WE don't always appreciate the importance of our heritage structures, particularly when they're part of our day to day life. The old story of familiarity breeding indifference.
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But work currently under way on the 19th Century James Street railway viaduct has brought this piece of historic infrastructure back into focus.
Sydney Trains certainly recognises the important place in NSW railway history and points out the 'bridge' is one of the oldest anywhere on its network.
So much so that the Office of Environment and Heritage had to give the nod and a specialist stonemason engaged before current strengthening work was undertaken by Sydney Trains teams.
A significant part of the work includes a stronger concrete deck, with the entire project now expected to continue to mid April.
So now you know what's going on behind those construction site drapes.
It would be nice if the work could include some form of permanent landscaping on the very shabby embankment beneath the western arch.
As befits its importance, the James Street viaduct is one of very few heritage landmarks around here floodlit at night.
Street intrigue
THERE'S nothing that creates more intrigue among our passing throng than 'mystery' projects in the community.
Any unexplained development sets the guessing game in motion and the latest to get things under way is the work progressing on one of the oldest and most unique buildings in Lithgow's Main Street.
At the intersection of Main and Gray Streets, across the lane from the Commercial pub, is an old two storey building where the entire ground floor is constructed of unlined sandstone blocks.
This dates back to the 1850s according to informed sources but the upper level is believed to have been added around 100 years later, in the 1950s.
Famously the building was used for years as a funeral parlour for the now long gone Wood and Wood departure specialists.
It also had assorted low profile other uses in later years, including a shoe repair business, until being purchased by investors last year.
The old place is getting a welcome face lift after looking a little down at heel and while we're yet to learn of its future plans we'd love to learn of its origins if there are any suitably informed historians out there.
On the other side of the street and just 100 metres away the old church next to QE Park also has the street rabble guessing at what the current work is leading to.
We also wonder what's in store for the now neglected looking Library facade but that's another story.
On the buses
DOES someone in Railway HQ have a shareholding in multiple bus companies?
Trains in and out of Lithgow on the Blue Mountains line are regularly replaced by buses during track work but since late last year there has been a new element with bushfires, floods and a washaway making the buses just about a permanent feature.
Buses are contracted from sources wherever available, from New England to the Illawarra.
Good for the bus companies and the overtime shifts for drivers but far from welcome for coal companies and other producers desperate to make deliveries.
The emerald valley
TRAVELLING down Browns Gap and later Victoria Pass at the weekend we couldn't help commenting that it seems years since the Hartley Valley looked so good, an amazing transformation brought on by the recent rain.
Reminds us of that old popular wireless serial 'How Green was My Valley'. How green indeed.
Even the dams are full and that's a rarity these days.