Port Dock railway station, Adelaide
Encyclopedia
Port Dock railway station was located in the commercial centre of Port Adelaide, South Australia at the corner of St Vincent Street and Lipson Street. This station was the original terminus of the railway between Adelaide
and Port Adelaide
, which opened in 1856.
Since closure in 1981, the site of the passenger station has been redeveloped as the Port Adelaide Police Station and Magistrates' Court. The former goods yard, adjacent to Lipson Street, is now occupied by the National Railway Museum - Port Adelaide
.
in April 1856 and for the first sixty years until 1916, it was the only railway station in town and known simply as Port Adelaide. The original station was quite an impressive structure, with a large curved roof over the platforms. Facing St Vincent Street was a two-storey stone building, which also included a tower. The two side platforms were about 120-150 metres in length each, and the platform architecture was the same as the platforms at the Bowden and Alberton
stations.
In February 1868 a direct line was built from Dry Creek to Port Adelaide to allow goods and minerals from the state’s mid-north and the Murray River
to reach the Port directly, without needing to travel via Adelaide.
In 1878 a railway was opened from Port Adelaide to Semaphore
. This followed a different route to today’s line as far as Glanville. The Semaphore line emerged from the western side of Port Adelaide station, travelled down the middle of St Vincent Street and crossed the Port River via the Jervois Bridge before curving to join the current alignment of the Outer Harbor line into Glanville station. Steam trains travelled through Port Adelaide’s commercial centre at walking speed, with the locomotive crew ringing a bell. Even at that time this arrangement was unsatisfactory for both local citizens and the railway operators, and can hardly be imagined today when St Vincent Street is a semi-permanent traffic jam of heavy trucks, cars and commercial vehicles.
By the end of the 19th Century the goods yard had become very busy with materials being imported and exported from South Australia via Port Adelaide and there was a large engine shed and turntable to service the various steam locomotives working in the area.
A number of railway lines extended from the station yard via city streets to the wharves and various private sidings. Occasional passenger boat trains also travelled directly to the wharves, transferring passengers to and from ocean-going ships which berthed in the inner harbour at the time.
Congestion around Port Adelaide yard resulted in the opening of the Rosewater Loop
line in November 1915 and construction of the Commercial Road viaduct which opened in 1916. The viaduct line continued over a new bridge across the Port River and joined the existing line to Semaphore
and Outer Harbor at Glanville. With the new viaduct, a high level station was opened, called Port Adelaide – Commercial Road. The original Port Adelaide station was re-named Port Dock to differentiate the two.
After 1916 the frequent trains to/from Adelaide mostly continued through to Semaphore
or Outer Harbor via the new line and Commercial Road became the Port’s main railway station. Port Dock continued to be served by irregular trains from Adelaide and peak hour workings to Dry Creek via the Rosewater Loop.
By the second half of the 20th century, the various lines leading through the streets to the wharves were cut back. Wharf access was firstly restricted to the Canal branch, then disconnected completely. The boat train traffic was all transferred to Outer Harbor and in due course was also eliminated.
Port Dock Station became something of a backwater. The original buildings and remains of the overall roof were removed in 1963 and replaced with new buildings in the utilitarian style of that era. The station platforms were rebuilt to a length of about 70-80 metres to accommodate a maximum of three railcars, although it was very rare for a 3-car set to terminate at Port Dock, and it was unknown if a 2000-2100 class railcar set ever terminated at the station.
Port Dock station was finally closed on 13 September 1981, with the last train being a 3-car Redhen railcar set. The station platforms were removed in 1987 during the building of the National Railway Museum just south.
Happily, from a rail enthusiast’s point-of-view, the redundant sidings and goods sheds were re-developed as a Bicentennial Project to house the former Mile End Railway Museum. The National Railway Museum - Port Adelaide
opened on its site in Lipson Street on 10 December 1988, and is operating successfully there today.
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...
and Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide is a suburb of Adelaide lying about 14 kilometres northwest of the City of Adelaide. It lies within the City of Port Adelaide Enfield and is the main port for the city of Adelaide...
, which opened in 1856.
Since closure in 1981, the site of the passenger station has been redeveloped as the Port Adelaide Police Station and Magistrates' Court. The former goods yard, adjacent to Lipson Street, is now occupied by the National Railway Museum - Port Adelaide
National Railway Museum (Port Adelaide)
thumb|Conference dinner being held in the rollingstock pavilionThe National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide, South Australia, is the current site of the Port Dock Station Railway Museum's vast Australian Railway Collection.- History :...
.
History
The station was opened with the line from AdelaideAdelaide
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...
in April 1856 and for the first sixty years until 1916, it was the only railway station in town and known simply as Port Adelaide. The original station was quite an impressive structure, with a large curved roof over the platforms. Facing St Vincent Street was a two-storey stone building, which also included a tower. The two side platforms were about 120-150 metres in length each, and the platform architecture was the same as the platforms at the Bowden and Alberton
Alberton railway station, Adelaide
Alberton railway station is on the suburban rail route from Adelaide to Port Adelaide and Outer Harbor. Alberton is from Adelaide. The Fussel Street crossing not far from Alberton Station has the Caution More Than One Train Lights...
stations.
In February 1868 a direct line was built from Dry Creek to Port Adelaide to allow goods and minerals from the state’s mid-north and the Murray River
Murray River
The Murray River is Australia's longest river. At in length, the Murray rises in the Australian Alps, draining the western side of Australia's highest mountains and, for most of its length, meanders across Australia's inland plains, forming the border between New South Wales and Victoria as it...
to reach the Port directly, without needing to travel via Adelaide.
In 1878 a railway was opened from Port Adelaide to Semaphore
Semaphore, South Australia
Semaphore is a north-western seaside suburb of Adelaide of the LeFevre Peninsula 14km from the CBD, in the state of South Australia, Australia and falls under the City of Port Adelaide Enfield. It is adjacent to Semaphore South, Glanville, Exeter and Largs Bay. The postcode for Semaphore is 5019...
. This followed a different route to today’s line as far as Glanville. The Semaphore line emerged from the western side of Port Adelaide station, travelled down the middle of St Vincent Street and crossed the Port River via the Jervois Bridge before curving to join the current alignment of the Outer Harbor line into Glanville station. Steam trains travelled through Port Adelaide’s commercial centre at walking speed, with the locomotive crew ringing a bell. Even at that time this arrangement was unsatisfactory for both local citizens and the railway operators, and can hardly be imagined today when St Vincent Street is a semi-permanent traffic jam of heavy trucks, cars and commercial vehicles.
By the end of the 19th Century the goods yard had become very busy with materials being imported and exported from South Australia via Port Adelaide and there was a large engine shed and turntable to service the various steam locomotives working in the area.
A number of railway lines extended from the station yard via city streets to the wharves and various private sidings. Occasional passenger boat trains also travelled directly to the wharves, transferring passengers to and from ocean-going ships which berthed in the inner harbour at the time.
Congestion around Port Adelaide yard resulted in the opening of the Rosewater Loop
Dry Creek to Port Adelaide railway
The Dry Creek to Port Adelaide railway is an east – west line running through Adelaide’s north-western suburbs. The line is controlled by ARTC and is an important link between Port Adelaide, Pelican Point and the main interstate rail routes which link Adelaide with Melbourne, Perth, Darwin and...
line in November 1915 and construction of the Commercial Road viaduct which opened in 1916. The viaduct line continued over a new bridge across the Port River and joined the existing line to Semaphore
Semaphore, South Australia
Semaphore is a north-western seaside suburb of Adelaide of the LeFevre Peninsula 14km from the CBD, in the state of South Australia, Australia and falls under the City of Port Adelaide Enfield. It is adjacent to Semaphore South, Glanville, Exeter and Largs Bay. The postcode for Semaphore is 5019...
and Outer Harbor at Glanville. With the new viaduct, a high level station was opened, called Port Adelaide – Commercial Road. The original Port Adelaide station was re-named Port Dock to differentiate the two.
After 1916 the frequent trains to/from Adelaide mostly continued through to Semaphore
Semaphore, South Australia
Semaphore is a north-western seaside suburb of Adelaide of the LeFevre Peninsula 14km from the CBD, in the state of South Australia, Australia and falls under the City of Port Adelaide Enfield. It is adjacent to Semaphore South, Glanville, Exeter and Largs Bay. The postcode for Semaphore is 5019...
or Outer Harbor via the new line and Commercial Road became the Port’s main railway station. Port Dock continued to be served by irregular trains from Adelaide and peak hour workings to Dry Creek via the Rosewater Loop.
By the second half of the 20th century, the various lines leading through the streets to the wharves were cut back. Wharf access was firstly restricted to the Canal branch, then disconnected completely. The boat train traffic was all transferred to Outer Harbor and in due course was also eliminated.
Port Dock Station became something of a backwater. The original buildings and remains of the overall roof were removed in 1963 and replaced with new buildings in the utilitarian style of that era. The station platforms were rebuilt to a length of about 70-80 metres to accommodate a maximum of three railcars, although it was very rare for a 3-car set to terminate at Port Dock, and it was unknown if a 2000-2100 class railcar set ever terminated at the station.
Port Dock station was finally closed on 13 September 1981, with the last train being a 3-car Redhen railcar set. The station platforms were removed in 1987 during the building of the National Railway Museum just south.
Happily, from a rail enthusiast’s point-of-view, the redundant sidings and goods sheds were re-developed as a Bicentennial Project to house the former Mile End Railway Museum. The National Railway Museum - Port Adelaide
National Railway Museum (Port Adelaide)
thumb|Conference dinner being held in the rollingstock pavilionThe National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide, South Australia, is the current site of the Port Dock Station Railway Museum's vast Australian Railway Collection.- History :...
opened on its site in Lipson Street on 10 December 1988, and is operating successfully there today.
See also
- List of closed Adelaide railway stations
- National Railway Museum - Port AdelaideNational Railway Museum (Port Adelaide)thumb|Conference dinner being held in the rollingstock pavilionThe National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide, South Australia, is the current site of the Port Dock Station Railway Museum's vast Australian Railway Collection.- History :...