Bridgewater railway line | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Overview | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Status | Closed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Locale | Adelaide, South Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Termini | Adelaide Bridgewater | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Stations | 28 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Service | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Type | Commuter rail | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Operator(s) | State Transport Authority | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
History | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Opened | 1883 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Closed | 26 July 1987 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Technical | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Line length | 37.3 km (23.2 mi) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Number of tracks | When closed: 2 (to Belair) 1 (to Bridgewater) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Track gauge | When closed: 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Bridgewater railway line is a former passenger railway service on the Adelaide to Wolseley line in the Adelaide Hills. It was served by suburban services from Adelaide. On 26 July 1987, the service was curtailed to Belair and renamed Belair railway line. In 1995, the Adelaide-Wolseley line was converted to standard gauge as part of the One Nation infrastructure program, disconnecting the abandoned Bridgewater line stations from the broad gauge suburban railway system.
The line from Adelaide to Belair/Bridgewater was opened in 1883, and headed east from Belair parallel to the northern side of Belair National Park. It then turned south through the national park and then turned east again, where the National Park station used to be. It continued east past Long Gully and Nalawort to Upper Sturt, 28.9 km from Adelaide station. Five hundred metres later the track turned north east and continued to Mount Lofty, 31 km from Adelaide. After that it turned south and reached Heathfield (33 km), just after the line turned north east, passing Madurta, then Aldgate (34.5 km). The line continued east, passing Jibilla and Carripook and finally, the line terminated at Bridgewater, 37.3 km by rail from Adelaide.
The Bridgewater line had a fairly steep grade for most of the journey, sometimes resulting in derailments due to the tight bends. Services from Adelaide to Bridgewater usually took an average of one hour (stopping all stations), and about 50 minutes (express). Only one train every two hours operated during off-peak and weekends (most terminating at Belair) and no more than two trains per hour in either direction during peak-hours. This was because the line was single track (which is still the case today) with crossing loops located at Belair, Long Gully, Mount Lofty, Aldgate and Bridgewater.
When the more direct South Eastern Freeway opened in the late 1960s, patronage to Bridgewater declined heavily, as more people had access to cars and the car journey was much quicker and shorter. In 1985, the State Transport Authority sought to have the service withdrawn. The line had 12 services on weekdays, nine on Saturdays and five on Sundays. [1] On 26 July 1987, passenger services to Bridgewater were withdrawn, attributed to high cost of operation and low passenger numbers. All stations beyond Belair were closed, and all suburban trains now terminate at Belair. [2] [3]
In 1995, the Adelaide-Wolseley railway line was converted from broad gauge (1600mm) to standard gauge (1435 mm) ruling out any restoration of local trains to Bridgewater or beyond (until the Belair line is converted to standard gauge, at least). Between Goodwood and Belair, the former double track route became two parallel single lines, one broad gauge for suburban services (owned by the State Government), the other standard gauge for interstate and freight services (owned by the Federal Government). [4] Along with this conversion, stations on the Belair line at Mile End Goods, Millswood (later reopened in 2014), Hawthorn and Clapham closed; the other Belair line stations each had one platform closed.
Services on the Bridgewater line were mainly operated by Redhen railcars, with the 2000 class railcars occasionally used in its final years. Services ran from Adelaide with trains along the line terminating either at Belair or Bridgewater. On special occasions after 1987, such as the Oakbank Easter Racing Carnival held every Easter weekend at Oakbank, trains ran further east to terminate at Balhannah. However, this service ceased prior to the standard gauge conversion, due to the expense of operating the line.[ citation needed ].
(Note: dates are those that are indicated in each individual article)
Station | Image | Opened | Additional information |
---|---|---|---|
Bridgewater | 1880s | Terminus 1857–1987; closed 23 September 1987 | |
Carripook | ? | Closed 23 September 1987 | |
Jibilla | ? | Originally named Halliday's Crossing; closed 23 September 1987 | |
Aldgate | 14 March 1883 | Closed 23 September 1987; crossing loop closed 1995 | |
Madurta | ? | Closed 23 September 1987 | |
Heathfield | ? | Closed 23 September 1987 | |
Mount Lofty | 1883 | Closed 23 September 1987; crossing loop closed 1995 | |
Upper Sturt | ? | Closed 23 September 1987 | |
Nalawort | 1920s | Closed 12 December 1945 | |
Long Gully | ? | Closed 23 September 1987; crossing loop closed 1995 | |
National Park | ? | Closed 23 September 1987 | |
Belair | 1883 | Terminus of the Belair line (1987–present); crossing loop closed 1995 | |
See Belair railway line for intermediate stations between Belair and Adelaide Station | |||
Adelaide railway station | 1856 |
Adelaide Railway Station is the central terminus of the Adelaide Metro railway system. All lines approach the station from the west, and it is a terminal station with no through lines, with most of the traffic on the metropolitan network either departing or terminating here. It has nine platforms, all using broad gauge track. It is located on the north side of North Terrace, west of Parliament House. The Adelaide Casino occupies part of the building that is no longer required for railway use. Until 1984, Adelaide station was also the terminus for regional and interstate passenger trains, but there are no longer any regular regional train services in South Australia, and all interstate services are now handled at Adelaide Parklands Terminal.
Belair railway station is located on the Adelaide to Melbourne line in the Adelaide southern foothills suburb of Belair, 21.5 kilometres from Adelaide station. It is the terminus for Adelaide Metro's Belair line service.
Goodwood railway station is the junction station for the Belair, Seaford and Flinders lines. The Belair line diverges south-east towards Millswood, while the Seaford and Flinders lines diverge south-west towards Clarence Park. The Glenelg tram line crosses over the railway lines at the south end of Goodwood station. The station services the Adelaide inner-southern suburb of Goodwood, and is 5.0 km from Adelaide station.
The first railway in colonial South Australia was a horse-drawn tramway from the port of Goolwa on the Murray River to an ocean harbour at Port Elliot in 1854. Today the state has 1,600 mm broad gauge suburban railways in Adelaide, a number of country freight lines, as well as key 1,435 mm standard gauge links to other states.
Clapham railway station was located on the Belair line in the inner southern Adelaide suburb of Clapham, 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from Adelaide railway station.
The Gawler railway line is a currently closed 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.
The Seaford railway line is a suburban commuter line in Adelaide, South Australia.
Dry Creek railway station is located on the Gawler line. Situated in the inner northern Adelaide suburb of Dry Creek, it is 10.6 kilometres (6.6 mi) from Adelaide station.
The State Transport Authority (STA) was the government agency which controlled public transport in South Australia between 1974 and 1994.
Mount Lofty Railway Station is located on the Adelaide-Wolseley line and served the Adelaide Hills suburb of Stirling. It is located 19+1⁄4 miles (31.0 km) from Adelaide station.
The South Australian Railways 620 class was a class of 4-6-2 steam locomotives operated by the South Australian Railways.
Carripook railway station was located on the Adelaide-Wolseley line serving the Adelaide Hills suburb of Bridgewater to the east of the Kain Avenue level crossing. It was located 36.3 km from Adelaide station, at an elevation of 396 metres (1,299 ft).
Aldgate railway station was located on the Adelaide-Wolseley line in the Adelaide Hills suburb of Aldgate, 34.9 kilometres from Adelaide station.
Madurta railway station was located on the Adelaide-Wolseley line serving the Adelaide Hills suburb of Aldgate to the east of the Cricklewood Road level crossing. It was located 34.1 km from Adelaide station.
Long Gully railway station was located on the Adelaide-Wolseley line in the Belair National Park, South Australia. It was located 21.1 km from Adelaide station.
Mount Barker railway station is a preserved railway station in South Australia on the Victor Harbor line, formerly operated by South Australian Railways and its successor, Australian National. With only broad gauge track running through the station, it has been disconnected from the Adelaide metropolitan network since the standardisation of the Adelaide-Wolseley line in 1995. It is still used by SteamRanger, a heritage train operator between Mount Barker and Victor Harbor.
The Adelaide-Wolseley railway line is a 313 kilometre line running from Adelaide to Wolseley on the Australian Rail Track Corporation network. It is the South Australian section of the Melbourne–Adelaide railway.
Transitplus was a privately owned public transport company which operated bus services from the South Australian capital Adelaide, to the Adelaide Hills, mainly Mount Barker area. It is part of the Adelaide Metro network. It was a joint venture between TransAdelaide, which also operates the train system in Adelaide and Australian Transit Enterprises. Transitplus was based in Aldgate in the Adelaide Hills and had two depots located in Aldgate and Mount Barker.