Monday, January 3, 2011

Platform 9 - Railway Refreshment Rooms, Toowoomba



On the Queensland Railway Lines
There are stations where one dines
Private individuals
Also run refreshment stalls
From "On the Queensland Railway Lines", Brisbane Realist Writers Group, 1959

While I was on holidays with my family, I took us all out for morning tea at Platform 9, the old Railway Refreshment Rooms at the Toowoomba Railway Station.

The charm of Platform 9 is that it preserves the old world atmosphere of the Railway Refreshment Rooms for younger generations to enjoy, with many original furnishings, cutlery and crockery, and cabinets displaying artifacts from a by-gone era.

As you step inside, you are immediately transported back in time:

There is a beautiful polished wood bar just inside the door, which also has a coffee machine and a cash register in its modern incarnation:


The operators of Platform 9 have retained the old serving area and cash register for display:


The grand dining area features pressed metal ceilings and polished wood furniture:


Each table is beautifully set with crisp white linen:




There is a series of display cabinets featuring relics from the hey day of the Railway Refreshment Rooms, and a sign telling the story of the Refreshment Rooms:



Wouldn't you love to take a picnic basket like this on your trip today (although it would be very heavy with all that crockery)?




An old menu is displayed, together with the bargain basement price list of the day:


I ordered a devonshire tea, which I think is the best morning tea offering. (My Mum found her carrot cake a little dry.) The tea is served in original Queensland Rail crockery:



The scones are light and fluffy, and come dusted with icing sugar and accompanied by plum jam and cream:


If you are ever passing through Toowoomba, Platform 9 (which also serves lunch and dinner, Tuesday to Saturday) is well worth a visit for a trip down memory lane.
Platform 9
Toowoomba Railway Station
Railway Street
Toowoomba Qld 4350
07 4631 3233

12 comments:

Ivy said...

Happy New Year Gaye. What an interesting place to visit. I surely would love some of that tea and scones!

Johanna GGG said...

what a beautiful place to eat - makes me wish I am passing by one of these days

The Caked Crusader said...

oh that's beautiful - exactly the style of tearoom I'm drawn to.
Better not show Mr CC the scones...he might get overexcited!

Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella said...

How gorgeous is that and such perfectly preserved retro beauty! And of course you just have to have scones at an establishment like this :)

The Blonde Duck said...

It looks like a great place!

Anonymous said...

The plum jam looks delicious! What an interesting place to have tea!

egbkid said...

Wow, what a beautiful place! The food looks amazing!

Kayte said...

Oh, I would love to have done this...what a great place to eat and how fun to see all the old things. Thanks for posting and sharing this, I am drooling over every photo and will show it to my husband who is also a history geek...and railroads are such fun to know about, etc. I wish I could visit this now!

Anonymous said...

Unfortunately the crockery is NOT original, it is all reproduction and nothing like the original, I guess it fools the average customer who is not a collector of the real items.

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