GMH Elizabeth railway station

Last updated

GMH Elizabeth railway station
General information
LocationKettering Road
Elizabeth South
Coordinates 34°44′37″S138°39′13″E / 34.7437°S 138.6537°E / -34.7437; 138.6537
Line Gawler Line
Distance22.5 kilometres (14.0 miles)
from Adelaide railway station
History
Opened31 May 1959
Closed1992
Services
Preceding station TransAdelaide Following station
Nurlutta
towards Adelaide
Gawler line Terminus
Location
GMH Elizabeth railway station

GMH Elizabeth railway station, located on an industrial spur into the General Motors Holden automotive manufacturing site in the northern Adelaide suburb of Elizabeth South, was in use for 33 years between 1959 and 1992. The line into the factory departed from the Gawler line, 1.3 kilometres (0.8 miles) north of Nurlutta station, equidistant between there and Elizabeth South station. [1] [2] The last passenger service occurred in August 1992; subsequently all infrastructure was demolished and most of the track was lifted.

About 500 metres (550 yards) from its starting point at the mainline, the line diverged into eight factory sidings that extended a further 450 metres (490 yards) south. [3] Passenger platforms were of wooden step-down construction.

As an industrial destination, the station was served by railcars at factory shift changes, which usually ran express to nearby Salisbury and on to Adelaide railway station. Freight trains, mainly comprising automotive carriers that transported vehicle bodies to GMH in Melbourne, operated on demand.

GMH Elizabeth track plan late 1980s.png
Holden vehicles loading into SAR automotive carrier cars, GMH Elizabeth, 1964.jpg
Railcars at GMH Elizabeth ca March 1982 (NRM 1-3-s07131).jpg
GMH Elizabeth track plan, late 1980sLoading vehicle bodies for further assembly in MelbourneRailcars waiting for shift-change passengers, March 1982

References

  1. "Route Information - Salisbury to Gawler". www.comrails.com. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  2. "Historic Australian Rail Maps". railmaps.com.au. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  3. GMH Elizabeth (Map). Adelaide: State Transport Authority (South Australia). c. 1990 via National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide.

34°44′38″S138°39′10″E / 34.744°S 138.6527°E / -34.744; 138.6527