Built : 1883
Original Name : Subiaco
Station Location : 2m 26c, 3.7kms (old station location, before being located underground).
Station History : The area of Subiaco was named by WA's Benedictine community, when they moved to the area from Guildford in 1851, they established
a monastery near Lake Monger and called it New Subiaco, after an Italian town near Rome in the Sabine Mountains. How ever with the Fremantle to
Guildford Railway passing close by to the Monastery a Station was provided in 1883 and the 'New' in New Subiaco was dropped.

Subiaco Station became an important stopping place along the section of track from Perth to Fremantle, same as Claremont it was used as passing point
for trains travelling to and from Perth, before the track was duplicated. The Original Subiaco Station was in the typical WAGR design for the 1880's,
it was modest shelter with a ticketing ofifice, the shelter had a rounded roof, same as Chidlow, Spencer's Brook, Swan View, etc. By the turn of the
20th centuary, it had been upgraded to the typical design of the 1890's Stations, simular to Bayswater, East Perth, Maylands, Swanbourne, etc, it's platform
was wooden, not bitumen or concrete, it had a second shelter on it's other platform (as it was configured with track running between it's 2 platforms), this
was a rectangular shelter, with the elevated signal tower at one end. This is how Subiaco stayed for many decades, however somewhere in history, I'm
not sure when, maybe the 1960's or 1970's, the 1890's styled Station building simular to Maylands, was removed or demolished, only leaving the platform
with the smaller shelter and elevated Signal Cabin, this platform was then used as an island platform for both trains going to fremantle and to Perth.

This station remained in place up to the mid 1990's, it was in bad need of repair and a paint job, the signal cabin and shelter were still there, how ever
for how long that wasn't sure, because the WA Government had put plans into motion for a realignment of the railway through Subiaco to make a subway
for a kilometre or two, along with an undeground station, at the ajacent site to the old subiaco station. Eventually the Bennett Brook Railway out at
Whiteman Park, provided a home for the station shelter and signal cabin.

Today Subiaco Station is vastly different to how it was 10 years ago, the area around the station has been rejuvenated with, apartments being built in the old
industrial area to the north of the station, large area's of grass have been provided around the underground stations access. All in all, I think in Subiaco's case
a modern look was a positive step, the station looks attractive and it has become the centre of Subiaco once again.

The old Subiaco Station, is located at Whiteman Park, at the Village Station, it's the second platform, the first platform being the old East Perth Station.

(Thanks to Roderick Smith for this photo of Subiaco Station)


You can see more photos of the old Subiaco Station, now located at Whiteman Park, via this link

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