Outer Harbor and Port Dock lines

Last updated

Outer Harbor
Adelaide train logo.svg
Port Dock station impression.png
An artist's representation of the new railway station
Overview
Locale Adelaide, South Australia
Termini
Stations23
Service
Type Commuter rail
Operator(s) Adelaide Metro
Rolling stock 3000/3100 class
History
Opened
Technical
Line length21.9 km (13.6 mi)
Number of tracks
Track gauge 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)
Route map

Contents

km
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Balloon loop
closed 1980s
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21.9
Outer Harbor
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Golf course entrance
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BSicon eBS2r.svg
BSicon BUE.svg
Klingberg Drive
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20.5
North Haven
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BSicon RP4q.svg
Osborne Road
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19.6
Osborne
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18.8
Midlunga
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Gedville Road
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18.2
Taperoo
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Strathfield Terrace
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17.2
Draper
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Kolapore Avenue
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16.4
Largs North
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Fletcher Road
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Jetty Road
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15.5
Largs
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Largs Jetty
closed 1908
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Wills Street
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Hargrave Street
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14.6
Peterhead
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Harris Street
BSicon BUE.svg
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AUS Alphanumeric Route A16.svg
Semaphore Road
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13.8
Glanville Adelaide bus logo.svg
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BSicon exSTR+l teal.svg
BSicon exCONTfq teal.svg
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Hart Street
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13.1
Ethelton
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Wirra Drive
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Old Port Road
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Church Street
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11.7
Port Adelaide Adelaide bus logo.svg
over AUS Alphanumeric Route A7.svg Commercial Road
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Lipson Street
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12.0
Port Dock
under construction
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AUS Alphanumeric Route A16.svg
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BSicon exSTRl teal.svg
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10.2
Alberton
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Fussell Place
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9.2
Cheltenham
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8.7
Cheltenham Racecourse
closed 2009
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Cheltenham Parade
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8.6
St Clair
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7.5
Woodville Adelaide bus logo.svg
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Woodville Road
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7.5
Woodville Park
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Kilkenny Road/David Terrace
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6.0
Kilkenny
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Private road
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5.1
West Croydon
over Rosetta street
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4.2
Croydon
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Queen Street/Elizabeth Street
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Coglin Street
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Chief Street
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East Street
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2.7
Bowden (original site)
1856–2017
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Gibson Street
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2.4
Bowden
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1.7
Torrens Bridge
closed 1888
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Adelaide Depot
closed 2011
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0.0
Adelaide Adelaide tram logo.svg Adelaide bus logo.svg
km

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The Outer Harbor line is a suburban commuter service in Adelaide, South Australia, that runs from Adelaide station through the north western suburbs to Port Adelaide and Outer Harbor.

The Port Dock line is a future service that shares its route with the Outer Harbor line until north of Alberton, where it branches along a short spur to a rebuilt Port Dock station in Port Adelaide. Services will commence from 25 August 2024. [1]

History

Opening in 1856, the inaugural 11.9 kilometres (7.4 miles) railway between Adelaide and Port Dock railway station — named Port Adelaide until 1916 — was the second railway in the colony of South Australia, and the first government-owned railway in the British Empire [ citation needed ]. Port Adelaide junction was created when the railway was extended to cross the Port River to Le Fevre Peninsula. As industry developed on the west side of the Port River, a deeper harbour was required. Initially, this was at Semaphore, with the railway extended in 1882 as the now-closed Semaphore railway line to service the overseas shipping jetty there. The line was subsequently extended 11.2 kilometres (7.0 miles) to Outer Harbor.

The original Port Dock station was closed in September 1981, with part of its site later repurposed for the National Railway Museum.

21st century renewal

The line between Port Adelaide Junction and Glanville was dual gauge until early December 2009 when the standard gauge rails were removed. Outer Harbor had a balloon loop railway so that trains could be turned around without shunting or requiring a turntable or triangle. The loop was cut when rail freight moved off the broad gauge Outer Harbor railway to the nearby standard gauge line on the eastern side of the peninsula.

Various plans to modify the line have been proposed. In 2008, the State Government announced a plan to rebuild the Outer Harbour line in preparation for the line to be electrified with the Federal Government also to provide funding. [2] In the 2011 budget, it was announced that electrification of the Outer Harbor line had been deferred until 2016. [3] In June 2012, the project was cancelled. [4]

In May 2016, the State Government announced 1.4 kilometres (0.87 mi) of the line would be lowered in a grade separation project to pass below the Adelaide to Port Augusta and Gawler lines with a new Bowden station being built as part of the project. [5] [6] In December 2016 the contract was awarded to a consortium of Laing O'Rourke, AECOM and KBR. [7]

As of 2016, the State Government was again considering electrifying the line or converting it to light rail. A 2016 report into potential light rail projects in Adelaide considered two options for the future of the line. The first option would electrify the heavy rail line and provide a short spur-line to central Port Adelaide. The second option would convert the line to light rail and add a new on-street branch to Semaphore; a light rail conversion would also require the conversion or closure of the Grange line - several options for the future of that line were also presented. [8] The spur line and a rebuilt Port Dock station is set to open in August 2024 after several delays. [9] [10]

In January 2017, the line was closed for three weeks alongside the Grange line for the building of an overpass over South Road and the North–South Motorway. [11] [12]

Torrens Junction separation

There are a total of five railway tracks on three bridges in parallel across the River Torrens. North of this bridge, the two tracks of the Gawler line continues north, as does the standard gauge railway track, while the two tracks of the Outer Harbor line swing away northwest. Until late 2017, the Outer Harbor tracks were the pair between the Gawler tracks on the east and the standard gauge track which was built in 1982 on the west. This meant that Outer Harbor and Grange trains had to cross the track that carries rail freight between Melbourne and the main freight terminals in Adelaide, Perth and Darwin. In 2017, the Torrens Junction project worked to remove this operational conflict. The outcome was to make the Gawler trains use the central pair of tracks, while the Outer Harbor line now uses the eastern pair across the bridge, then descends into a trench and passes underneath the Gawler and standard gauge lines and Park Terrace which had previously been a busy level crossing. The Bowden railway station was also demolished and rebuilt at a new lower level. [13]

The Outer Harbor line was closed (and consequently also Grange services) along with a portion of the Gawler line in April, June, July, and August 2017 to work on the Torrens Rail Junction Project. [14] [15] [16] [17] The entire line was closed on 24 September 2017, and reopened on 15 January 2018, having been delayed from a 3 December opening. [18]

Route

The line is double track from Adelaide to Midlunga, then single for the final three kilometres to Outer Harbour; the spur line to Port Dock is single track with a passing loop. The northern section of the line runs along the middle of the narrow Lefevre Peninsula with stations at regular intervals. [19] The line serves 22 stations across 22 kilometres (14 mi) of track. The majority of stations are ground level designs.

Line guide

Outer Harbor and Port Dock Lines
NameDistance from
Adelaide
Year openedServing suburbsConnections
Adelaide 0.0 km1856Adelaide Belair Flinders Gawler
Seaford

Adelaide bus logo.svg Bus Adelaide tram logo.svg Tram

Bowden 2.4 km1856Bowden
Croydon 4.2 km1888Croydon
West Croydon 5.1 km1915West Croydon
Kilkenny 6.0 km1881Kilkenny, Woodville Park
Woodville Park 6.8 km1936Woodville, Woodville Park
Woodville 7.5 km1856St Clair, Woodville Grange

Adelaide bus logo.svg Bus

St Clair 8.6 km2014St Clair, Woodville
Cheltenham 9.2 km1959Cheltenham
Alberton 10.2 km1856Alberton
Port Dock Line
Port Dock 12.0 km2024Port Adelaide Adelaide bus logo.svg Bus
Outer Harbor Line
Port Adelaide 11.7 km1916Port Adelaide Adelaide bus logo.svg Bus
Ethelton 13.1 km1916Ethelton, New Port
Glanville 13.8 km1878Glanville, New Port Adelaide bus logo.svg Bus
Peterhead 14.6 km1911Birkenhead, Exeter, Peterhead
Largs 15.5 km1907Largs Bay
Largs North 16.4 km1916Largs North
Draper 17.2 kmUn­knownLargs North
Taperoo 18.2 km1908Taperoo
Midlunga 18.8 km1921Osborne
Osborne 19.6 km1908North Haven, Osborne
North Haven 20.5 km1981North Haven
Outer Harbor 21.9 km1926North Haven, Outer Harbor

Services

The Outer Harbor and Port Dock lines shares part of their route with the Grange line. All passenger train services are operated by 3000/3100 class railcars. Trains run every 30 minutes between 5am and midnight on weekdays and weekends. [20] [21]

Prior to the reopening of Port Dock railway station, most services on the Outer Harbor line stopped at all stations. From 25 August 2024, Port Dock services will stop at all stations, while most Outer Harbor services will run express between Adelaide and Woodville while also skipping Cheltenham. [22]

Additional services

During special events, such as AFL matches, Adelaide Metro will typically run extra Osborne services. Unlike the regular weekday peak services, these Osborne services stop at all stations. [23]

As Outer Harbor railway station is in close proximity to the Port Adelaide Passenger Terminal, the Outer Harbor line is regularly utilised by cruise ship passengers during the summer cruise season. When larger cruise ships are in port, Adelaide Metro will often run an express train service between Outer Harbor and Adelaide in the morning.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adelaide Metro</span> Public transport system around Adelaide, Australia

Adelaide Metro is the public transport system of the Adelaide area, around the capital city of South Australia. It is an intermodal system offering an integrated network of bus, tram, and train services throughout the metropolitan area. The network has an annual patronage of 79.9 million, of which 51 million journeys are by bus, 15.6 million by train, and 9.4 million by tram. The system has evolved heavily over the past fifteen years, and patronage increased dramatically during the 2014–15 period, a 5.5 percent increase on the 2013 figures due to electrification of frequented lines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adelaide railway station</span> Railway station in Adelaide, South Australia

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 below-ground platforms, all using broad gauge track. The station is located on the north side of North Terrace, west of Parliament House.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Port Adelaide railway station</span> Railway station in Adelaide, South Australia

Port Adelaide station is a railway station located on the Outer Harbor line. Situated in the north-western Adelaide suburb of Alberton, it is 11.7 kilometres from Adelaide station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woodville railway station, Adelaide</span> Railway station in Adelaide, South Australia

Woodville railway station is the junction station for the Grange and Outer Harbor lines with the lines diverging immediately north of the station. Situated in the western Adelaide suburb of Woodville, it is 7.5 kilometres from Adelaide station. It has auto pedestrian gates and lights. Platform 3 had a small kiosk, built around 2006, that sells refreshments and tickets, but has not been opened since 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TransAdelaide</span> Former South Australian Government transport agency

TransAdelaide was a publicly owned corporation established in July 1994, which provided suburban train, tram and bus services in Adelaide, South Australia, under contract to the Government of South Australia. It took over these responsibilities from the State Transport Authority.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Railways in Adelaide</span> Regional rail network

The rail network in Adelaide, South Australia, consists of four lines and 89 stations, totalling 132 km (82 mi). It is operated by Keolis Downer under contract from the Government of South Australia, and is part of the citywide Adelaide Metro public transport system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rail transport in South Australia</span>

The first railway in colonial South Australia was a line from the port of Goolwa on the River Murray to an ocean harbour at Port Elliot, which first operated in December 1853, before its completion in May 1854.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bowden railway station</span> Railway station in Adelaide, South Australia

Bowden railway station is located on the Grange, Port Dock, and Outer Harbor lines. Situated in the inner-city Adelaide suburb of Bowden, it is 2.7 kilometres from Adelaide station. The station was rebuilt and reopened in January 2018, with the original platforms closed and demolished; the southbound platform was closed and demolished in April 2017, a section of the northbound platform was retained due to the original station's 1856 brick and stone station building being located on that platform, which now houses The Loose Caboose Café.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alberton railway station, Adelaide</span> Railway station in Adelaide, South Australia

Alberton railway station is the junction station for the Port Dock and Outer Harbor lines. Situated in the north-western Adelaide suburb of Alberton, it is 10.2 kilometres from Adelaide station. The station is listed on the South Australian Heritage Register.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Port Dock railway station</span> Former terminus of the railway between Adelaide and Port Adelaide

Port Dock railway station – named Port Adelaide until 1916 – is the terminus of the Port Dock line, located on Baker Street, Port Adelaide. The first station was located in the commercial centre at the corner of St Vincent Street and Lipson Street and served as the original terminus of the railway between Adelaide and Port Adelaide, which opened in 1856.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ethelton railway station</span> Railway station in Adelaide, South Australia

Ethelton station is located on the Outer Harbor line. Situated in the north-western Adelaide suburb of Ethelton, it is 13.1 kilometres from Adelaide station. The station is currently closed for reconstruction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dry Creek–Port Adelaide railway line</span> Railway line in Adelaide, South Australia

The Dry Creek–Port Adelaide railway line is an eight-kilometre east–west freight railway line running through Adelaide's north-western suburbs. The line is managed by the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) and is an important link between Port Adelaide, Pelican Point and the main interstate rail routes which link Adelaide with Melbourne, Perth, Darwin and Sydney. Prior to 1988, a limited local passenger service operated, stopping at five intermediate stations along the line. Since May 1988, the line has been freight-only.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gawler line</span> Commuter railway line in Adelaide, South Australia

The Gawler line, also known as the Gawler Central line, is a suburban commuter railway line in the city of Adelaide, South Australia. The Gawler Line is the most frequent and heavily patronised line in the Adelaide rail network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grange line</span> Railway line in South Australia

The Grange line is a suburban branch line in Adelaide, South Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outer Harbor railway station</span> Railway station in Adelaide, South Australia

Outer Harbor railway station is the terminus station of the Outer Harbor line. Situated in the north-western Adelaide suburb of North Haven, it is 21.9 kilometres from Adelaide station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glanville railway station</span> Railway station in Adelaide, South Australia

Glanville railway station is located on the Outer Harbor line. Situated in the north-western Adelaide suburb of Glanville, it is 13.8 kilometres from Adelaide station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Croydon railway station, Adelaide</span> Railway station in Adelaide, South Australia

Croydon railway station is located on the Grange, Port Dock, and Outer Harbor lines. Situated in the western Adelaide suburb of Croydon, it is 4.2 kilometres from Adelaide station.

The Adelaide–Port Augusta railway line is the main route for northbound rail traffic out of Adelaide, South Australia. The line, 315 kilometres long, is part of the Adelaide–Darwin rail corridor and the Sydney–Perth rail corridor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Port Dock railway line</span> Railway line in Adelaide, South Australia

The Port Dock railway line is an upcoming future train service that shares it's route with the Outer Harbor railway line until north of Alberton, where it branches along a short spur to a rebuilt Port Dock station in Port Adelaide, South Australia. Services will commence from 25 August 2024.

References

  1. Port Dock Railway Line - Adelaide Metro website, 26 July 2024
  2. South Australian Department of Treasury & Finance (June 2008). "2008/09 State Budget". Archived from the original on 27 February 2015.
  3. Martin, Sarah (10 June 2011). "SA State Budget 11 - $200m in rail revitalisation work delayed". Adelaide Advertiser. Archived from the original on 15 August 2012. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  4. Carter, Mark (8 June 2012). "South Australia cuts back Adelaide electrification". International Railway Journal. Archived from the original on 20 December 2013.
  5. "Torrens Rail Junction Project". Department of Transport, Planning & Infrastructure.
  6. Waldhuter, Lauren (6 May 2016). "Adelaide rail upgrade project to separate passenger and freight lines on Outer Harbor line". ABC News .
  7. Laing O'Rourke (19 December 2016). "Torrens Rail Junction Upgrade" (Press release). Archived from the original on 12 March 2017.
  8. "AdeLINK Multi-Criteria Analysis Summary Report" (PDF). Department of Transport, Planning and Infrastructure. 2016. pp. 11–13.
  9. Kemp, Miles (24 June 2017). "State Budget 2017: Trains return to the heart of Port Adelaide after a 36-year absence" . The Advertiser.
  10. Sutton, Malcolm (21 June 2019). "Adelaide's public transport going back to the future under Stephan Knoll". ABC News. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
  11. Premier of South Australia (2 January 2017). "Major works kick off to remove one of Adelaide's worst level crossings". Archived from the original on 13 January 2017.
  12. Department of Planning, Transport & Infrastructure. "Outer Harbor & Grange line closure January 2 - January 23, 2017". Archived from the original on 12 March 2017.
  13. Kemp, Miles (13 September 2017). "Major disruption to Outer Harbor and Gawler train lines as work starts on Park Tce underpass". The Advertiser. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  14. "Outer Harbor, Grange and Gawler rail line closures". Adelaide Metro. Archived from the original on 12 April 2017.
  15. "Outer Harbor, Grange and Gawler train lines temporary closures June long weekend". Adelaide Metro. Archived from the original on 6 June 2017.
  16. "Outer Harbor, Grange and Gawler line July closure". Adelaide Metro. Archived from the original on 7 July 2017.
  17. "Outer Harbor, Grange and Gawler rail line closures August 2017". Adelaide Metro. Archived from the original on 13 August 2017. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  18. "UPDATE 14 NOVEMBER: Outer Harbor and Grange rail line closures until January 2018". Adelaide Metro. Archived from the original on 20 November 2017. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  19. "Outer Harbor & Grange timetable" (PDF). Adelaide Metro. 23 February 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 June 2014.
  20. "More train services, more often from 22 April". Adelaide Metro. Archived from the original on 10 May 2018.
  21. "OUTHA - Outer Harbor to City". Adelaide Metro. 29 March 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  22. Port Dock Railway Line - Adelaide Metro website, 26 July 2024
  23. Metro, Adelaide (16 June 2023). "Transport to Adelaide Oval". Adelaide Metro. Retrieved 29 June 2023.