Sensational-Adelaide.com

This one is well underway now. Large amounts of excavation have occurred. Good to finally see some action.

There is quite some disruption to the traffic flow as a result of this extension. Although its a fantastic step forward for Adelaide.
Doesnt North Terrace look just lovely now?

I watched from the Morphett Street Bridge for about 10 minutes this morning - was so wishing I brough the camera with me!

Photos from this afternoon. I arrived at about 3:45pm with work well and truly underway. Track laying had already commenced with a large amount of rails arriving about 5 minutes before I left. Point components arrived earlier in the morning with two sets being used in this particular section. Steel sleepers (yes, you heard me correctly) are being used. However, I have a strong feeling that they are being used to get the gauge of the track right as normal tramway practise is to lay the rail on concrete blocks, fasten the rails down to the blocks and then lay it all in concrete.

There is a single track section towards the end of the line at UNI West because of some overhead clearance issues under Morphett Street Bridge (which could have been solved by having the trolley wire at a slightly lower height under the bridge). However, the single track section is a lot longer then what the public works document shows. Here are the photos. WARNING, there are quite a few photos so expact a slow load time for those on slower internet connections.


Work site on North Terrace from the railway station end.


New point section in place.


Steel sleepers.


Compacting the ground prior to track laying.


Worksite from under Morphett Street Bridge.


Steel sleepers being laid out. At a guess, they are only being used to get the rail gauge correct since rails are normally laid on concrete blocks (like the point section) and then sealed in by concrete.


Work site from Morphett Street Bridge looking towards King William Street.


Track being laid.


Point section in place.


Rails being delivered.


Site of the UNI West tramstop from Morphett Street Bridge.


A close up showing the rails with the distinctive tramway 'groove'.

My goodness, that's insanely quick. Job well done to the construction workers and engineers.

Thanks for the pics Will409.

Wow, I thought I would never see this day

Thanks mate for the updates, much appreciated.

Drivers brace for long delays
April 08, 2007 12:15am
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MAJOR works on the $31 million King William St/North Tce tramline began yesterday with the road ripped up and track laying beginning.

Motorists can expect severe delays on North Tce as around-the-clock work between Morphett and King William streets continues.
North Tce has been blocked off this weekend and next from 7pm Friday to 7am on Monday, to allow non-stop construction of the track.

Nearby hotel operators said guests staying at the Sebel Playford and the Stamford Plaza will be given earplugs to block out the construction noise.

The five-star Sebel Playford has also ordered new window louvres for rooms and replaced window seals to appease guests.

Transport Minister Pat Conlon apologised for the "inconvenience" but said the Government was doing the work at a time that "disrupts less people".

Trams are expected to be operating on the new track by September.

Not far away, near West Tce, a 3000-tonne rail bridge has been lifted into place as the $41 million Bakewell Bridge underpass takes shape.

Crews moved the structure into place on Friday. The Noarlunga and Belair train lines have been closed until Tuesday for the upgrade.

Renato Castello

OMG that looks so freaking awesome! I can't wait to see it completed

Thanks for the photos Will!

This project has been talked about for so many years, and it trully is such a triumphant day for it to become a reality.

More photos from today and these will be the last for this weekend, I am starting to feel beat! Nearly all of the track has been laid in this section with exception of the UNI West stop and even that would be finished by the time I am typing this. Concreting work has already commenced on the single track section. The steel sleepers are not temporary and are being caked into the concrete.


Track in place.


Double track section.


Site of the UNI West tram stop.


Shifting rail.


Starting a concrete pour.


Concrete after being poured.


"What, me worry?"


Concrete being smoothed out.


Concrete pour up close.


Rail being ground down.


Track welding under Morphett Street Bridge.


The track looking back towards Morphett Street Bridge.

PS: Can you believe I have posted 73 photos already!

I was looking down from Morphette Street bridge today, and wow what a sight. Truely history in the making for our city!

Thanks for the excellent coverage Will409.

They have done A LOT of work so far. Keep it coming!

What's the estimated date of completion?

They look like having the track done by July but it won't be open to until September because they have to 'fine tune' the system and then do driver training runs with both the Flexies and H class.

I am starting to feel the effects of a busy weekend and the camera especially is running down so no photos tommorrow.

Excellent photo updates Will409. Thanks for all the pics. Here are some from today just before they opened North Tce back up. I am very happy to see the road will be getting resurfaced. I thought they may just do the tramline and some basic resurfacing near it. Luckily they are going the whole way. Interesting to see parts of the track not completely concreted. I think they may be using paving treatments to differentiate the tracks from the road (apart from the concrete). At least that is what the brochures have said. Very impressed so far, I love this project, it really is history making for Adelaide.

You will all no doubt be aware that the next stage of the track laying will be done next weekend on the other North Terrace section. This one promises to be interesting and I will explain why. The old system had the track mainly laid in tarmac but the section of track outside of Adelaide railway station was laid in mass concrete. Not only that but in addition to the double track mainline, there was also a small siding. No one knows whether the track was removed in 1958 or not. A lot of track may have to be removed before the new one goes in! Considering that when the water main on North Terrace burst in January and they found some of the old system in the road, it is not out of the question to find some relics of the MTT in North Terrace.

Also, pavement will be used on the tramline. If you have a look at the public works document, it will explain what is being used and how it is going to be arranged.

One last thing, thank you for filling in for me urbanSG while I put my feet up for today.