Seaford line

Seaford railway line
Seaford railway line
	A-City crossing the Onkaparinga River viaduct
Overview
Locale	Adelaide, South Australia
Termini	Adelaide ; Seaford ;
Stations	24
Service
Type	Commuter rail
Operator(s)	Adelaide Metro
Rolling stock	3000/3100 class ; A-City 4000 ;
History
Opened	1913 (to Marino); 1974 (to Hallett Cove Beach); 1976 (to Christie Downs); 1978 (to Noarlunga Centre); 2014 (to Seaford);
Re-sleepered; (concrete)	2009–2011
Electrified	January 2013–14
Technical
Line length	35.9 km (22.3 mi)
Number of tracks	2
Track gauge	1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)
Electrification	25 kV 50 Hz AC from overhead catenary
Route map
	Legend
	Gawler, Grange & Outer Harbor lines
	to Port Augusta
	Belair line
	to Bordertown & Melbourne
	Cross Road (level crossing)
	South Road (overpass)
	This diagram: view ; talk ; edit ;

Last updated September 28, 2023

The Seaford railway line is a suburban commuter line in Adelaide, South Australia.

History

Before the extension of the line to Noarlunga Centre in 1978, the Willunga line ran from Hallett Cove station on a different route through Reynella, Morphett Vale and Hackham to Willunga (south-east of Noarlunga). It closed in 1969 and in September 1972 a track-removal train removed the tracks, and for six years Noarlunga had no train service.

The South Australian Railways and its successor, the State Transport Authority, extended the current railway southwards in stages from Hallett Cove to cater for increasing residential development in the southern area. Opening dates for passenger services were: Hallett Cove Beach on 30 June 1974; Christie Downs on 25 January 1976 (This was a temporary terminus just north of Beach Road and adjacent to Hyacinth Crescent, and was in a different location to the current Christie Downs station, which opened in November 1981.); and Noarlunga Centre on 2 April 1978.

Prior to 2014, most trains were operated by 3000 class railcars augmented at times by 2000 class railcars. Since the electrification of the line, the latter are no longer authorised to operate on the line.^[1] Most services are now operated by A-City electric multiple units. A number of railcars needed for peak-hour services are now stabled overnight in secure sidings at Port Stanvac, north of Lonsdale station, and at a much bigger facility adjacent to Seaford Meadows. The last freight trains on the line, to and from Port Stanvac Refinery, ceased in the late 1990s.

Re-sleepering and electrification

In 2008, the State Government announced a plan to upgrade and electrify the Seaford line with the Federal Government also to provide funding.^[2] In December 2009, Stage 1 of the Noarlunga line upgrade was completed between Adelaide and Brighton.^[3] This work saw the track removed, with the track bed and track renewed. Dual gauge sleepers were laid to allow for the line to be converted to standard gauge at a future date. Stage 2 commenced in February 2011 with the line closed for six months and continued the upgrade works between Oaklands and Noarlunga.^[4] Most stations (Brighton, Seacliff, Marino, Marino Rocks and Lonsdale) received a minor upgrade due to the presence of asbestos in many station shelters, necessitating their replacement.

On 2 January 2013, the line closed to allow for its electrification and extension, with trains being replaced by bus services.^[5] Rail services resumed on 1 December 2013.^[6] The completed project was opened by the South Australian Transport and Infrastructure Minister Tom Koutsantonis on 18 January 2014.^[7] Electric train services commenced in February 2014 after testing was completed on the line.^[8]^[9] At the time, only four A-City electric multiple units had entered service, so most services continued to be operated by 3000 class railcars.

Seaford extension

In 2005, the State Government announced the line would be extended 5.5 kilometres (3.4 mi) to the southern suburb of Seaford. The plan was cancelled in December 2007 after a study concluded that the extension could not be justified. The government announced that it would retain the corridor to Aldinga for a possible extension further south in the future.^[10] In July 2008, a feasibility study was commissioned by the government into extending the line.^[11] This extension was given approval after the Federal Government announced a $291 million investment in the project as part of the 2009/10 Federal Budget.^[12]

Construction started in 2011 with the extension opening on 23 February 2014.^[8]^[9] The extension included a new 1.2-kilometre (0.75 mi) elevated rail bridge over the Onkaparinga River, a rail bridge over Old Honeypot Drive, and new railway stations at Seaford Meadows and Seaford. New road bridges were also constructed over the extension at Goldsmith Drive, Seaford Road and Lynton Terrace.^[13]^[14]^[15]^[16]^[17]

Future extension to Aldinga Beach

In 2019, Renewal SA delivered a Draft Structure Plan of a 94 hectare area of land in Aldinga which is set to include a new school and a train station.^[18]

Route

The line runs south from Adelaide station paralleling the Belair line as far as Goodwood. It then branches off in a south-west direction through the suburbs of Edwardstown, Oaklands Park and Marion to the coast at Brighton, where it turns south towards Noarlunga Centre in the southern suburbs. The line was known as the Marino and Hallett Cove line when it finished at Hallett Cove. Most trains terminated at Marino, with only about a quarter going to Hallett Cove.

Like the rest of the Adelaide network, the line is broad gauge. Dual gauge sleepers have been laid to allow for the line to be converted to standard gauge at a future date.^[19] The line is 35.9 kilometres (22.3 mi) long and is the second longest of the Adelaide suburban railway lines. The line is double track throughout. The Australian Rail Track Corporation standard-gauge main line passes over the line just south of Goodwood station, and the Flinders line branches off south of Woodlands Park.

Line guide

Seaford Line
Name	Distance from Adelaide	Year opened	Serving suburbs	Connections
Adelaide	0.0 km	1856	Adelaide	Belair Flinders Gawler Grange Outer Harbor Bus Tram
Mile End	2.0 km	1898	Mile End
Adelaide Showground	4.0 km	2014	Keswick, Wayville
Goodwood	5.0 km	1883	Forestville, Goodwood	Belair
Clarence Park	6.3 km	1913	Black Forest, Clarence Park	Bus
Emerson	7.1 km	1928	Black Forest, Clarence Park
Edwardstown	7.9 km	1913	Edwardstown
Woodlands Park	9.1 km	1925	Ascot Park, Edwardstown	Flinders Bus
Ascot Park	10.2 km	1914	Ascot Park
Marion	11.4 km	1954	Marion
Oaklands	12.9 km	1913	Oaklands Park, Warradale	Bus
Warradale	13.7 km	1956	Warradale
Hove	14.6 km	1914	Hove
Brighton	16.0 km	1913	Brighton	Bus
Seacliff	17.0 km	1915	Seacliff	Bus
Marino	18.3 km	1913	Kingston Park, Marino	Bus
Marino Rocks	18.9 km	1915	Marino
Hallett Cove	21.4 km	1915	Hallett Cove	Bus
Hallett Cove Beach	22.9 km	1974	Hallett Cove	Bus
Lonsdale	26.7 km	1976	Lonsdale
Christie Downs	28.9 km	1976	Christie Downs
Noarlunga Centre	30.2 km	1978	Noarlunga Centre	Bus
Seaford Meadows	34.7 km	2014	Seaford Meadows
Seaford	36.0 km	2014	Seaford	Bus Regional Coach

Former stations

Keswick – opened 1913, closed 2013.
Mile End Goods – closed 1994.
Showground Central – opened 2005 for seasonal use, closed 2013.
South Brighton – closed 1976.

Services

3000 class railcar on the Seaford line before it was electrified NoarlungaRailLine.jpg — 3000 class railcar on the Seaford line before it was electrified

Trains to and from Adelaide operate every 5–10 minutes during the weekday peak periods, every 10–20 minutes off-peak on weekdays, and every 30 minutes on weekends plus in the late evening. Previously, some stations were also serviced by trains from Brighton and from the Flinders branch line on weekdays.^[20]

Gallery

The now demolished Keswick station, with Adelaide Parklands Terminal in the background
Goodwood station in 2005, with the Goodwood Overpass in the background
Woodlands Park station in 2007
Oaklands station between 2008 and 2019
Brighton station
Marino Rocks station
Hallett Cove Beach station
Noarlunga Centre, prior to 2014

Related Research Articles

Adelaide Metro is the public transport system of Adelaide, 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.

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.

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

Marino railway station is located on the Seaford line. Situated in the southern Adelaide suburb of Marino, it is 18.3 kilometres from Adelaide station.

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.

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.

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.

Ascot Park railway station is located on the Seaford line. Situated in the south-western Adelaide suburb of Ascot Park, it is 10.2 kilometres from Adelaide station.

The Flinders railway line is a suburban commuter line in Adelaide, South Australia, that branches off the Seaford line at Mitchell Park, and ends opposite Science Park, close to the Flinders University and the Flinders Medical Centre. The line is single track for most of its length, from Celtic Avenue, near Mitchell Park station, to its terminus.

Marino Rocks railway station is located on the Seaford line. Situated in the southern Adelaide suburb of Marino, it is 18.9 kilometres from Adelaide station and leads directly into Nimboya Road Reserve and park.

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

Hallett Cove railway station is located on the Seaford line. Situated in the southern Adelaide suburb of Hallett Cove, it is 21.4 kilometres from Adelaide station.

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

Hallett Cove Beach railway station is located on the Seaford line. Situated in the southern Adelaide suburb of Hallett Cove, it is 22.9 kilometres from Adelaide station.

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

Christie Downs railway station is located on the Seaford line. Situated in the southern Adelaide suburb of Christie Downs, it is 28.9 kilometres from Adelaide station.

The State Transport Authority (STA) was the government agency which controlled public transport in South Australia between 1974 and 1994.

Noarlunga Centre railway station is a railway station on the Seaford line, and for almost 36 years it was the terminus of the line. Situated in the southern Adelaide suburb of Noarlunga Centre, it is 30.2 kilometres from Adelaide station. The station has a bus interchange directly alongside and is adjacent to a large commuter park & ride facility.

Seaford Meadows railway station is located on the Seaford line in South Australia. Situated in the southern Adelaide suburb of Seaford Meadows, it is 34.7 kilometres from Adelaide station.

Seaford railway station is the terminus of the Seaford line in South Australia. Situated in the southern Adelaide suburb of Seaford, it is 35.9 kilometres from Adelaide station.

The Adelaide Metro 4000 class, also referred to as A-City trains, are electric multiple unit trains built by Bombardier Transportation in Dandenong, Victoria for the electrified Adelaide rail network. They are the only class of operational electric trains in South Australia, running services on the Gawler, Seaford and Flinders lines.

References

↑ "Limited life for 2000 class Jumbo railcars" Railway Digest January 2015 page 20
↑ 2008/09 State Budget South Australian Department of Treasury & Finance June 2008
↑ Noarlunga Rail Revitalisation Schedule Department of Transport, Energy & Infrastructure
↑ Schedule Department of Planning, Transport & Infrastructure
↑ Noarlunga & Tonsley lines closed Adelaide Metro
↑ "Rail services resume on Noarlunga line" Railway Digest January 2014 page 23
↑ Wills, Daniel (19 January 2014). "Transport and Infrastructure Minister Tom Koutsantonis turns on new electric Noarlunga train lines".
1 2 Rail revitalistaion Seaford rail extension Department of Planning, Transport & Infrastructure
1 2 Electrifying opening for the new Seaford line ABC Adelaide 23 February 2014
↑ No rail service for Seaford ABC News 19 December 2007
↑ Government looks at extending Noarlunga, Tonsley rail lines Adelaide Advertiser 3 July 2008
↑ 2009-10 Budget Archived 14 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine Federal Government May 2009
↑ Features & benefits Archived 29 March 2014 at archive.today Department of Planning, Transport & Infrastructure
↑ Seaford rail extension moves forward as planning contracts awarded Anthony Albanese 12 August 2009
↑ Work starts on Seaford rail extension Projectlink 4 September 2009
↑ Seaford Rail Extension Project Adcor Constructions
↑ Seaford Rail Extension Thiess
↑ "Development of Aldinga train station inches closer". Victor Harbour Times. 29 May 2019. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
↑ The gauge problems lives on Archived 29 November 2014 at the Wayback Machine 21 March 2012
↑ Seaford & Tonsley timetable Adelaide Metro 20 July 2014

External links

Seaford to City - Adelaide Metro website

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[1] "Limited life for 2000 class Jumbo railcars" Railway Digest January 2015 page 20

[2] 2008/09 State Budget South Australian Department of Treasury & Finance June 2008

[3] Noarlunga Rail Revitalisation Schedule Department of Transport, Energy & Infrastructure

[4] Schedule Department of Planning, Transport & Infrastructure

[5] Noarlunga & Tonsley lines closed Adelaide Metro

[6] "Rail services resume on Noarlunga line" Railway Digest January 2014 page 23

[7] Wills, Daniel (19 January 2014). "Transport and Infrastructure Minister Tom Koutsantonis turns on new electric Noarlunga train lines".

[RR-8] 1 2 Rail revitalistaion Seaford rail extension Department of Planning, Transport & Infrastructure

[ABC23Feb14-9] 1 2 Electrifying opening for the new Seaford line ABC Adelaide 23 February 2014

[10] No rail service for Seaford ABC News 19 December 2007

[11] Government looks at extending Noarlunga, Tonsley rail lines Adelaide Advertiser 3 July 2008

[12] 2009-10 Budget Archived 14 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine Federal Government May 2009

[13] Features & benefits Archived 29 March 2014 at archive.today Department of Planning, Transport & Infrastructure

[14] Seaford rail extension moves forward as planning contracts awarded Anthony Albanese 12 August 2009

[15] Work starts on Seaford rail extension Projectlink 4 September 2009

[16] Seaford Rail Extension Project Adcor Constructions

[17] Seaford Rail Extension Thiess

[18] "Development of Aldinga train station inches closer". Victor Harbour Times. 29 May 2019. Retrieved 1 November 2019.

[19] The gauge problems lives on Archived 29 November 2014 at the Wayback Machine 21 March 2012

[20] Seaford & Tonsley timetable Adelaide Metro 20 July 2014

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