[1] The North Ipswich Railway Workshops were initially required to carry out assembly and maintenance only, as the first locomotives used in Queensland were imported from Britain.

[1] Six substantial buildings [the Carriage (R.2), Wagon (R.4), Painting, Fitting and Machine Shops (R.3) and the Smithy (R.5)] plus some smaller timber sheds were completed in the 1880s but the construction program then stopped.

After two accidents in the late 1890s, a Court of Inquiry was held and recommended that the workshops should be "enlarged, extended and equipped with most modern tools and appliances.

[1] In December 1919, the Vickers Vimy aircraft of Ross and Keith Smith broke down near Charleville after completing the first flight from England to Australia by an Australian crew.

The Acting Prime Minister stated that the Railway Workshops was chosen rather than a site near the Rocklea factory because the long-term benefits to Queensland would be greater.

[1] During World War II, very little new construction could be carried out at North Ipswich Railway Workshops and in the immediate post-war period, Queensland was faced with ageing stock and little immediate capacity for new production.

It was also decided that future rolling stock would be steel where ever possible, a decision which reduced the need for large sawmills at the North Ipswich Railway Workshops.

[1] The North Ipswich Railway Workshops is a place which contains an extensive complex of buildings and linking rail tracks constructed between 1878 and the present day.

[1] The large main entrance doorways are generally round arch openings symmetrically placed in gable ends and often flanking a smaller central window.

Door and window dressings are a combination of Helidon freestone, brickwork, or cement render usually with restrained use of coloured brick or stone voussoirs and keystones, raking arches and label moulds.

[1] In the early years of the twentieth century, well designed and finely detailed industrial brick structures such as the Power House, Erecting and Boiler Shops were constructed, completing the intended lateral expansion along the northern and southern sides of the Traverser.

[1] The influence of quality engineering practice, upon the designs for the North Ipswich Railway Workshops is clearly evident in the drawings and specifications produced at this time.

The Timekeeper's Office at the entry to the Workshops is a two-storey timber structure with outsized roof ventilators, which makes a self- conscious architectural statement.

[1] A great many modest out-buildings and single storey ancillary structures such as amenities blocks, toilets, storage sheds, electric sub-stations and lean-to buildings have been constructed, demolished, up-graded or rebuilt over many decades.

In most cases these small ancillary buildings form an interesting contrast both in scale and construction type to the substantial workshops adjacent.

Its large cylindrical water storage tank surrounds a two storeyed rendered brick tower with projecting pilasters and string courses.

The fundamental concept was of parallel rail tracks leading into rows of fairly equally-spaced workshop buildings which in some cases intersected a transverse distribution axis known as a traverser.

The Fibreglass Shed (R41) is a significant surviving structure from saw mill complex which has largely been demolished and which was an important part of the operations of the Workshops.

Internally the Wagon and Carriage Shop (R12) contains evidence of earlier work practice such as the two storey Foreman's Office, and technological innovation such as the early Grinnell Sprinkler System.

The fundamental concept was of parallel rail tracks leading into rows of fairly equally-spaced workshop buildings which in some cases intersected a transverse distribution axis known as a traverser.

[1] The Fibreglass Shed (R41) is a significant surviving structure from saw mill complex which has largely been demolished and which was an important part of the operations of the Workshops.

The North Ipswich Railway Workshops contain evidence of a high degree of technological achievement which is demonstrated by surviving fabric and items of machinery.

It resulted from a clear Government decision for Queensland to develop the best technological practices, and the North Ipswich Railway Workshops were selected as a suitable location.

[1] Other examples of technological achievement are demonstrated by the early Grinnell Fire Sprinkler System, the 1944 X-Ray building at the Boiler House, the tramway turntables at the K. Mill, and the Tensile Testing Machine at the Laboratory.

[1] The North Ipswich Railway Workshops also contain items of historical plant in working order such as overhead cranes, a Traverser and power hammers dating to early this century.

As one of the largest places of employment in Ipswich, the workshops had a continuing and major impact on the lifestyles of thousands of families who resided in the city.

Ipswich people took pride in the achievements of the workshops, as evidenced by numerous newspaper articles and features in commemorative magazines over a very long period of time.

[1] The buildings on the site are part of a tradition of railway architecture and design in Queensland, and are significant for their association with the work of several important architects, engineers and railway planners including Henry Stanley, Henry Plew, William Pagan, Henrick Hansen, William Nisbet, Francis Jones, Vincent Price and Charles Da Costa.

[1] The Timekeeper's Office (R17) is the only official entry and exit point for the workshops and was purpose designed with the intention of controlling the large numbers of employees changing their shift at any one time.

[1] The Tool and Gauge Shop (R18, R19 & R20) demonstrates the desire of both Queensland and Australian Governments at that time to revolutionise its approach to the development of secondary industry.