Sydney underground railways
Encyclopedia
Sydney, Australia has several sections of underground railway. These sections of railway are extensions of suburban main line services and are not a completely segregated true metro
system. The underground sections, especially the City Circle
, typically have frequent services. The railways are run by CityRail
, an agency of the government of New South Wales
.
There are also plans for:
There were previously plans for other lines, such as:
From the top of the northern stair to platform 10 at Redfern Station it is possible to view the unfinished structure for the low-level "up" (toward Central) Southern Suburbs platform. The associated never-used tunnels are quite complex. Immediately to your left is the (surface level) stub tunnel for the "down" Southern Suburbs track. This short tunnel exits on the northern side of Lawson Street road bridge. As a matter of interest, there are at least nine railway tunnels under the suburb of Redfern: some in use, some never used.
The never-used platforms at Central, numbered 26 and 27, lie above the Eastern Suburbs Railway platforms and have never been used for trains. Like St. James station, these stations have stub tunnels, although they are much shorter.
There are three tunnels formerly part of the Metropolitan Goods Lines. One runs underneath Railway Square, between the Central station railway yards and the Powerhouse Museum
, the others underneath Pyrmont
and Glebe
. The first tunnel is now only used to service the Powerhouse Museum. The former railway from the Powerhouse Museum
to Lilyfield, including Pyrmont and Glebe tunnels, has been converted to form part of the Metro Light Rail
line from Central station.
Also of interest is a tunnel connecting the Eveleigh rail yards, on the southern side of the main line, to the northern side of the main line, running beneath Redfern station. This tunnel remains in use for the transfer of empty trains from Central (terminal) station to the service centre.
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
system. The underground sections, especially the City Circle
City Circle
The City Circle is a system of largely underground passenger railway lines located in the central business district of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, that make up the heart of the Sydney passenger railway network. The lines are owned by RailCorp, a New South Wales government agency, and...
, typically have frequent services. The railways are run by CityRail
CityRail
CityRail is an operating brand of RailCorp, a corporation owned by the state government of New South Wales, Australia. It is responsible for providing commuter rail services, and some coach services, in and around Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, the three largest cities of New South Wales. It is...
, an agency of the government of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
.
Underground lines
Sydney has four underground lines.- The oldest is the main city loop, the City CircleCity CircleThe City Circle is a system of largely underground passenger railway lines located in the central business district of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, that make up the heart of the Sydney passenger railway network. The lines are owned by RailCorp, a New South Wales government agency, and...
, which runs between CentralCentral railway station, SydneyCentral Railway Station, the largest railway station in Australia, is at the southern end of the Sydney CBD. It services almost all the lines on the CityRail network, and is the major terminus for interurban and interstate rail services...
, Town Hall, WynyardWynyard railway station, SydneyWynyard is a major underground CityRail station in the central business district of Sydney, Australia, 2.05 km from Central. Wynyard averages 108000 passenger movements per day Monday to Friday.-History:The station opened on 28 February 1932...
, Circular Quay, St James and Museum stations. Central and Circular Quay are above-ground stations (Circular Quay is elevated, directly underneath the Cahill Expressway), while the remainder are below ground. The City Circle was built in stages. The first stations to open were St. James and Museum, in 1926. Next was the "western limb" through Town Hall and Wynyard, which opened in 1932, in conjunction with the opening of the Sydney Harbour BridgeSydney Harbour BridgeThe Sydney Harbour Bridge is a steel through arch bridge across Sydney Harbour that carries rail, vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian traffic between the Sydney central business district and the North Shore. The dramatic view of the bridge, the harbour, and the nearby Sydney Opera House is an iconic...
. This section contains four tunnels. Two connect to the Harbour Bridge, while the other two terminated at Wynyard. In 1956 the dead ends at St. James and Wynyard were joined and Circular Quay was opened.
- The second, the Eastern Suburbs line, opened in 1979. It runs between Redfern, Central, Town Hall, Martin Place, Kings CrossKings Cross railway station, Sydney-Transport links:Outbound bus services:*200 - Bondi Junction via Edgecliff*311 - Circular Quay via Elizabeth Bay and Woolloomooloo*323 - Dover Heights via Edgecliff, New South Head Road*324 - Watsons Bay via Edgecliff, New South Head Road...
, Edgecliff, Woollahra (Unused Platforms) and Bondi Junction stations. All these are underground, but there are three above-ground sections, two on viaduct and one in cutting. Most of the platformsRailway platformA railway platform is a section of pathway, alongside rail tracks at a train station, metro station or tram stop, at which passengers may board or alight from trains or trams. Almost all stations for rail transport have some form of platforms, with larger stations having multiple platforms...
at Redfern and Central stations are above ground, including the platforms for the City Circle, but the Eastern Suburbs line is underground. Originally the line was to extend to Kingsford but was finished at Bondi Junction due to a lack on money. There were later plans to extend the Eastern Suburbs line from Bondi Junction to Bondi Beach, but the plans have since fallen through.
- The third underground line is the Airport Line, which opened in 2000, prior to the Sydney Olympics2000 Summer OlympicsThe Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
. This serves Central, Green Square, Mascot, Domestic AirportDomestic railway station, Sydney-Transport links:Sydney Buses runs one route via Domestic Airport Terminal station:*Route 400 - Limited Stops Services - west to Westfield Burwood, east to Bondi Junction Interchange.-See also:* Airport Link Company...
(underneath the Domestic terminal), International AirportInternational railway station, SydneyInternational is an underground railway station which serves the International Terminal of Sydney Airport...
(underneath International terminal at Sydney Airport), and Wolli Creek. After Wolli Creek it joins the above-ground East Hills line at Turrella.
- The newest underground line is the Epping to Chatswood rail link. It links Chatswood to EppingEpping railway station, SydneyEpping railway station is on the Northern Line of the CityRail network in Sydney, Australia. It serves the suburb of Epping, a significant commercial and residential area. Epping is a significant interchange station and is the western terminus of the Epping to Chatswood Line...
, with new underground platforms at Epping and new underground stations at Macquarie University, Macquarie Park and North Ryde. The line was intended to continue from Epping to Parramatta, incorporating the existing Carlingford line, but this section has been postponed indefinitely, though a stub tunnel has been constructed at the northern end of Epping station.
There are also plans for:
- a metro line between the CBD and RozelleRozelle, New South WalesRozelle is a suburb in the inner west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located 4 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Leichhardt....
- The Metro plan was invested heavily in though it was politically unstable from the outset with strong opposition, all tenders related to the Metro Network were cancelled and is very unlikely to go ahead.
There were previously plans for other lines, such as:
- a new underground lineCBD Relief LineThe CBD Relief Line was a proposed underground railway line through the Sydney central business district. The line was intended to augment the existing city underground network and ease congestion at some of the city's busiest stations...
to travel from CentralCentral railway station, SydneyCentral Railway Station, the largest railway station in Australia, is at the southern end of the Sydney CBD. It services almost all the lines on the CityRail network, and is the major terminus for interurban and interstate rail services...
to Chatswood under the city and the harbour. - A new metro line to extend from Epping to Castle HillCastle Hill, New South WalesCastle Hill is a suburb in the north-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Castle Hill is located 31 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district, in the Hills District of the Greater Western Sydney region...
, and possibly later to the new development underway between St James and Rouse Hill known as the North West MetroNorth West MetroNorth West Metro was a proposal for a rail link from the north west suburbs of Sydney, Australia to the Sydney CBD. It would have connected Rouse Hill with Epping and the Sydney CBD...
. - A metro railway line that would start at St James, continue through to the CBD and onwards to Maroubra. Its tentative name was the "South East Metro"
Disused tunnels
Sydney has several disused tunnels. The best known of these are those leading out of St James station. There are also two instances of disused tunnels and platforms on the Eastern Suburbs line at Redfern and Central (see below). These stations have these disused platforms adjacent (but walled off from) the platforms currently in use. There are also stub tunnels at North Sydney railway station for a never constructed Manly to Mona Vale line.From the top of the northern stair to platform 10 at Redfern Station it is possible to view the unfinished structure for the low-level "up" (toward Central) Southern Suburbs platform. The associated never-used tunnels are quite complex. Immediately to your left is the (surface level) stub tunnel for the "down" Southern Suburbs track. This short tunnel exits on the northern side of Lawson Street road bridge. As a matter of interest, there are at least nine railway tunnels under the suburb of Redfern: some in use, some never used.
The never-used platforms at Central, numbered 26 and 27, lie above the Eastern Suburbs Railway platforms and have never been used for trains. Like St. James station, these stations have stub tunnels, although they are much shorter.
There are three tunnels formerly part of the Metropolitan Goods Lines. One runs underneath Railway Square, between the Central station railway yards and the Powerhouse Museum
Powerhouse Museum
The Powerhouse Museum is the major branch of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences in Sydney, the other being the historic Sydney Observatory...
, the others underneath Pyrmont
Pyrmont, New South Wales
Pyrmont is an inner-city suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Pyrmont is located 2 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Sydney...
and Glebe
Glebe, New South Wales
Glebe is an inner-city suburb of Sydney. Glebe is located 3 km south-west of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney, in the Inner West region....
. The first tunnel is now only used to service the Powerhouse Museum. The former railway from the Powerhouse Museum
Powerhouse Museum
The Powerhouse Museum is the major branch of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences in Sydney, the other being the historic Sydney Observatory...
to Lilyfield, including Pyrmont and Glebe tunnels, has been converted to form part of the Metro Light Rail
Metro Light Rail
The Metro Light Rail is the only currently operating light rail line in Sydney. The line opened on 31 August 1997, mostly along the route of an unused goods railway line, to serve the redeveloped inner-city areas of Darling Harbour, Ultimo and Pyrmont, and was extended in 2000 to serve some of...
line from Central station.
Also of interest is a tunnel connecting the Eveleigh rail yards, on the southern side of the main line, to the northern side of the main line, running beneath Redfern station. This tunnel remains in use for the transfer of empty trains from Central (terminal) station to the service centre.