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This rich history is still being celebrated at the Midland Railway Workshops and the Midland Atelier through programs such as exhibitions and residencies inspired by the site and its people, and through events such as Behind the Scenes. (link to)  The Midland Atelier aims to honour and build on the tradition of skilled trades, fine craftsmanship and innovation that has been central to the history of the site, continuing this tradition in a contemporary form through professional practices focused on sophisticated design and creative development.

The Midland Railway Workshops were created to maintain and construct steam locomotives, carriages, wagons, tracks, signals and station furniture for the West Australian Government Railways.

Replacing the original Fremantle workshops (which opened in 1886), work first began in 1897 on the three main blocks, the Power House, Pattern Shop, Foundry and the Chief Engineers Office was completed by 1904. Following the transfer of all machinery and staff to Midland by 1905, the workshops quickly grew to employ 1,200 men by 1909.

Given that the population of the surrounding district East Guildford (later renamed Midland Junction, and finally Midland) was only 4,500, the Midland Railway Workshops contributed strongly to the development to the surrounding residential and commercial districts.

The original buildings constructed in 1904 and extensions to these dating from 1911 to 1914 remain largely intact and retain a high proportion of original fabric.  It is the only major railway workshop in Western Australia and one of the few early 20th century industrial sites in the State .The workshops provide evidence of the developing technological processes associated with the fabrication and repair or railway rolling stock in Western Australia from the early 1900s to the closure of the workshops in 1994.

At their peak, the workshops employed over 4,000 people and the significance of the site was formally recognised in December 2004 when the Workshops were included in the list of Western Australian Heritage Icons.  This award recognised that the site was the most important engineering establishment in the State .

During World War II the workshops played an important role in the manufacture of munitions and other defence equipment which accounted for a full third of its production.  As men left to enlist, new ground was broken as women were employed for the first time and played a prominent role at the workshops. Retooling for the war effort involved also major changes to the Foundry and the Flanging Shop.

In April 1993, the then Richard Court Liberal State Government announced that the Workshops would be eventually closed. Despite a number of protests and rallies to save the Workshops the workshops closed on Friday 4 March 1994.

Midland Redevelopment Authority is currently redeveloping the site. The Midland Saleyards at the eastern end of the Railway Workshop site and all related businesses and properties have been relocated.

The workforce of the workshops had a rich history and, since closing, there have been projects to record oral history and collect information about the place and people involved. These include;

For more information, explore the following links:

This rich history is still being celebrated at the Midland Railway Workshops and the Midland Atelier through programs such as exhibitions and residencies inspired by the site and its people, and through events such as Behind the Scenes.  The Midland Atelier aims to honour and build on the tradition of skilled trades, fine craftsmanship and innovation that has been central to the history of the site, continuing this tradition in a contemporary form through professional practices focused on sophisticated design and creative development.