typical of modern timber and little can be done to remedy this. Spun metal fixtures are rusting noticeably and require repainting. Some are also skewed and need realignment. There is also to the east a rather intriguing pile of old, hand-dressed stones of unknown original, but of some value.