Gawler railway line, Adelaide
Encyclopedia
The Gawler Central line is a suburban commuter railway line in the city of Adelaide
, South Australia
. It is the only rail route in Adelaide to have no interchange with another line at any station except Adelaide.
resources at Kapunda and Burra
, as well as to provide passenger and freight services
to the new town of Gawler
. The construction of the standard gauge line to the west now carries the majority of freight, but there is still a regular "stone train" running to the quarries north of Angaston. Originally running through rural land, the line is now surrounded by suburbs and has developed into a suburban commuter line. The line is three tracks between Adelaide and Salisbury (two broad gauge and one standard gauge), two tracks between Salisbury and Gawler (both broad gauge), and a single broad gauge track between Gawler and Gawler Central. The line to Angaston continues on from Gawler Central; this is the only broad gauge freight line remaining in operation in South Australia.
When delivering the 2008 South Australian State Budget, Treasurer Kevin Foley
announced a $116 million dollar plan to re-bed, re-sleeper and re-rail the Gawler line as part of the Government's 10 year $2 billion plan to revitalise Adelaide's public transport
network. With Federal Government Support the line was planned to be electrified by 2013. This was in addition to plans for the electrification
of the Outer Harbor and Noarlunga lines, and the extension of the Glenelg Tramline
.
north via the major suburbs of Mawson Lakes, Salisbury
, Elizabeth
and Smithfield
to the satellite city (town) Gawler
on the outer northern metropolitan fringe. The line is approx 42.2 kilometres in length and is currently the longest of the Adelaide suburban railway lines.
Like the rest of the Adelaide suburban passenger rail network, the line is broad gauge
(1600 mm) for its entire length. The ARTC
mainline (standard gauge) runs parallel to the route from the Gaol Triangle as far as Salisbury, then turns north west towards Virginia
and Two Wells
.
and the average service takes about 50 minutes to run the entire length.
On Monday, 28 April 2008, new timetables were introduced on the Gawler Central line in an effort by the South Australian Government and TransAdelaide
to boost efficiency on the line. Shorter secondary services that terminated at Dry Creek
and Salisbury were withdrawn, new limited express services introduced, and a new 'Hi-Frequency' station policy adopted.
Under this policy, "Hi-Frequency" stations have services every 15 minutes during off-peak and peak times, while all other stations receive 30 minute intervals during both periods. This is in addition to several peak hour 'express' services that stop at only major stations such as Mawson Interchange, Salisbury, Elizabeth, Smithfield and Gawler.
Weekend services operate with 30 minute frequency, and every second train runs express between Adelaide and Dry Creek. Evening/Night services are hourly and stop at all station with the exception of North Adelaide
. Until April 2008, most services along the line were operated by 3000 class railcar
s. However with the introduction of the new timetable, 2000 class railcar
s ("Jumbos") are now more frequent, especially during peak hour.
All services either start or terminate their journey at Gawler or Gawler Central stations.
mainline running parallel from near the Adelaide Station to Salisbury. This line is standard gauge
and does not affect the operation of the suburban lines. Pacific National
, Specialised Container Transport
, and Great Southern Railway
are some of the major operators, with the latter operating the Indian Pacific and The Ghan passenger trains along this section.
Broad gauge
freight can also be seen along the line, a rare thing in today's South Australia. Genesee and Wyoming Australia
operate the 'Stonie' along the suburban tracks from Penrice
in the Barossa Valley
and grain trains from Roseworthy
to the Rosewater Loop (Dry Creek-Port Adelaide line), however no freight trains have been seen along the route to Roseworthy since 2007.
in the Adelaide city centre
, to make way for the new Royal Adelaide Hospital
. Railcar maintenance, washing, stabling and refuelling facilities from North Terrace were relocated to alternative sites along the rail network.
These facilities were designed to cater for both diesel and electric railcar
s and allow for conversion to standard gauge track. They have been designed to ensure capacity for future expansion.
The proposal dated 25 November 2008 involves a Dry Creek Railcar Depot covering an area of approximately 12 hectares, with a perimeter boundary of 3,500 metres and containing approximately 10 kilometres of rail track.
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
. It is the only rail route in Adelaide to have no interchange with another line at any station except Adelaide.
History
The line was constructed in 1857-58 to connect the Adelaide with copperCopper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
resources at Kapunda and Burra
Burra
West Burra is one of the Scalloway Islands, a subgroup of the Shetland Islands in Scotland. It is connected by bridge to East Burra. With an area of , it is the eleventh largest of the Shetland Islands.-Geography:...
, as well as to provide passenger and freight services
Freight train
A freight train or goods train is a group of freight cars or goods wagons hauled by one or more locomotives on a railway, ultimately transporting cargo between two points as part of the logistics chain...
to the new town of Gawler
Gawler, South Australia
Gawler is the first country town in the state of South Australia, and is named after the second Governor of the colony of South Australia, George Gawler. It is located north of the centre of the state capital, Adelaide, and is close to the major wine producing district of the Barossa Valley...
. The construction of the standard gauge line to the west now carries the majority of freight, but there is still a regular "stone train" running to the quarries north of Angaston. Originally running through rural land, the line is now surrounded by suburbs and has developed into a suburban commuter line. The line is three tracks between Adelaide and Salisbury (two broad gauge and one standard gauge), two tracks between Salisbury and Gawler (both broad gauge), and a single broad gauge track between Gawler and Gawler Central. The line to Angaston continues on from Gawler Central; this is the only broad gauge freight line remaining in operation in South Australia.
When delivering the 2008 South Australian State Budget, Treasurer Kevin Foley
Kevin Foley
Kevin Owen Foley , Australian politician, is the current Minister for Industry and Trade and Minister for Federal/State Relations in the Rann Labor government. He previously served as Treasurer of South Australia and Deputy Premier of South Australia from 2002 until his resignation in 2011...
announced a $116 million dollar plan to re-bed, re-sleeper and re-rail the Gawler line as part of the Government's 10 year $2 billion plan to revitalise Adelaide's public transport
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
network. With Federal Government Support the line was planned to be electrified by 2013. This was in addition to plans for the electrification
Railway electrification system
A railway electrification system supplies electrical energy to railway locomotives and multiple units as well as trams so that they can operate without having an on-board prime mover. There are several different electrification systems in use throughout the world...
of the Outer Harbor and Noarlunga lines, and the extension of the Glenelg Tramline
Glenelg Tram
The Glenelg Tram is a route from the centre of Adelaide, South Australia to the beach-side suburb of Glenelg. It is Adelaide's only remaining tramway, running at approximately 15-minute intervals, and is part of the integrated Adelaide Metro public transport network...
.
Route
The line runs from the Adelaide Railway StationAdelaide Railway Station
Adelaide Railway Station is the central terminus of the Adelaide Metro railway system. It is at on the north side of North Terrace, west of Parliament House. The Adelaide Casino is in part of the building that is no longer required for the station....
north via the major suburbs of Mawson Lakes, Salisbury
Salisbury, South Australia
Salisbury is a northern suburb in Adelaide, South Australia. It is the seat of the City of Salisbury, and in the South Australian Legislative Assembly electoral district of Ramsay and the Australian House of Representatives divisions of Wakefield and Port Adelaide...
, Elizabeth
Elizabeth, South Australia
Elizabeth is a northern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is located in the City of Playford.-History:Elizabeth was established in 1955 as part of a planned satellite town by the South Australian Housing Trust on rural land between the older towns of Salisbury and...
and Smithfield
Smithfield, South Australia
Smithfield is a suburb in the northern outskirts of Adelaide, South Australia. It is in the City of Playford.Gawler Plains Post Office opened on 12 July 1850 and was renamed Smithfield in 1855.-References:...
to the satellite city (town) Gawler
Gawler, South Australia
Gawler is the first country town in the state of South Australia, and is named after the second Governor of the colony of South Australia, George Gawler. It is located north of the centre of the state capital, Adelaide, and is close to the major wine producing district of the Barossa Valley...
on the outer northern metropolitan fringe. The line is approx 42.2 kilometres in length and is currently the longest of the Adelaide suburban railway lines.
Like the rest of the Adelaide suburban passenger rail network, the line is broad gauge
Broad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
(1600 mm) for its entire length. The ARTC
Australian Rail Track Corporation
Australian Rail Track Corporation is a federal government owned corporation established in 1997 that owns, leases, maintains and controls the majority of main line standard gauge railway lines on the mainland of Australia, known as the Defined Interstate Rail Network .-History:The Interstate...
mainline (standard gauge) runs parallel to the route from the Gaol Triangle as far as Salisbury, then turns north west towards Virginia
Virginia, South Australia
Virginia is a suburb on the rural outskirts of Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia. Port Wakefield Road, the main highway taking traffic to the north of Adelaide, passes through the area. Market gardening is the main activity there.-References:...
and Two Wells
Two Wells, South Australia
Two Wells is a town approximately 40km north of Adelaide South Australia. The first settlers in the area used two aboriginal wells in the area as a freshwater source. The town was officially named on 21 June 1990...
.
Services
All suburban passenger services are provided by TransAdelaideTransAdelaide
TransAdelaide was a publicly owned corporation which provided suburban train and tram services in Adelaide, South Australia, under contract to the Government of South Australia....
and the average service takes about 50 minutes to run the entire length.
On Monday, 28 April 2008, new timetables were introduced on the Gawler Central line in an effort by the South Australian Government and TransAdelaide
TransAdelaide
TransAdelaide was a publicly owned corporation which provided suburban train and tram services in Adelaide, South Australia, under contract to the Government of South Australia....
to boost efficiency on the line. Shorter secondary services that terminated at Dry Creek
Dry Creek, South Australia
Dry Creek is a mostly industrial suburb located north of Adelaide, containing significant wetlands and a substantial area devoted to salt crystallization pans, managed by Cheltenham Salt Limited....
and Salisbury were withdrawn, new limited express services introduced, and a new 'Hi-Frequency' station policy adopted.
Under this policy, "Hi-Frequency" stations have services every 15 minutes during off-peak and peak times, while all other stations receive 30 minute intervals during both periods. This is in addition to several peak hour 'express' services that stop at only major stations such as Mawson Interchange, Salisbury, Elizabeth, Smithfield and Gawler.
Weekend services operate with 30 minute frequency, and every second train runs express between Adelaide and Dry Creek. Evening/Night services are hourly and stop at all station with the exception of North Adelaide
North Adelaide
North Adelaide is a predominantly residential precinct of the City of Adelaide in South Australia, situated north of the River Torrens and within the Adelaide Park Lands.-History:...
. Until April 2008, most services along the line were operated by 3000 class railcar
3000 class railcar
The "3000" class railcar is the main workhorse of TransAdelaide's suburban passenger operations in Adelaide, South Australia. There are two variants: 3000 series, featuring a cab at each end, and 3100 series with one cab....
s. However with the introduction of the new timetable, 2000 class railcar
2000 class railcar
The "2000" class railcars are self-propelled diesel railcars which are used by TransAdelaide on the Adelaide metropolitan rail network. The body shell design was based on the Budd SPV2000, Metroliner and Amfleet cars but the 2000 class railcars have a slightly different curve to the Amfleet. They...
s ("Jumbos") are now more frequent, especially during peak hour.
All services either start or terminate their journey at Gawler or Gawler Central stations.
Freight
Freight is still a major factor along this transport corridor, with the ARTCAustralian Rail Track Corporation
Australian Rail Track Corporation is a federal government owned corporation established in 1997 that owns, leases, maintains and controls the majority of main line standard gauge railway lines on the mainland of Australia, known as the Defined Interstate Rail Network .-History:The Interstate...
mainline running parallel from near the Adelaide Station to Salisbury. This line is standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
and does not affect the operation of the suburban lines. Pacific National
Pacific National
Pacific National is one of Australia's largest private rail freight businesses. Originally a joint venture between Patrick Corporation and Toll Holdings; it is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Asciano Limited following the restructure of Toll Holdings....
, Specialised Container Transport
Specialised Container Transport
SCT Logistics is an interstate transport company in Australia, with facilities in Melbourne, Adelaide, Parkes, and Perth. The company was founded in 1974.- History :...
, and Great Southern Railway
Great Southern Railway
Great Southern Railway can refer to:* Great Southern Railway - tourism and rail operator* Great Southern Railway - Former railway serving the South Gippsland region in Victoria, Australia...
are some of the major operators, with the latter operating the Indian Pacific and The Ghan passenger trains along this section.
Broad gauge
Broad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
freight can also be seen along the line, a rare thing in today's South Australia. Genesee and Wyoming Australia
Genesee and Wyoming Australia
Genesee and Wyoming Australia is an Australian rail freight operator based in Adelaide, South Australia. It is a 100 percent owned subsidiary of Genesee and Wyoming Inc based in the USA, and was formed in June 2006 to run the South Australian operations of the Australian Railroad Group joint...
operate the 'Stonie' along the suburban tracks from Penrice
Penrice, South Australia
Penrice is a small town in the Barossa Valley of South Australia, just north of Angaston. It is the site of a large limestone and marble quarry operated by Penrice Soda Products.Penrice was named by Captain Rodda after Penrice, a town in Glamorganshire, Wales...
in the Barossa Valley
Barossa Valley
The Barossa Valley is a major wine-producing region and tourist destination of South Australia, located 60 km northeast of Adelaide. It is the valley formed by the North Para River, and the Barossa Valley Way is the main road through the valley, connecting the main towns on the valley floor of...
and grain trains from Roseworthy
Roseworthy, South Australia
Roseworthy is a small town in South Australia, about 10 km north of Gawler. At the 2006 census, Roseworthy had a population of 668.Roseworthy has a large grain storage facility consisting of both storage silos and bunkers for grain grown in the surrounding areas, and grain is collected by rail to...
to the Rosewater Loop (Dry Creek-Port Adelaide line), however no freight trains have been seen along the route to Roseworthy since 2007.
Rail Car Depot Relocation project
The RCDR project was a South Australian Government infrastructure project to relocate the railcar depot facilities from the north side of the west end of North TerraceNorth Terrace, Adelaide
North Terrace is one of the four terraces that bound the central business and residential district of the city of Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia. It runs east-west, along the northern edge of the CBD.-North Side of North Terrace:...
in the Adelaide city centre
Adelaide city centre
The Adelaide city centre is the innermost locality of Greater Adelaide, known by locals simply as "The City" or "Town". The locality is split into two key geographical distinctions: the city "square mile", bordered by North, East, South and West Terraces; and that part of the Adelaide Parklands...
, to make way for the new Royal Adelaide Hospital
Royal Adelaide Hospital
The Royal Adelaide Hospital is Adelaide's largest hospital, with 680 beds. Founded in 1840, the Royal Adelaide provides tertiary health care services for South Australia and provides secondary care clinical services to residents of Adelaide's city centre and inner suburbs.The hospital is situated...
. Railcar maintenance, washing, stabling and refuelling facilities from North Terrace were relocated to alternative sites along the rail network.
- Dry CreekDry Creek, South AustraliaDry Creek is a mostly industrial suburb located north of Adelaide, containing significant wetlands and a substantial area devoted to salt crystallization pans, managed by Cheltenham Salt Limited....
- has become the major maintenance and re-fuelling facility plus stabling capacity for at least 70 railcars with scope for expansion in the future. - Lonsdale, South AustraliaLonsdale, South AustraliaLonsdale is an industrial suburb located south of Adelaide, South Australia, within the City of Onkaparinga.Lonsdale was farmed from shortly after European settlement until the 1950s, when the South Australian Housing Trust acquired much of the land for industrial use...
- has been expanded to provide stabling for up to 30 railcars with scope for future expansion.
These facilities were designed to cater for both diesel and electric railcar
Railcar
A railcar, in British English and Australian English, is a self-propelled railway vehicle designed to transport passengers. The term "railcar" is usually used in reference to a train consisting of a single coach , with a driver's cab at one or both ends. Some railways, e.g., the Great Western...
s and allow for conversion to standard gauge track. They have been designed to ensure capacity for future expansion.
The proposal dated 25 November 2008 involves a Dry Creek Railcar Depot covering an area of approximately 12 hectares, with a perimeter boundary of 3,500 metres and containing approximately 10 kilometres of rail track.