Discussion: Development of Adelaide Railyards

[stelaras]

Well then its a simple matter to redesignate it isn't it? Its been a good 130+ years since anything green grew in that area... It is not like they are goingto rip up the rail tracks either.. i believe they plan to build over them a la hyatt, convention centre etc.. Each case for development in the "parklands" should be taken on its own meritt, and in this example a development over the railways would markedly improve the area. It is not as if they are rplanning to build a casino/hotel in the middle of a park.... It seems that too many people in Adelaide are blinded by a their stubburn singlemindedness. If people did not bend the rules we wouldn't have:

Adelaide University, the State library, the art gallery, the museum, The hyatt, the convention centre bulidings, the railway station and a central railway network, the festival centre, the city circuit and hence 10 years of formula 1 and the current v8 supercar series, memorial drive tennis, Adelaide oval, Royal Adelaide Hosptial, bicentenial conservetry, wine centre, bus/tram depot house, Adelaide Zoo, Aquatic Centre, jollys boathouse and the red ochre restaurant ... All built on what was designated as parklands... This building will set no precedent.

JAKJ well said!!

[skyliner]

I agree with those who said it wont happen - the parklands are offvlimits 0 the city is distinguished by them world wide - even though some look like hosepaddocks - they NEED improving - when Adelaide gets more water.

I aso agree that the casino should be out of the station and can perhaps be added to the proposed development further west

I definitely think Kewick station should be included in the city station. Kewick is disgraceful - fix that first before any railway yards. T

he old Adelaide station used to have 13 platforms - now 8 - much traffic and activity gone . Kewick is .like a white elephant to me - terrible welcome to SA. Heaps of people have destinations more like the city from there. Why was Keswick intertstate developed anyway?

[how_good_is_he]

I think it was because the gauge line for the interstate trains was not compatible with the one in the city.

[AtD]

Of course Keswick is going to be shit, there's only the Overland, Ghan and Indian Pacific that use it. SA hasn't had country services for years. The interstate trains were taken out of Adelaide Station because they run on standard gauge, while the Adelaide trains run on broad gauge. Also, the platforms are too short and it was becoming a bottle-neck.

[skyliner]

Thanks guys. I also realise that dual guage could have been used in the Adelaide station just as it has elsewhere - a few standard gauge platforms and the rest as btoad guage. Much less costly than building a complete new station I might add. The platform lenghts in Adelaide station would have been long enough - the room, I understand, is still there.

As I said before, get rid if Keswick first, then address the rest. Bring the life back into Adelaide central - make a welcome befitting a great city!

[AtD]

The platform lenghts in Adelaide station would have been long enough - the room, I understand, is still there.

Older relatives of mine say that it was not an uncommon sight for the ends of interstate trains to stick out under the Morphett Street bridge. A quick measure on Google Earth puts Adelaide's platforms at ~250m, Keswick's at ~500m.

But I do agree with bringing the terminal back into the City. The station is surrounded by car park on both sides, which could be removed without too much hassle (once pigs fly, though).

[Captain Howdy]

^^^ Is all this celebrity porn eally necessary??

[Howie]

Steady on.. we're working as hard as we can on it.

[Maximus_Marc]

celebrity porn? did i miss something

[Howie]

Yeah, there's some spammers going around the forums and clogging it up with advertisements for porn/viagra etc.

[Ho Really]

Older relatives of mine say that it was not an uncommon sight for the ends of interstate trains to stick out under the Morphett Street bridge.

I've actually seen it, and I walked down that platform back in December 1978 when coming from Melbourne.

But I do agree with bringing the terminal back into the City. The station is surrounded by car park on both sides, which could be removed without too much hassle (once pigs fly, though).

Pity they can't bring them back right to the terminus. They should have built ASER so that those platforms remained where they were. Unfortunately the damage (if you want to call it that) has been done. The idea of using land on either side for an Interstate Terminal is an interesting one, but I think the platforms would not be long enough (even if they curve slightly).

I think interstate trains will remain at Keswick for a long while. In my opinion they should consolidate on what they have. Maybe they should redevelop the area around the terminal to include a mix of residential and commercial (office) developments. This would liven up the place. The government then would have no option but to remodel (and refurbish) the terminal to include local commuter traffic. To give the terminal some architectural significance I think they should build a metal and tinted glass canopy over all rail lines. This would replace the single platform roofs. It would be built in a manner where diesel exhaust would be eliminated by natural ventilation. Also the availability and access of other forms of transport, including the already mentioned suburban trains, would have to be improved.

Cheers

[Ho Really]

Call for New Convention Centre

In today's Sunday Mail (December 3rd, 2006), Alec Gilbert, the Chief Executive of the Adelaide Convention Centre is calling for a new building (an extension) to be inserted between Morphett Street (Montefiore Road) bridge and the existing Convention Centre. He envisages a building of up to 6-storeys high and of future developments for a new hotel near the precinct and renovating and flattening the old convention centre. Architects are at present designing a masterplan which will be presented to the Adelaide City Council and the State Government early next year.

Full article is on page 24.

Anyone hear more about this? Has a masterplan been done yet?

Cheers

[Howie]

nice! but only 6 storeys?

[Dave_The_Planner]

So why can't the inter-state trains come back to Adelaide station? Just because the gauge? Come on!! How hard is it to lay some track for God's sake and if the platform isn't long enough, extend it!

Surely this can be retro-fitted. Seems as though we constantly focus on the problems and not the solutions.

[jimmy_2486]

I think we should use adelaide station for interstate lines only and make a new north south underground tunnel for metro lines.

Or if we do a city loop then maybe use the original platforms for the interstate lines and have another section underneath it for metro that will continue underground in a loop.