Discussion: Development of Adelaide Railyards

[Will409]

It seems to me that just about all of the metro system has been wiped out over time - the city station losing interstate rail services, dropping to 8 platforms from 13, the loss of Islington, the loss oi SEVERAL metro lines, loss of West End yards, closing of manned metro stations, bus shelters on platforms instead of canopies, the virtual collapse of railways in and around Port Adelaide, etc etc. In addition, many have mentioned the idea of all the heavy rail going light rail on top of this - what a rediculous and untenable idea!! This does not even require the dignity of a response. All this seems to fly in the face of Adelaide's future seen in the airport, the trams and new bus interchange.

When the non metropolitan section of the South Australian Railways were sold to the Commonwealth Government forming Australian National and what was left which became the STA in 1975, it signalled the start of a long, slow decline of the railways in South Australia to the poor system we have now. When you have a look through the archives at the National Railway Museum, you will see how much we have lost. And yes, a large number of our present stations have bus shelters rather then proper buildings. For my first example, this is what the DOWN line station at Salisbury looked like in 1980.


Today, this side of Salisbury station has the smaller of the two buildings. The former station building on the UP side was much bigger (similar in size and design to Gawler). Don't get me started on the current Port Adelaide station, this is what it looked like in c.1955.


Both these photos are courtesy of the National Railway Museum archives. More photos can be found here:
http://www.natrailmuseum.org.au/exhibit ... index.html

When it comes to lines that were closed since 1975, we have quite a list.
Glanville - Semaphore, 1978 (ever wondered why the median strip in Semaphore Road is so wide, used to be a railway line).
Albert Park - Hendon, 1980
Woodville - Findon, 1982
Dry Creek - Port Adelaide, 1985*
Dry Creek - Northfield, 1987
Belair - Bridgewater, 1987*
Salisbury - Penfield No 3, 1991 (yes, the Penfield line had numbered stations).

*services suspended only, lines still in place for freight traffic.


Last train at Semaphore, 29/10/1978. Image also courtesy of the National Railway Museum archives. We have lost so much in the past 32 years. Even though progress is painfully slow, atleast we are starting to make forward progress to keep what is left.

[Tom]

People seem to be forgetting that the interstate trains aren't just passenger journeys. Each trip of the Ghan & Indian Pacific carries both freight and passengers cars aswell as passengers. The Overland to Melbourne does not take passengers vehicles but does take freight. So the Keswick sight is perfect for this. Its real close to the CBD and allows all 3 forms service in one station. The CBD train station would not be able to cope with all of this. It seems pointless having the trains load passengers at the city terminal, then stopping at Keswick for a few hours so the ppl with cars and the freight can be loaded seperately.

Freight?
Fright Trains dont go thru Keswick Railway station. They go around it and on to Islington at the Adelaide Freight Terminal. The only trains that stop at keswick are passenger only. The Overland, Indian Pacific and Ghan certainly dont take frieght.

Cars could be unloaded at Adelaide if they did this they do it in Sydney and used to do at Southern Cross.

[jimmy_2486]

Nice history lessen there Will409 hehe.

[jk1237]

the old pic of Port Adelaide station looks great. How can that be progress, by removing a large canopy and nice looking station, and installing 2 tin sheds thats there today

[crawf]

Thanks Will, interesting

There was a great birds eye view image of the Railway Station on todays Postcard special on the Christmas Pagent. Back in Adelaides railway hey day - so around 1950.

[rhino]

Thanks Will for that very informative post - enjoyed reading that!

[skyliner]

closing of manned metro stations, bus shelters on platforms instead of canopies

Nonsense

The west end yards are going to be relocated to the northern suburbs, with facilities at Gawler, Lonsdale and another suburb to be expanded.

Crawf, the quote you picked up from me and the reply you gave have a certain inconsistency, but thanks for the reply.
As you may have worked out (from my profile) I follow the develpments of Adelaide railways - have done for 30 years.
Travelling Adelaide metro last Jan. the quoted section from you was observed by me down the Blackwood line, all the Gawler line and all the Port line. The manned station idea was a British legacy - influenced by the Great Western Railway - they used 'pagodas' on little used platforms. Manned station buildings have been cut down due to expenese or infrequency of use. By contrast, Brisbane lines have a majority of manned stations left from the steam days. This contrast with Adelaide brought some of the flavour of the post you referred to. Overall, however, I am mush more interested in what is happenin in ADelaide. especially electrification.

Also, I may have misinterpreted you concerning what you meant to quote - that area - the proposed developments or lack of over the system. I am more uncertain. Great info about Dry Creek etc .

ADELAIDE - A CITY ON THE MOVE

[skyliner]

I nearly forgot. Thanks Will (Oct21st) for you extensive explanation of what ishappening. I was hoping I could elicit something of this nature in the process of what I wrote.

Thanks also will409 - confirmed what I was saying. I used Salisbury for years - as you said, not like that now.
As something of contrasting statement - a signature -

ADELAIDE - A CITY ON THE MOVE

[cruel_world00]

Considering the Inner CBD Stadium thread has gone walkabout....
The AFL can piss off... they are happy to see AAMI patched up, but that's not good enough for our rich cousins in WA.


'AFL urges Barnett to build $1.1b stadium'



http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx? ... ntID=98338

The AFL yesterday urged the incoming government to stick with plans for a new $1.1 billion outdoor stadium rather than a patch-up job on Subiaco Oval to save money.

But premier-elect Colin Barnett repeated his line yesterday that the new stadium would be reassessed in light of falling revenues and the Nationals’ demand for more money to be spent in the regions.

He said an improved stadium would go ahead in some form but the WA Football Commission’s previous $800 million plan to renovate the existing Subiaco Oval was in the mix.

AFL spokesman Patrick Keane said yesterday while it understood the government needed to re-evaluate all major projects, a new stadium would be positive for football.

“It’s our view that the case for a stadium is pretty clear because of the role of WA football in our national game but we look forward to any discussions we can have with the government in coming months,” he said.

On Tuesday, two high-profile members of the task force responsible for planning the new stadium said refurbishing Subiaco Oval would not offer a long-term solution. Task force chairman John Langoulant said if the Government was financially constrained it was better to wait until a new stadium could be afforded and maintain Subiaco Oval in the interim.

Mr Langoulant said refurbishment of Subiaco was constrained by Roberts Road. “To build a normal stadium on that southern side requires you to cantilever over Roberts Road, which by any stretch of modern design is extremely poor planning, not safe and doesn’t allow for growth beyond 55,000 seats,” he said.

Task force member Terry Budge said the $1.7 million task force report was regarded as the best ever done in Australia and had clearly established a multi-purpose stadium was the best option. He said renovating Subiaco would mean other sports such as rugby would not be able to use the venue, unlike a new stadium which could be reconfigured to suit various codes. “WA has a history of getting to these sort of decisions and then doing bits and pieces sort of jobs and you end up saying, ‘we didn’t do it right’,” he said.

WA Football Commission chairman Neale Fong has said it favoured moving to a new stadium. WA Rugby chairman Geoff Stooke said its preferred option was a dedicated rectangular stadium.

Task force estimates for a standalone rugby stadium were between $300 million and $400 million.

PETER KERR

[Shuz]

The AFL has its priorities so wrong. Adelaide is in far more desperate need of its new inner-city stadium than either of Perth's options to redevelop or re-build and yet they advocate for AAMI's future as Adelaides major stadium. Gah!

And don't get me started on their plans to introduce a team in Western Sydney. The Gold Coast is already a failure as it is, and poor Tasmania are silenced again with no future plans to establish a team there.

Fuck the AFL, let's embrace A-League people!

[Brando]

The AFL has its priorities so wrong. Adelaide is in far more desperate need of its new inner-city stadium than either of Perth's options to redevelop or re-build and yet they advocate for AAMI's future as Adelaides major stadium. Gah!

Exactly Shuz, i'm at pains to understand why the AFL are at odds here. They embrace and support the new stadium in WA, but support the patch up of AAMI...I am well aware of financial circumstances varying between us, but surely the AFL could push for a long term plan on a new stadium.

Do the eastern states want to see SA kept down?

[Düsseldorfer]

Fuck the AFL, let's embrace A-League people!

or just real football (aka Soccer )

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_football

[Cruise]

Subiaco Oval has a capacity of approx 42,000 and has worse faclities than Football park and has a playing field the size of a racecourse (It has far better infrastructure around it though). It is in a desperate state and needs attention.

Although, I agree with the users above, It is hypocritical of the AFL to say Perth needs a completely new stadium and Adelaide just needs a patch up job.

The word inconsistence comes to mind here.

[cruel_world00]

I am enjoying the fact that the government has gone very quiet on the Hospital front... that is a MASSIVE piece of infrastructure and for them to not be kicking and screaming about it does give me hope that maybe the debate about its location has struck a chord with Rann etc.

But the hypocrisy of the AFL, who championed AAMI and the "band-aid" fix and then to say that 1 billion "HAS" to be spent in WA, smacks of double standards. The AFL and double standards....who'd have thought.

[omada]

I think the 1 billion it would take to construct a new ground would be better spent on the new hospital, the RAH is disgraceful - and this is coming not from me, but people who work there. We have an untapped resource in the city for sport - the Adelaide Oval.