The mystery behind a sign ‘error’ at one of Sydney’s busiest stations is revealed

By NICHOLAS COMINO FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA

Published: 10:42 BST, 20 June 2025 | Updated: 10:49 BST, 20 June 2025

Transport for New South Wales has revealed the truth behind the quirky mystery of why the sign at one of its busiest stations appears to have a spelling error.

At Sydney’s Central Station, commuters and visitors have noticed something about the sign reading ‘Central’ between platforms 20 and 21.

The letter ‘C’ is noticeably smaller and appears in a different font compared to the rest of the word.

This seemingly minor detail has sparked confusion, with many passengers assuming it was a design error or modern oversight. 

But an eagle-eyed Australian recently reignited the discussion by sharing a photo of the sign on Reddit, asking why the first letter looked so out of place. 

Now, for the first time, the transport department has revealed the reason behind the signage quirk, and it turns out to be entirely intentional. 

A spokesperson for Transport for NSW (TfNSW) told Daily Mail Australia on Friday that the sign is a heritage feature, which has remained in place for decades. 

‘The small ‘C’ visible in the suspended signs on platforms 16 to 23 at Central Station is a design feature of the heritage signs that have been in use since the 1960s.’

The ‘C’ on the sign is smaller than the others, with TfNSW revealing it was intentional

Debate about the sign was recently reignited by a thread on Reddit

The spokesperson explained there were two fonts used on original signs when they were installed, one of which was slightly larger.

Rather than update or replace the signage, TfNSW made a conscious decision to preserve it in its original form.

‘The Central Station signs were rolled out during one of the periodic upgrades of this huge and busy station in the middle of the last century and were handmade,’ the spokesperson said.

‘Our conservation work on Central is intended to take as light a touch as possible.  

‘Little things like this speak to the heritage of the country’s second oldest train station.’

Central Station officially opened in 1906, built on top of the Devonshire Street Cemetery. 

It is estimated that more than 250,000 people pass through the station daily, with it linked to all train lines, Sydney Metro and the Light Rail. 

In a recent online post, debate was sparked as to why the sign was different from the others. 

‘This has driven me mental for so many years! It’s been like this for so long,’ one frustrated Sydneysider said on the Reddit thread. 

‘This is frustrating to become aware of,’ another wrote.

A third said: ‘I noticed this a few years ago. It upsets me to no end.’

:
The mystery behind a sign ‘error’ at one of Sydney’s busiest stations is revealed

***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk