Since the 1890s, the Bankstown railway line had been being built westward from the Illawarra railway line at Sydenham. In 1928, the Bankstown railway line reached the Main Southern railway line just south of Regents Park at Sefton Park Junction.[3] Following completion of electrification in 1939,[4] this allowed suburban passenger services to operate a large loop from the City Circle via the Main Suburban railway line, Lidcombe and Regents Park to Bankstown before returning to the City Circle via Sydenham, and vice versa.[5] It also allowed services to begin from Liverpool or Lidcombe and reach the City Circle via Bankstown and Sydenham without using the Main Suburban railway line.[6] Over time, this latter configuration became favoured, due to congestion on the Main Suburban railway line.
T3 Bankstown Line (2013–2024)
Following the 2011 state election, the newly elected O'Farrell government embarked on reform of transport in New South Wales, creating a new organisation, Transport for NSW, in November of that year. This was followed up with another government reform, which saw Sydney Trains take over operation of the Sydney suburban rail network from CityRail in July 2013.[7]
Transport for NSW developed a new rail timetable and branding, which was put into effect on 20 October 2013.[8] This saw the launch of T3 Bankstown Line services, which operated from the City Circle to Bankstown via Sydenham, then terminated at either Lidcombe or Liverpool.
The 2013 timetable was designed to integrate the projects of the Rail Clearways Program, a 2004 plan to divide the network's fourteen metropolitan rail lines into five independent "clearways" by installing extra tracks, passing loops, turnouts and turnbacks at pinch points around the network, such as at Homebush and Lidcombe. By 2013, the Rail Clearways Program was substantially complete.[9]
T3 Bankstown Line services utilised the new turnback at Lidcombe, reducing bottlenecking on the Main Suburban railway line. However, the changes attracted criticism due to the increased number of interchanges and increased travel time for passengers from stations west of Bankstown.[10][11][12]
T6 Lidcombe & Bankstown Line (from 2024)
In 2020, Transport for NSW sought public feedback on how to service stations west of Bankstown from 2024 onwards, in preparation for the closure of the Bankstown railway line east of Bankstown as part of the Sydney Metro City & Southwest project.[13] Three options were considered, these being:
shuttle services from Lidcombe and Liverpool, both terminating at Bankstown
a shuttle between Lidcombe and Bankstown, and through services from the City Circle to stations on the Main Southern railway line
a shuttle between Liverpool and Bankstown, and through services from the City Circle to Bankstown via Birrong and Yagoona.
The second option was supported by 85% of respondents and preferred by Transport for NSW.[13] However, the loss of direct service from the City Circle to Birrong and Yagoona concerned some local advocacy groups and representatives.[14][15][16]
The planned closure of the Sydenham to Bankstown section of the Bankstown railway line occurred on 30 September 2024.[17] Consequently, T3 Bankstown Line services were withdrawn, and in line with the consultation outcome two new services were introduced for the remaining Sydney Trains stations east of Bankstown, these being:
T3 Liverpool & Inner West Line services, once again operating from the City Circle along the Main Suburban railway line to Lidcombe, then along the Main Southern railway line via Regents Park to terminate at Liverpool[18]
T6 Lidcombe & Bankstown Line services, operating as a shuttle from Lidcombe along the Main Southern railway line to Regents Park, then along the Bankstown railway line via Birrong and Yagoona to terminate at Bankstown.[19]
However, work to introduce the new T6 Lidcombe & Bankstown Line services was briefly delayed due to industrial action.[20] After three weeks of bustitution, the new train service began in mid-October 2024.[21]
From 27 April to 29 June 2025, the T6 Lidcombe & Bankstown Line will be closed for nine weeks to accommodate eight carriage trains to run on the line instead of relying on four car services. During that period, train services are to be replaced by fare-free buses.[22]
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