Penfield railway line, Adelaide
Encyclopedia
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...
which was used mainly for industrial
Industry
Industry refers to the production of an economic good or service within an economy.-Industrial sectors:There are four key industrial economic sectors: the primary sector, largely raw material extraction industries such as mining and farming; the secondary sector, involving refining, construction,...
purposes in the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
years. It started just north of the Salisbury station on the Gawler line
Gawler railway line, Adelaide
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.- History :...
. The line then went north west and then turned north through Defence Science and Technology Organisation
Defence Science and Technology Organisation
The Defence Science and Technology Organisation is a branch of the Australian Department of Defence which researches and develops technologies for use in the Australian defence industry....
(DSTO) in Edinburgh
Edinburgh, South Australia
Edinburgh is a northern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is an industrial suburb dominated by RAAF Base Edinburgh and DSTO Edinburgh.It was split from the suburb of Salisbury in 1997 when the Department of Defence decided to rationalise the then "DSTO Salisbury" site and sell off about 70%...
. It serviced four stations; Hilra, Penfield 1, Penfield 2, and Penfield 3. It was double track
Double track
A double track railway usually involves running one track in each direction, compared to a single track railway where trains in both directions share the same track.- Overview :...
for the whole length. The line had a balloon loop
Balloon loop
A balloon loop or turning loop allows a rail vehicle or train to reverse direction without having to shunt or even stop. Balloon loops can be useful for passenger trains and unit freight trains, such as coal trains....
for trains to go the other way. The line was closed and dismantled in 1991.
History
The line opened in 1941 to service various World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
armaments factories at Penfield
Penfield, South Australia
Penfield is a northern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia in the City of Playford.-References:...
. As it was built for industrial purposes, sidings branched off both the Up and Down tracks at many locations. The largest siding went as far as the RAAF base at Edinburgh
RAAF Base Edinburgh
RAAF Base Edinburgh is located in Edinburgh, 25km north of the centre of Adelaide.It is primarily home to No 92 Wing's AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft that conduct surveillance operations throughout Australia's airspace....
. During the war years this branch line was used by many passenger trains carrying workers to the munitions factories in the area. This was necessary because 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...
was still a semi-rural community at the time and most of the workforce had to be brought in from other districts.
A more limited peak hour service to Penfield continued after the war, serving staff at the government Weapons Research Establishment later to become the Defence Science and Technology Organisation
Defence Science and Technology Organisation
The Defence Science and Technology Organisation is a branch of the Australian Department of Defence which researches and develops technologies for use in the Australian defence industry....
(DSTO).
The balloon loop
Balloon loop
A balloon loop or turning loop allows a rail vehicle or train to reverse direction without having to shunt or even stop. Balloon loops can be useful for passenger trains and unit freight trains, such as coal trains....
was closed on 8 June 1983 following the derailment
Derailment
A derailment is an accident on a railway or tramway in which a rail vehicle, or part or all of a train, leaves the tracks on which it is travelling, with consequent damage and in many cases injury and/or death....
of a train composed of Redhen railcar
Redhen railcar
A Redhen is a type of diesel railcar, formerly used on the suburban railway system in Adelaide, South Australia. Redhens were the backbone of Adelaide’s metropolitan rail system between the late 1950s and the early 1990s...
s; #319, #870, #318, #330, #869 & #331 while traversing it. Services continued to Penfield 3 on the Down track and returned on the Up track using a crossover located just south of Penfield 3. The Up track beyond Hilra was closed on 14 April 1984 along with most of the sidings. The remaining sidings were closed in 1986, and single track went for the whole length of the branch by the end of the 1980's.
The remaining peak-hour trains were withdrawn from the Penfield branch in January 1991, due to low patronage and the need to fund an upgrade of the worn-out track. The last train to run was on 4 January with a Redhen
Redhen railcar
A Redhen is a type of diesel railcar, formerly used on the suburban railway system in Adelaide, South Australia. Redhens were the backbone of Adelaide’s metropolitan rail system between the late 1950s and the early 1990s...
set consisting of cars 309-311-416-415. The track was dismantled in the same year but about 100-200m of track from Salisbury station was kept so that trains terminating at Salisbury could reverse on it. Since 27 April 2008, trains no longer terminate at Salisbury station; the future of the branch remains uncertain.