Port Dock railway station

Last updated

Port Dock
Railway station and bus interchange
Port Dock railway station, 24 August 2024 (day before opening).jpg
The station on the eve of its opening day. To the left of the shelter in the centre of the view is the end of the Port Dock spur line; on the right is the National Railway Museum.
General information
LocationFirst station: St Vincent Street, Lipson Street
Second station: Baker Street
Port Adelaide
Coordinates 34°50′41″S138°30′32″E / 34.844788°S 138.508767°E / -34.844788; 138.508767
Owned by Department for Infrastructure and Transport
Operated by Adelaide Metro
Line(s) Port Dock
Distance12 kilometres (7.5 miles) from Adelaide railway station
Platforms1
TracksTwo: one for Adelaide Metro trains, one for trains of National Railway Museum
Bus routes117, 118, 150, 150B, 150P, 157, 230, 232, 252, 252A, 254X, 333
Connections Adelaide bus logo.svg Bus
Construction
Structure type Side platform
ParkingYes
Bicycle facilitiesYes
AccessibleYes → level boarding
Other information
StatusUnstaffed
Station code19081
Website Adelaide Metro
History
Opened1856
Closed1981
Rebuilt25 August 2024
Services
Preceding station Adelaide Metro Following station
Alberton
towards Adelaide
Port Dock line Terminus

Port Dock railway station 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.

Contents

After closure in 1981, the passenger station site was redeveloped as the Port Adelaide Police Station and Magistrates' Court. The former goods yard, adjacent to Lipson Street, is now occupied by the National Railway Museum. Several proposals had been advanced to build a new station, including a budgeted project by the government of South Australia in 2017, [1] [2] but were put on hold by the incoming Marshall government in 2019. [3] [4] Having made construction of the new line an election commitment in 2022, [5] the incoming government announced funding for the railway line and a new station in December 2022. [6] The station reopened on 25 August 2024. [7]

History

The original station was opened with the line from Adelaide in April 1856 and for the first sixty years until 1916, it was the only railway station in town and known simply as Port Adelaide. The original station was quite an impressive structure, with a large curved roof over the platforms. Facing St Vincent Street was a two-storey stone building, which also included a tower. The two side platforms were about 120–150 metres in length each, and the platform architecture was the same as the platforms at the Bowden and Alberton stations.

In February 1868, a direct line was built from Dry Creek to Port Adelaide to allow goods and minerals from the state's mid-north and the Murray River to reach the Port directly, without needing to travel via Adelaide. In 1878 a railway was opened from Port Adelaide to Semaphore. This followed a different route to today's line as far as Glanville. The Semaphore line emerged from the western side of Port Adelaide station, travelled down the middle of St Vincent Street and crossed the Port River via the Jervois Bridge before curving to join the current alignment of the Outer Harbor line into Glanville station. Steam trains travelled through Port Adelaide's commercial centre at walking speed, with the locomotive crew ringing a bell. Even at that time this arrangement was unsatisfactory for both local citizens and the railway operators.

Port Dock station in 1909 Port Dock Railway Station 1909.png
Port Dock station in 1909

By the end of the 19th century, the goods yard had become very busy with imports and exports and there was a large engine shed and turntable to service the various steam locomotives working in the area. A number of railway lines extended from the station yard via city streets to the wharves and various private sidings. Occasional passenger boat trains also travelled directly to the wharves, transferring passengers to and from ocean-going ships which berthed in the inner harbour at the time.

Congestion around Port Adelaide yard resulted in the opening of the Rosewater Loop line in 1915 and construction of the Commercial Road viaduct, which opened in 1916. The viaduct line continued over a new bridge across the Port River and joined the existing line to Semaphore and Outer Harbor at Glanville. A high-level station was opened on the viaduct, Commercial Road. The original Port Adelaide station was renamed Port Dock to differentiate the two. After 1916, the frequent trains to and from Adelaide mostly continued to Semaphore or Outer Harbor via the new line and Commercial Road became the main railway station. Port Dock continued to be served by irregular trains from Adelaide and by peak hour workings to Dry Creek via the Rosewater Loop.

Decline

By the second half of the 20th century, the various lines leading through the streets to the wharves were cut back. Wharf access was firstly restricted to the Canal branch, then disconnected completely. Boat train traffic transferred to Outer Harbor and in due course[ when? ] was also eliminated.

Port Dock Station then became something of a backwater. The original buildings and remains of the arch roof were removed in 1963 and replaced with new buildings in the utilitarian style of that era. The station platforms were rebuilt to a length of about 70–80 metres to accommodate a maximum of three railcars, although it was very rare for a 3-car set to terminate at Port Dock. The station was finally closed in September 1981. The station platforms were removed in 1987 while the redundant sidings and goods sheds were redeveloped as a Bicentennial Project to house the former Mile End Railway Museum. The National Railway Museum opened on its site in Lipson Street in December 1988.

New station project

In 2017, $16.4 million was allocated in the state budget for a new station to be built next to Baker Street, near the original site. It was to be at the end of a new 1.0 km (1100 yard) spur line off the existing Outer Harbor rail line, [1] [2] using the existing corridor beside the National Railway Museum that connects to the Outer Harbor line. [8] [9] However, in June 2019 when some museum track had already been dismantled, the development was "put on hold" while a North West Planning Study was conducted; a forecast cost increase to $40 million was cited. [4] [10] [note 1] On-ground preparatory work was reversed in January 2020, with sleepers bought for the project being reallocated to other lines. [11]

In 2022, the state government committed $51 million for the construction of the new Port Dock Railway Line with a new station and bus interchange at Baker Street, [6] adjacent to the National Railway Museum. A short platform face was also constructed for Railway Museum heritage services running along a parallel stretch of track. Site preparation works began for the new railway line in June 2023; the tracks were completed in April 2024, and a 3000 class railcar (3123-3124) made a test run on 2 June. [12] The station and interchange are expected to open on 25 August 2024. [7] [13]

Services by platform

Trains depart Port Dock every 30 minutes, seven days a week. All services departing Port Dock stop at all stations to Adelaide.

PlatformLinesDestinationsNotes
1 Port Dock all stops services to Adelaide Terminus

Adelaide Metro operates several bus services through the adjacent bus interchange at Port Dock.

Bus Transfers: Stop Port Dock Interchange (Zone A)
Route No.Destination & Route Details
117Port Adelaide to City via Bartley Tce, West Lakes, Tapleys Hill Rd and Crittenden Rd [14]
118Port Adelaide to City via Tapleys Hill Rd and Crittenden Rd [15]
150Osborne to City via Victoria Rd, Fletcher Rd, Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Port Rd [16]
230Port Adelaide to City via via Addison Rd, Arndale, Days Rd and Jeffcott St [17]
232Port Adelaide to City via Newcastle St, Arndale, Regency Rd, Harrison Rd and Jeffcott St [18]
252Port Adelaide to City via Ottoway, Medika Blvd, Liberty Gr, Arndale and Hawker St [19]
254Port Adelaide to City via Grand Junction Rd, Hanson Rd, Arndale and Hawker St [20]
333North Haven to Port Adelaide Interchange via Military Rd, Hart St and Glanville Station [21]
361Port Adelaide to Tea Tree Plaza via Grand Junction Rd, Nelson Rd, Helen Tce and Smart Rd [22]
N254Semaphore to City via Arndale and Hawker St (Operates Saturday PM - Sunday AM) [23]

Notes

  1. ↑ For a double mainline connection and signalling, a 300-metre loop, about 700 metres of new line, a level crossing and basic station.

Related Research Articles

<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, also known as Commercial Road, 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, Outer Harbor and Port Dock 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">Railways in Adelaide</span> Rail network in South Australia

The Adelaide rail network is a metropolitan suburban rail system serving the city of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. It consists of 89 railway stations across 7 lines, which served a patronage of 15.6 million people over the year 2018-19. Keolis Downer under contract from the Government of South Australia operates the Adelaide suburban rail system. The operations are set to be handed back to the hands of the public by January 2025.

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

Bowden railway station is located on the Grange, Outer Harbor and Port Dock 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 Outer Harbor and Port Dock 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">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">Outer Harbor and Port Dock lines</span> Railway line in Adelaide, South Australia

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.

<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. It runs from Woodville then through Albert Park and Seaton Park, then running through the Grange Golf course before turning right and heading to East Grange before making a subtle left turn and terminating at the terminus of Grange. It is 13.0 kilometres long.

<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">Albert Park railway station, Adelaide</span> Railway station in Adelaide, South Australia

Albert Park railway station is located on the Grange line. Situated in the western Adelaide suburb of Albert Park, it is 9.1 kilometres from Adelaide station.

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

Midlunga railway station is a railway station located on the Outer Harbor line, in Adelaide, Australia. Situated in the north-western Adelaide suburb of Osborne, South Australia, it is 18.8 kilometres (11.7 mi) from Adelaide station.

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

Peterhead railway station is located on the Outer Harbor line. Situated in the north-western Adelaide suburb of Peterhead, it is 14.6 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">Birkenhead, South Australia</span> Suburb of Adelaide, South Australia

Birkenhead is a north-western suburb of Adelaide 14 km from the CBD, on the Lefevre Peninsula, in South Australia, and lies within the City of Port Adelaide Enfield. It is adjacent to Peterhead, Exeter and Glanville. It is bounded to the south by the Gawler Reach of the Port River, to the north by Hargrave Street and in the west and east by the Outer Harbor railway line and the Port River respectively.

Ethelton is a north-western suburb of Adelaide 13 km (8.1 mi) from the CBD, on the Lefevre Peninsula, in the state of South Australia, Australia. It is a residential suburb within the local government area of City of Port Adelaide Enfield, adjacent to the suburbs of Semaphore, Semaphore South, Glanville and New Port. It is bounded to the north by Hart Street, to the south by Bower Road and in the west by Swan Terrace and in the east by Causeway Road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide</span> Railway museum at Port Adelaide, South Australia

The National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide, South Australia is the largest under-cover railway museum in Australia. More than 100 major exhibits, mainly from the South Australian Railways (SAR) and Commonwealth Railways and their successor, Australian National, are displayed at its 3.5 hectares site. A large archival collection of photographs of those railways and records created by them is also managed by the museum. The museum operates with a large number of volunteers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freight railways in Melbourne</span>

The rail network of Melbourne, Australia, has a significant number of railway lines and yards serving freight traffic. Rail transport in Victoria is heavily focused on Melbourne, and, as a consequence, much of the state's rail freight passes through the metropolitan network.

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

Semaphore railway line was a railway line in the Australian state of South Australia located in the north-west of Adelaide servicing the suburbs of Semaphore and Exeter. It had two stations: Semaphore and Exeter. The line opened in 1878 and closed in 1978.

References

  1. 1 2 "Port Adelaide to get new train station served by 1km rail spur". ABC News. 24 June 2017. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
  2. 1 2 Kemp, Miles (24 June 2017). "State Budget 2017: Trains return to the heart of Port Adelaide after a 36-year absence". The Advertiser. Adelaide. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  3. ↑ Eccles, David (20 June 2019). Marshall Govt derails Port Dock railway line InDaily. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  4. 1 2 Sutton, Malcolm (21 June 2019).Adelaide's public transport going back to the future under Stephan Knoll ABC News , Retrieved 21 June 2019.
  5. ↑ Kelsall, Thomas (17 March 2022), Labor's $52m pledge to get Port Adelaide rail extension back on track InDaily. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  6. 1 2 Port Dock Railway Line Project Update Press release, December 2022. Department for Infrastructure and Transport. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  7. 1 2 "Port Dock Railway Line Project". PTP Alliance. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  8. ↑ Pisani, Ashleigh (30 June 2017). "National Railway Museum warns issues to resolve before Port Dock Railway spur can return". Portside Messenger. Adelaide. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  9. ↑ Pisani, Ashleigh (18 July 2018). "Barossa Wine Train booted from the Port". Portside Messenger. Adelaide. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  10. ↑ Sampson, Bob (July 2019). "DPTI News". Catch Point Magazine. Port Adelaide: National Railway Museum. p. 6.
  11. ↑ Sutton, Malcolm (6 May 2021). Port Adelaide community rustled up to bring 'cancelled' railway spur back to life ABC News. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  12. ↑ "First Train to Port Dock Station, History Made!" - YouTube, uploaded 2 June 2024
  13. ↑ Port Dock Railway Line - Adelaide Metro website, 17 June 2024
  14. ↑ Route 117 Adelaide Metro
  15. ↑ Route 118 Adelaide Metro
  16. ↑ Route 150 Adelaide Metro
  17. ↑ Route 230 Adelaide Metro
  18. ↑ Route 232 Adelaide Metro
  19. ↑ Route 252 Adelaide Metro
  20. ↑ Route 254 Adelaide Metro
  21. ↑ Route 333 Adelaide Metro
  22. ↑ Route 361 Adelaide Metro
  23. ↑ Route N254 Adelaide Metro

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.