Seaford railway line

Seaford railway line
	A-City at Clarence Park.
Overview
Type	Commuter rail
Locale	Adelaide, South Australia
Termini	Adelaide; Seaford
Stations	24
Operation
Opened	1913 (to Marino); 1974 (to Hallett Cove Beach); 1976 (to Christie Downs); 1978 (to Noarlunga Centre); 2014 (to Seaford);
Operator(s)	Adelaide Metro
Rolling stock	3000/3100 class; A-City 4000;
Events
Re-sleepered; (concrete)	2009–2011
Electrified	January 2013–14
Technical
Line length	35.9 km (22.3 mi)
Number of tracks	2
Track gauge	1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)
Electrification	25 kV AC overhead
Route map
	Cross Road (level crossing)
	South Road (overpass)
	Hallett Cove (original; closed 1974)
	Willunga line via Reynella and Morphett Vale (closed 1969)

The Seaford railway line is a suburban commuter line in Adelaide, South Australia.

History

Before the extension of the line to Noarlunga Centre in 1978, the Willunga line ran from Hallett Cove station on a different route through Reynella, Morphett Vale and Hackham to Willunga (south-east of Noarlunga). It closed in 1969 and in September 1972 a track-removal train removed the tracks, and for six years Noarlunga had no train service.

The South Australian Railways and its successor, the State Transport Authority, extended the current railway southwards in stages from Hallett Cove to cater for increasing residential development in the southern area. Opening dates for passenger services were: Hallett Cove Beach on 30 June 1974; Christie Downs on 25 January 1976 (This was a temporary terminus just north of Beach Road and adjacent to Hyacinth Crescent, and was in a different location to the current Christie Downs station, which opened in November 1981.); Noarlunga Centre on 2 April 1978; and Seaford on 23 February 2014.

Prior to 2014, most trains were operated by 3000 class railcars augmented at times by 2000 class railcars. Since the electrification of the line, the latter are no longer authorised to operate on the line.^[1] Most services are now operated by A-City electric multiple units. A number of railcars needed for peak-hour services are now stabled overnight in secure sidings at Port Stanvac, north of Lonsdale station, and at a much bigger facility adjacent to Seaford Meadows. The last freight trains on the line, to and from Port Stanvac Refinery, ceased in the late 1990s.

Re-sleepering and electrification

In 2008, the State Government announced a plan to upgrade and electrify the Seaford line with the Federal Government also to provide funding.^[2] In December 2009, Stage 1 of the Noarlunga line upgrade was completed between Adelaide and Brighton.^[3] This work saw the track removed, with the track bed and track renewed. Dual gauge sleepers were laid to allow for the line to be converted to standard gauge at a future date. Stage 2 commenced in February 2011 with the line closed for six months and continued the upgrade works between Oaklands and Noarlunga.^[4] Most stations (Brighton, Seacliff, Marino, Marino Rocks and Lonsdale) received a minor upgrade due to the presence of asbestos in many station shelters, necessitating their replacement.

On 2 January 2013, the line closed to allow for its electrification and extension, with trains being replaced by bus services.^[5] Rail services resumed on 1 December 2013.^[6] The completed project was opened by the South Australian Transport and Infrastructure Minister Tom Koutsantonis on 18 January 2014.^[7] Electric train services commenced in February 2014 after testing was completed on the line.^[8]^[9] At the time only four A-City electric multiple units had entered service, so most services continued to be operated by 3000 class railcars.

Seaford extension

A Seaford train travels over the viaduct that spans the Onkaparinga River.

In 2005, the State Government announced the line would be extended 5.5 kilometres to the southern suburb of Seaford. The plan was cancelled in December 2007 after a study concluded that the extension could not be justified. The government announced that it would retain the corridor to Aldinga for a possible extension further south in the future.^[10] In July 2008, a feasibility study was commissioned by the government into extending the line.^[11] This extension was given approval after the Federal Government announced a $291 million investment in the project as part of the 2009/10 Federal Budget.^[12]

Construction started in 2011 with the extension opening on 23 February 2014.^[8]^[9] The extension included a new 1.2 kilometre elevated rail bridge over the Onkaparinga River, a rail bridge over Old Honeypot Drive, and new railway stations at Seaford Meadows and Seaford. New road bridges were also constructed over the extension at Goldsmith Drive, Seaford Road and Lynton Terrace.^[13]^[14]^[15]^[16]^[17]

Route

The line runs south from Adelaide station paralleling the Belair line as far as Goodwood. It then branches off in a south-west direction through the suburbs of Edwardstown, Oaklands Park and Marion to the coast at Brighton, where it turns south towards Noarlunga Centre in the southern suburbs. The line was known as the Marino and Hallett Cove line when it finished at Hallett Cove. Most trains terminated at Marino, with only about a quarter going to Hallett Cove.

Like the rest of the Adelaide network, the line is broad gauge. Dual gauge sleepers have been laid to allow for the line to be converted to standard gauge at a future date.^[18] The line is 35.9 kilometres long and is the second longest of the Adelaide suburban railway lines. The line is double track throughout. The Australian Rail Track Corporation standard-gauge main line passes over the line just south of Goodwood station, and the Tonsley line branches off south of Woodlands Park.

Line guide

Parking / Park ‘n’ Ride / Hi Frequency

Station	Opened	Additional information
Seaford	2014-02-23	Interchange; terminus 2014–present Bus transfer: 745, 747
Seaford Meadows	2014-02-23
Noarlunga Centre	1978-04-02	Interchange; terminus 1978-2014 Bus transfer: 721 T721 722 724 725 741 743 744 745 747 751 756
Christie Downs	1976-01-25	Station relocated in 1981
Lonsdale	1976
Hallett Cove Beach	1974-06-30	Bus transfer: 681 682 683
Hallett Cove	1915	Opened as Hallett's Cove; renamed in 1965
Marino Rocks	1915
Marino	1913	Bus transfer: 640
Seacliff	1915
Brighton	1913-11-24
Hove	1914	Opened as North Brighton Station; renamed Middle Brighton Station in 1914; renamed Hove in 1920
Warradale	1956
Oaklands	1913	Station relocated in 2008
Marion	1954-05-26
Ascot Park	1914
Woodlands Park	1925	Transfer: Tonsley line
Edwardstown	1913
Emerson	1928
Clarence Park	1913
Goodwood	1883-03-05	Transfer: Belair line
Adelaide Showground	2014-02-17
Mile End	1898	Opened as Mile End Passenger; renamed Mile End
Adelaide	1865-04-19	Transfer: Gawler, Grange, Outer Harbour lines Tram transfer: Glenelg tram

Former stations

Station	Opened	Additional information
Keswick	1913-04-06	Closed 2013
Mile End Goods	?	Closed 1994
Showground Central	2005	Seasonal usage; closed 2013
South Brighton	?	Closed 1976

Services

3000 class railcar on the Seaford line before it was electrified

Trains to and from Adelaide operate every 10–20 minutes off-peak on weekdays, every 30 minutes on weekends, and hourly in the late evening. Previously, some stations were also serviced by trains from Brighton and from the Tonsley branch line on weekdays.^[19]

Gallery

The now demolished Keswick station, with Great Southern Rail's Adelaide Parklands Terminal in the background
Goodwood station in 2005, with the Glenelg Tram flyover in the background
Woodlands Park station in 2007
Oaklands station
Brighton station
Marino Rocks station
Hallett Cove Beach Station
Noarlunga Centre Interchange, prior to 2014

References

↑ "Limited life for 2000 class Jumbo railcars" Railway Digest January 2015 page 20
↑ 2008/09 State Budget South Australian Department of Treasury & Finance June 2008
↑ Noarlunga Rail Revitalisation Schedule Department of Transport, Energy & Infrastructure
↑ Schedule Department of Planning, Transport & Infrastructure
↑ Noarlunga & Tonsley lines closed Adelaide Metro
↑ "Rail services resume on Noarlunga line" Railway Digest January 2014 page 23
↑ Transport and Infrastructure Minister Tom Koutsantonis turns on new electric Noarlunga train lines Adelaide Advertiser 18 January 2014
1 2 Rail revitalistaion Seaford rail extension Department of Planning, Transport & Infrastructure
1 2 Electrifying opening for the new Seaford line ABC Adelaide 23 February 2014
↑ No rail service for Seaford ABC News 19 December 2007
↑ Government looks at extending Noarlunga, Tonsley rail lines Adelaide Advertiser 3 July 2008
↑ 2009-10 Budget Archived 14 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Federal Government May 2009
↑ Features & benefits Archived 29 March 2014 at Archive.is Department of Planning, Transport & Infrastructure
↑ Seaford rail extension moves forward as planning contracts awarded Anthony Albanese 12 August 2009
↑ Work starts on Seaford rail extension Projectlink 4 September 2009
↑ Seaford Rail Extension Project Adcor Constructions
↑ Seaford Rail Extension Thiess
↑ The gauge problems lives on Archived 29 November 2014 at the Wayback Machine. 21 March 2012
↑ Seaford & Tonsley timetable Adelaide Metro 20 July 2014

External links

Seaford to City - Adelaide Metro website

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.

[1] "Limited life for 2000 class Jumbo railcars" Railway Digest January 2015 page 20

[2] 2008/09 State Budget South Australian Department of Treasury & Finance June 2008

[3] Noarlunga Rail Revitalisation Schedule Department of Transport, Energy & Infrastructure

[4] Schedule Department of Planning, Transport & Infrastructure

[5] Noarlunga & Tonsley lines closed Adelaide Metro

[6] "Rail services resume on Noarlunga line" Railway Digest January 2014 page 23

[7] Transport and Infrastructure Minister Tom Koutsantonis turns on new electric Noarlunga train lines Adelaide Advertiser 18 January 2014

[RR-8] 1 2 Rail revitalistaion Seaford rail extension Department of Planning, Transport & Infrastructure

[ABC23Feb14-9] 1 2 Electrifying opening for the new Seaford line ABC Adelaide 23 February 2014

[10] No rail service for Seaford ABC News 19 December 2007

[11] Government looks at extending Noarlunga, Tonsley rail lines Adelaide Advertiser 3 July 2008

[12] 2009-10 Budget Archived 14 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Federal Government May 2009

[13] Features & benefits Archived 29 March 2014 at Archive.is Department of Planning, Transport & Infrastructure

[14] Seaford rail extension moves forward as planning contracts awarded Anthony Albanese 12 August 2009

[15] Work starts on Seaford rail extension Projectlink 4 September 2009

[16] Seaford Rail Extension Project Adcor Constructions

[17] Seaford Rail Extension Thiess

[18] The gauge problems lives on Archived 29 November 2014 at the Wayback Machine. 21 March 2012

[19] Seaford & Tonsley timetable Adelaide Metro 20 July 2014