115-601: Sydney Light Rail may refer to: the current multi-line light rail system in Sydney, Australia (see: Light rail in Sydney ) the original name of the Inner West Light Rail , the first of the light rail lines in Sydney, Australia Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Sydney Light Rail . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change
230-433: A 1.9-kilometre (1.2 mi) extension to Maroubra Junction, a 5.1-kilometre (3.2 mi) extension to Malabar and an 8.2-kilometre (5.1 mi) extension to La Perouse . The government's 2018 Greater Sydney Services and Infrastructure Plan included a proposal for an extension to Maroubra Junction. The extension would however not be developed for at least 10 years. Central railway station, Sydney Central
345-570: A fleet of thirteen Urbos 3 vehicles. Each tram will be 45 metres (148 ft) long and consist of seven modules. These vehicles will support wire-free operation using batteries, which will be utilised on the on-street sections of the line around Parramatta and Westmead. As part of the winning consortium to build and operate the CBD and South East Light Rail, Alstom supplied sixty Citadis 305 trams. Each vehicle consists of five sections, and they are coupled together to operate in pairs. Original plans for
460-464: A hood and a corrugated iron roof, with a roof vent. Internally, the stud framing and timber truss roof members were exposed. The offices and public facilities were contained in the adjacent lean-to, which faced George Street. Only one platform and the main up-line served the passenger station. A similar platform and line layout was used for the Mortuary Station , constructed 15 years later; however,
575-433: A less grandiose Scheme prepared by Norman Selfe. Its main feature is the raising of Belmore Park to the level of the station platform between raised roads in the eastern half of a widened Pitt Street on the one hand and the western half of a widened Elizabeth Street on the other, with a connecting viaduct along Eddy Avenue and a retaining-wall to support the raised park along its Hay Street alignment. Although neither scheme
690-449: A magnificent entrance to the city will be established and the trees will set off the new station. He considers that this opportunity for the improvement and ornamentation of Sydney should not be lost, especially as it will not entail a very heavy cost upon the tax payer, most of the land utilised already being the property of the crown. There will be four double and four single platforms, or practically twelve single platforms in all... Between
805-500: A maximum capacity of 600 passengers if required. They were numbered 2101–2107, continuing the Sydney trams sequence that finished at number 2087 with the last Sydney R1-Class Tram . The vehicles had a floor-to-rail height of 30 centimetres (12 in) and the bogies had no axles between the wheels and were powered by hub motors. The design weight was reduced to compensate for the addition of climate-control air-conditioning equipment. Each
920-404: A much larger building than originally proposed, but it is thought in the future it will come into use. In the meantime, certain parts can be left out and added afterwards, but in spite of all such reduction the estimated cost of the new building and the main roof will amount to about £ 400,000 as compared with £ 230,000". As it was being built, it was reported that "Everything in connection with
1035-565: A much modified building was actually constructed. The total estimated cost of the works was to be £ 561,000 with the general works estimated at £ 138,000, the Station Building estimated at £ 233,000 and the Resumptions estimated at £ 140,000. Almost immediately these estimates proved conservative, there was much public concern regarding the removal of bodies from the Old Burial ground and
1150-524: A new cemetery, the Botany Cemetery, had to be constructed, at public expense, at La Perouse . When the third station was built in 1906, it moved one block north, closer to the city. It fronted Garden Road, which was realigned to form Eddy Avenue. If Belmore Park is included, all the land now occupied by the railway at Central and Redfern coincides with the company's original selection of four blocks between Hay and Cleveland Streets. The present station
1265-540: A possible extension of up to an additional ten years. Sydney's light rail network consists of: The L1 Dulwich Hill Line is the network's original passenger route, which first commenced in August 1997. It operates along the 12.8-kilometre (8 mi) Inner West Light Rail between Central Station and Dulwich Hill, stopping at 23 stops along the route. It connects Sydney's Inner West with the Pyrmont peninsula, Darling Harbour and
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#17328553001511380-468: A prominent Sydney builder and local politician, proposed a scheme to provide a circular city extension to the railway. The route included stations at Oxford Street , William Street and Woolloomooloo in the east, Circular Quay , then Dawes Point and a line parallel to Darling Harbour in the west. John Whitton designed a grand city terminus at the corner of Hunter and Castlereagh Streets two years later. Neither of these schemes eventuated. In 1895,
1495-479: A ramp, descending from the north west corner of the building to Belmore Road. A subway for pedestrians to enter the building is to be provided from a point in Pitt Street, nearly opposite the north western corner of the building. The tramway approaches have been so designed as to take them completely clear of all other classes of traffic and congestion, and interference and risk of injury will be altogether obviated. It
1610-507: A scheme that did not involve the disturbance of or use of land in Hyde Park was sought. The extension of Belmore Park was initially proposed in the 1897 scheme as compensation for the use of the northwestern corner of Hyde Park as a railway station. Following a change of government the St James scheme was abandoned and Deane prepared, c. 1899 , a further two schemes, one of which was for
1725-565: A separate line which could be electrified without impact on the remainder of the rail system. However, due to the necessity of building the City Underground Railway and the proposal for a Sydney Harbour Bridge , not to mention the expansion of the Illawarra and Bankstown lines, the program was altered in order that the electrification could be linked with these proposed expansions. From Well Street, Redfern eight tracks would continue as
1840-681: A total length of approximately 67 metres (220 ft). The first unit was completed in May 2017. The first six were manufactured in La Rochelle , France, the remaining 54 in Barcelona , Spain. They are numbered 001–060. After the entire Urbos 3 fleet of the Inner West Light Rail was withdrawn for repairs in November 2021, Citadis trams were borrowed from the CBD and South East Light Rail and tested on
1955-444: A western extension continuing along the disused goods line, plus a new line through the city centre from Central to Circular Quay . The western extension opened in 2000, terminating at Lilyfield , but the company was unsuccessful in its attempts to develop a CBD line, which saw the development of light rail stagnate for the remainder of the decade. By contrast, the 2010s saw major expansion and reform of light rail in Sydney including
2070-579: Is a light rail / tram system serving the city of Sydney , New South Wales, Australia. The network currently consists of three passenger routes, the L1 Dulwich Hill , L2 Randwick and L3 Kingsford lines. The network comprises 42 stops and a system length of 24.7 km (15.3 mi), making it the second largest light rail network in Australia behind the tram network in Melbourne , Victoria. A fourth line,
2185-417: Is a heritage-listed railway station located in the centre of Sydney , New South Wales , Australia . The station is Australia's largest and busiest railway station, and is a major transport interchange for NSW TrainLink inter-city rail services, Sydney Trains commuter rail services, Sydney Metro services, Sydney light rail services, bus services, and private coach transport services. The station
2300-490: Is also known as Sydney Terminal (Platforms 1 to 12). The property was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. It recorded 85.4 million passenger movements in 2018 and serves over 250,000 people daily. Central station occupies a large city block separating Haymarket , Surry Hills and the central business district, bounded by Railway Square and Pitt Street in
2415-548: Is intended that the railway traffic should run as now arranged over the Castlereagh and Pitt Street route, but, instead of approaching the station on the ground level, the two lines begin to rise from a point in Belmore Park on a grade of 1 in 20, where they will terminate with a wide colonnade of (sic) platform level. This design, with pavilions and a mansard roof, was strongly influenced by French Renaissance chateaux. The scale of
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#17328553001512530-513: Is measured are included as notes. The smartcard-based Opal card ticketing system, which was introduced to the network on 1 December 2014, is valid on metro, train, bus, ferry and light rail services. Different fares apply for these modes, except that the same fares apply to light rail and buses. However, they are treated as separate modes for fare calculation purposes. Light rail stops feature Opal top up machines that also sell Opal single trip tickets. The single trip tickets are more expensive than
2645-472: The Cleveland Street Bridge and flyovers. The Devonshire Street subway and Devonshire Street wall were extended through the new suburban section. The new viaduct along Elizabeth Street included new bridges over Eddy Avenue, Campbell Street and Hay Street and a new retaining wall along Elizabeth Street. Modernisation programs were undertaken in 1955 and again in 1964. In the 1955 work, a booking hall
2760-649: The Sydney Olympic Park events precinct. In February 2024 stage 2 of the Parramatta light rail linking Parramatta to Sydney Olympic Park via Rydalmere , Melrose Park and Wentworth Point received planning approval after the New South Wales Government had invested $ 200 million to expedite planning processes for the project in their 2023–24 state budget. Construction on Stage 2 is expected to start in late 2024 and open in 2031. All services on
2875-693: The Sydney Tramway Museum , Loftus . The remaining five (2101–2105) were scrapped in early 2018. Four leased CAF Urbos 2 trams were introduced on the Inner West Light Rail in 2014. They entered service to coincide with the extension of the line to Dulwich Hill, supplementing the Variotrams and ensuring service frequencies on the line could be maintained. The four trams had previously operated in Spain. Three units (2108–2110) were from Vélez-Málaga , where they operated between 2006 and 2012. The other tram (2111)
2990-481: The various rail modes in the city. In March 1994, the Sydney Light Rail Company (SLRC) was formed. SLRC was awarded a 30-year concession to operate the light rail system until February 2028 when ownership would pass to the New South Wales Government . The contract gave the company significant control over the commercial arrangements relating to future extensions or interconnecting lines. Operation of
3105-416: The >8 km (5.0 mi) band doesn't apply to light rail services. When it first opened, the Inner West Light Rail used its paper-based ticketing system. Paper tickets were originally sold from ticket machines on stop platforms but were later issued by conductors on board. During the 2010s, this system gradually merged with the broader Sydney ticketing system, culminating in the introduction of Opal and
3220-450: The 12 km (7.5 mi) L4 in Sydney's west, is planned to open in late 2024. The network is managed by Transport for NSW , with day-to-day operations contracted to Transdev . In the 2023/24 Financial Year, 40.59 million passenger journeys were made on the network. This equates to a ridership of over 110,000 daily passenger journeys. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Sydney developed an extensive tram network , which grew to be
3335-616: The 1840s for a railway linking Sydney and Parramatta , with an eastern terminus close to the Sydney city centre. Although the Sydney Railway Company first applied to the government for four blocks of land between Hay and Cleveland streets in 1849, the Surveyor General favoured Grose Farm, now the grounds of the University of Sydney . It was further from the city and less costly to develop. The company finally exchanged land in
3450-418: The 1874 station at midnight of 4 August 1906. During the remainder of that night, the passenger concourse was demolished and the line extended through the old station into the new station. The Western Mail arrived at 05:50 on 5 August 1906 at the new station. Devonshire Street, which separated the two stations, became a pedestrian underpass to allow people to cross the railway line and is now known by many as
3565-461: The 1980s and 1990s, the inner city areas of Darling Harbour and Pyrmont were the subject of an urban renewal program. In 1988 the Sydney Monorail opened, connecting Darling Harbour to the city centre . With poor integration between the monorail and other transport modes and the increasing redevelopment of the Pyrmont peninsula – including the establishment of Sydney's first legal casino – it
Sydney Light Rail - Misplaced Pages Continue
3680-567: The Benevolent Asylum grounds, the convent along the northern side of Pitt Street where it debouches upon George Street. The result will be a fine, broad thoroughfare, tree bordered to form the entrance to the city... ...Mr O'Sullivan is also conferring with Mr S Horden to see if an arrangement can be made for the purpose of widening Gipps Street, at present a narrow thoroughfare before any new buildings are erected. By planting these broad streets on each side with trees, Mr O'Sullivan contends that
3795-651: The Chinese who travel to the Star casino by light rail, about numbers ending in 13. In June 2021, a contract with CAF for four Urbos 100 (the variant on the existing Urbos 3) five-module unit was reported. On 28 October 2021, service was suspended on the Inner West Light Rail after cracking in welds was discovered in some of the Urbos 3 vehicles during routine inspections. Stage 1 of the Parramatta Light Rail will be operated by
3910-525: The City Railway whilst four would carry the country trains to the Sydney Terminal. An above ground station would include a link to allow the transfer of passengers and baggage to the Sydney Terminal. This new station was constructed on the east side. South of the station buildings, additional works built to accommodate the electrification and expansion of the city and suburban lines included extensions to
4025-606: The Devonshire Street Tunnel. An 85.6-metre-tall (281 ft) clock tower in the Free Classical style was added at the north-western corner of the station, opening on 12 March 1921. The clock was designed by Richard Lamb and Alfred Fairfax, the co-founders of Fairfax & Roberts. On a continuous axis with the first station building, Belmore Park originally fronted the first Hay and Corn Markets in Hay Street. When
4140-473: The Devonshire Street station could accommodate was 20,000; the new station would be able to accommodate 40,000. The location of the cab rank was also discussed, it having been decided not to incorporate a cab rank inside the building so that the new station could be "kept entirely free from the smell, which the standing of horses under the roof must certainly involve". The last train departed platform 5 of
4255-455: The Government announced an order for six additional Urbos 3s to replace the Variotrams. All Urbos 3s from the additional order had entered service by the end of June 2015. The Urbos 3s are approximately 33 metres (108 ft) long and feature two double and two single doors on each side. The seats on the first batch are generally in the transverse configuration – at 90 degrees to the sides of
4370-470: The Inner West Light Rail from December 2021. The Citadis vehicles began services on the Inner West Light Rail on 12 February 2022 on a temporary basis until the Urbos 3 fleet could be repaired and brought back into service. They continue to operate following the reintroduction of the Urbos 3s. The network's original rolling stock was the Variotram which was introduced with the opening of the first section of
4485-498: The Inner West Light Rail in 1997. Seven German-designed vehicles were manufactured by Adtranz in Dandenong . The Variotram design is modular and was extended for the Sydney system. The capacity of the vehicles was 217 passengers, of which 74 were seated. The first was damaged in an accident near Tarcutta while on its delivery run and had to be returned to Melbourne for repairs. On tests up to three trams were coupled together allowing
4600-483: The Inner West Light Rail were previously operated by a single class of tram. A second class was introduced to operate services on the CBD and South East Light Rail. All vehicles to have operated on the system have been articulated, low floor and bi-directional. The system uses standard gauge track and 750 volt direct current electrification. Both lines use different specifications on a range of measures including gaps between platforms and carriages, height and width of
4715-597: The Inner West Light Rail, the line is mostly on-street and follows a similar path to routes used by the former tramway network. Major construction began in October 2015. Parramatta Light Rail is the name given to two planned lines that converge on the Western Sydney centre of Parramatta . These lines will have no connection to the Inner West or CBD and South East lines. The first line runs from Carlingford to Westmead via
Sydney Light Rail - Misplaced Pages Continue
4830-484: The Old Burial Ground Site. The royal commission in 1897 again considered the city railway extension because of dangerous congestion at Redfern and recommended using Hyde Park. Then, after an investigative trip overseas, Henry Deane prepared alternative proposals for a new railway terminal for the government in 1900. The second scheme proposal called for the resumption of the Devonshire Street cemeteries, but this
4945-644: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works advised that a royal commission should be constituted to "inquire into the question of bringing the railway from its present terminus at Redfern into the city". The findings of the commission, favouring a site in St James Road, were released in 1897. The term Central Station was now in common use. The public works annual report of 1896–1897 noted that "the Railway Construction Branch
5060-457: The Parramatta CBD. It includes the conversion of most of the former heavy rail Carlingford line to light rail standards. Construction began in 2018 and is expected to be completed in May 2024. The preferred route for the second line was announced in October 2017. This line branches from the first line at Rydalmere and travels through Ermington , Melrose Park , Wentworth Point and on to
5175-511: The Railway Commissioners with the accompanying comment by the "Board of Experts" advising on the design of Central Station "we are of the opinion that either one or the other of the architectural designs which accompany this report may with confidence be adopted". Of the two façade options, that of Gorrie McLeish Blair was reputedly selected. The 1901/02 Annual Report describes the progress a year later, "work has progressed vigorously during
5290-498: The Sydney Terminus was to be a collaboration between the architect and the railway engineers. The layout was largely determined by the planning requirements of the railway engineers, to which an appropriate architectural style was overlaid. However, the initial scheme did not contain the required accommodation and an enlargement of the building was approved by the minister. The cost estimate was now £ 610,000. The board were to fulfil
5405-412: The Variotrams that had been providing services on the line since the first section opened in 1997. A tender for six Urbos 3s was awarded to Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF) in August 2012. The first unit arrived in Sydney on 19 December 2013 and entered service on 24 July 2014. All were in service by August, allowing the leased Urbos 2s to be returned to Spain. On 11 October 2013,
5520-421: The actual track, clearances between the track corridor and its surrounds, and distance between the back wheels of the trams. As a result, Urbos 3 trams used on the Inner West Light Rail (L1 Dulwich Hill) line are unable to serve on the CBD and South East Light Rail (L2 Randwick and L3 Kingsford) lines However, Citadis 305 trams used on the CBD and South East Light Rail are able to run on the Inner West Light Rail as
5635-402: The announcement and delivery of multiple new infrastructure projects, integration of ticketing with the city's other transport modes, the introduction of new trams and the transfer of the network to full public ownership. This coincided with broader investment in urban railways across Sydney and Australia, with the state transport minister in 2020 labelling Sydney a "train city" in reference to
5750-475: The announcement of the CBD and South East Light Rail, the government decided to group the contract covering the construction of the new line with the operation and maintenance of both lines of the inner city network. In December 2014, Transport for NSW awarded the contract to the ALTRAC Light Rail consortium. This sees Transdev Sydney , the operator under the previous contract, continue to operate and maintain
5865-529: The brick fields. The adjacent field which is today Belmore Park was known as the "police paddock", after the police barracks. The remains exhumed from the cemetery were re-interred at several other Sydney cemeteries including Rookwood and Waverley cemeteries. Bodies were moved to Botany by steam tram motors and flat cars. E. O'Sullivan, the Minister for Works, in 1901, established the [Central] Station Advisory Board, comprising railway experts to "investigate
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#17328553001515980-533: The building of retaining wall, Pitt Street, between Hay Street and the Ambulance Depot, near Devonshire-street; the tramway arrival and departure bridges, the piers of which have been carried up to impost and girder-bed level. Shop fronts and arcades in Pitt-street ... the whole of [the] arcade with shop fronts and front wall to the main building from Pitt-street to the extreme eastern end of the building, including
6095-466: The building, arrangement of the approaches and viaducts, the ground level colonnade and the position of the clocktower are all similar to the subsequent scheme, which was actually constructed. By June 1901, work had begun on forming the site of the new station at Devonshire Street, the PWD Annual Report for 1900/01 noting that "a great deal of preliminary work has had to be done in the preparation of
6210-469: The burial ground in Devonshire Street was offered as compensation, public sentiment still opposed the loss of Hyde Park. The initial designs for a near Sydney Terminal were prepared by Henry Deane, the Engineer-in-Chief of Railway Construction in consultation with the Railway Commissioners. Deane is reputed to have prepared 10 schemes for the royal commission. Although the St James location was preferred,
6325-441: The case of Central station, "the levels permit of its being carried on underground by means of subways and lifts at suitable points". The mail was also to be transferred by subway. The train shed roof was to be designed to have a central span of 198 ft (60 m) with two sides spans of 78 ft (24 m). Three pin trusses were to be employed, which were to be brought to the ground to provide intermediate support. The roof
6440-408: The clerical, professional, traffic and audit branches. The railway is to cross Devonshire Street, which as a street for heavy traffic will cease to exist. It will be lowered and modified, to suite pedestrian, cab and light traffic only, with a width of 50ft. The heavy traffic hitherto taken over Devonshire Street will be diverted along Belmore Road and a new street which is to be made on the east side of
6555-414: The completion of the first stage of the main terminal building c. 1906 , was a gloomy building, the glass in the roof lantern not permitting a great deal of light to enter and the soot from the steam locomotives coating the surfaces with grime. The second station grew to 14 platforms before it was replaced by the present-day station to the north of Devonshire Street. In major metropolitan areas
6670-405: The demand for platform space during peak times resulted in additional branch lines and platforms being constructed adjacent to the passenger station. These lines were brought in front of the station, obscuring it from view and isolating the verandah. By 1890 Whitton's station building had become engulfed within a sea of sheds and tram platform canopies. The second Redfern station, demolished following
6785-491: The earlier scheme. During 1899 a Parliamentary Standing Committee had debated whether the major public buildings should be constructed of brick with a sandstone trim or all sandstone. This committee determined that, for major public buildings, sandstone should be used. Two designs, by members of the Government Architects Branch, were submitted for the façades in October 1901 to the Minister for Public Works and to
6900-552: The east wing have been carried up to the first floor level. The 1908 Royal Commission for the Improvement of the City of Sydney and its Suburbs offered two schemes which, in providing vehicular access, attempted to resolve the discrepancy in scale between Belmore Park and the station building. The scheme presented by John Sulman consisted of two circular roadways, one above the other, around Belmore Park. The Commissioners, however, favoured
7015-401: The end of the docks and the main buildings is the assembly platform, 70ft wide. On the platform level will be booking offices, waiting rooms, cloak and luggage offices, lavatories, convenient refreshment rooms, dining rooms, etc. The basement will be devoted to kitchens, stores, baggage rooms, offices for minor officials, and a dining room for the Railway Commissioners and their staffs, including
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#17328553001517130-472: The extent of the resumption there would, in addition to a terminus, be room for the extension of the goods yard and the erection of a carriage shed and post office. The existing lines were at a higher level than the Burial Ground, so rather than lowering the existing railway track, the tramlines were to be raised to serve a high level station. The Public Works Committee passed the design on 7 June 1900, however,
7245-502: The first stage of the station in 1906. It was the obvious location for expansion when new platforms were added to the original complex to provide the electrical city and suburban connection in 1926. The grand station building is eclipsed from view at street level by the Elizabeth Street ramp, and the later semi-circular classical entrance portico to the city connection is in refined contrast to the rusticated blocks and heavy treatment of
7360-461: The first, second and third blocks, between Hay and Devonshire Streets, for an increased area of eight hectares (twenty acres) in the fourth block, the Government Paddocks, between Devonshire and Cleveland Streets. Hence, the site of the first Sydney railway terminus was located here from 1855. The original Sydney station was opened on 26 September 1855 in an area known as Cleveland Fields. It
7475-419: The gradual enlargement and extension of the railway to the northern end of the city and in the same year Railway Commissioner, E. M. G. Eddy, proposed a terminal city station at the corner of Elizabeth Street and St James' Road. The route of the latter was virtually the same as that for 1879, however, the new site for the terminus included half of the northern end of Hyde Park . Although 6 hectares (16 acres) of
7590-411: The level of Prince Alfred Park." In early 1902, the design of the terminus building was changed yet again, at the request of the "Board of Experts" advising on the design of Central that "the station building has been increased in height by one storey, and considerably in length of front, and an east wing added. A tower also of fine proportions has been included. The completed building consequently shows
7705-400: The level of detail and materials varied considerably. The first station building was extended almost immediately, a shed being constructed at the southern end to cover an additional 30 metres (100 ft) of platform. When the station became inadequate for the traffic it carried, a new station was built in 1874 on the same site and was also called Sydney Terminal. The Second Sydney Terminal
7820-467: The line intended for the trams to be approximately 45 metres (148 ft) long and operate as single units. Wire-free operation in a section of George Street between Bathurst Street and Circular Quay was to be achieved via battery storage. In December 2014, it was announced that Alstom's proprietary APS technology would be used in place of batteries. The length of the trams would also be reduced, but they would now operate in pairs, giving each pair
7935-511: The line was contracted to TNT Transit Systems , which also owned the Sydney Monorail . The SLRC purchased TNT Transit Systems in August 1998 as part of a joint venture with CGEA Transport . This resulted in CGEA Transport taking over the light rail operating contract. CGEA Transport and its successors have operated the inner city light rail network ever since. In early 2001, Connex (renamed from CGEA Transport in 1999) sold its share of
8050-483: The line. Limited service was then restored with borrowed Citadis trams from the CBD and South East Light Rail. The L2 Randwick Line and L3 Kingsford Line are Sydney's newest passenger routes on the Sydney light rail network. L2 Randwick Line services commenced on 14 December 2019, while L3 Kingsford Line services commenced operations on 3 April 2020. They operate on the CBD and South East Light Rail , between Circular Quay at
8165-497: The link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sydney_Light_Rail&oldid=1232207956 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Light rail in Sydney The Sydney light rail network (or Sydney Light Rail )
8280-435: The longitudinal seating configuration – running parallel to the sides of the vehicle's body. Digital voice announcements and internal dot-matrix displays provided information about the next stop. The following table lists patronage figures for the network during the corresponding financial year. Australia's financial years start on 1 July and end on 30 June. Major events that affected the number of journeys made or how patronage
8395-468: The main building. The Liverpool riot of 1916 , sometimes called the "battle of Central station", took place after soldiers rebelling against camp conditions had raided hotels in Liverpool and travelled to the city by commandeered trains. Upon arrival at Central station, the rioters set about destroying the station facilities, and fire was exchanged between rampaging rioters and military police . One rioter
8510-516: The monorail to the SLRC, bringing the monorail and light rail under unified ownership and leading to the formation of Metro Transport Sydney. The New South Wales Government purchased Metro Transport Sydney in March 2012, and the company was placed under the control of Transport for NSW . The purchase removed the contractual restrictions on expanding the light rail network and allowed the government to dismantle
8625-635: The monorail, assisting its plans to redevelop the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre . From 1 July 2013, the Metro Light Rail brand was phased out as part of a broader rebranding and reorganisation of public transport services in New South Wales. The process of shutting down Metro Transport Sydney and transferring assets to Transport for NSW was completed in September 2014. Following
8740-630: The network as part of the consortium. The operating contract commenced on 1 July 2015 and runs until 2034. After taking control of the Inner West Light Rail and announcing the CBD and South East Light Rail, the government also moved to establish a separate network centred around the Western Sydney suburb of Parramatta . Transdev will also operate the Parramatta network as part of the Great River City Light Rail consortium. This contract runs for eight years from construction completion, with
8855-578: The new road in front of the Station, also for the Devonshire-Street subway and for the whole of the basement floors, including drainage, telephone tunnels, &c." At this stage, the estimated cost of the works was 561,600 pounds, however, it was "probable that his estimate will be exceeded". The necessary tramway deviations, 2.75 miles (4.43 km) of track, were laid in 1901–02 using day labour. The track consisted of rails laid on sleepers. The curve and
8970-679: The new station appears to have been designed on a grand scale, from the great elevated approaches down to the system of handling luggage underground." It is listed on the NSW State Heritage Register and the now defunct Register of the National Estate . Henry Deane, in a lecture given to the Sydney University Engineering Society in 1902, describes the layout of the Central Railway Station that
9085-493: The northern end of the city centre to Central Station at the southern end, then continuing to the south-eastern suburbs . CBD and South East Light Rail were built to reduce bus congestion in the CBD and provide higher capacity public transport to the Sydney Football Stadium , Sydney Cricket Ground , Randwick Racecourse and the University of New South Wales , which were previously served only by buses. In contrast to
9200-473: The poles were manufactured by local engineering firms including Clyde Engineering Co. The Permanent Way (i.e. track) was imported either from England or America. The construction of the first stage of the station began in June 1902 and was completed in August 1906. By 30 June 1903 the following works had been completed: ... the total quantity earth removed is about 250,500 cubic yards. This has been used to level up
9315-511: The present Redfern Station was officially called "Eveleigh". Although called "Redfern Station", the first and second Sydney Terminals were never actually located in Redfern, being to the north of Cleveland Street, which is Redfern 's northern boundary. The first and second station buildings were both in the form of a shed which covered the main line. A photograph of the exterior of the first station taken in 1871 shows vertical boarding, windows with
9430-462: The question of the design and arrangements of the station". The members included Walter Liberty Vernon , both of the chief engineers of the New South Wales railway (for railway construction and existing lines respectively), and the chief engineers of the Queensland and Victorian railways. The committee also considered a suitable design for the new Flinders Street station in Melbourne . The design for
9545-473: The rail terminus tended to be located within the inner core of the city. The site of the first and second station termini was inconveniently located for the city. Initially, a horse-bus service operated from the station to the city and both the engineer-in-chief, John Whitton , and the Chief Commissioner for Railways, B. H. Martindale, recognised the urgency of a city rail extension. In 1877, John Young,
9660-447: The remains to a cemetery of their choosing, however, the majority of bodies removed were relocated, at government expense, to the new cemetery at La Perouse. The Belmore Park to Fort Macquarie Electric Tramway was also constructed in 1900–1901. The earlier brick and sandstone design, with a mansard roof, was abandoned in favour of an all sandstone terminus building which largely incorporated the same passenger, tram and vehicle separation as
9775-564: The second largest in the Southern Hemisphere and second largest in the Commonwealth after London . The increasing rate of private car ownership, the perception that trams contributed to traffic congestion and the general rundown conditions of the network due to the lack of funding after World War II led to the progressive replacement of tram services with buses, with the final section of the tram network closing on 25 February 1961. In
9890-456: The site for the new station and the extension of the railway, owing to the necessity of removing the bodies from the old cemetery and providing a new cemetery to receive the remains, as well as the demolition of the buildings and disposal of the material. The work of clearing and levelling is now well in hand." "Private removals were commenced on the 29th of February 1901 and at the end of the year 1,145 bodies had been removed." Families could remove
10005-537: The southern end of the city centre . The majority of the Inner West Light Rail line is along the alignment of a former freight railway line , with a short on-street section at the city end. The line opened between Central railway station in the city and Wentworth Park, Pyrmont in August 1997, then extended west to Lilyfield in August 2000, and then southwest to Dulwich Hill in March 2014. From late October 2021 to February 2022, services were replaced by buses after major cracks were found in all 12 Urbos 3 trams serving
10120-487: The spoil excavated for the foundations". A more detailed account is given of the excavation: "the excavation to the docks and main building containing some 80,000 cubic yards, has been taken out and the material removed to Belmore Park, where it forms the tramway embankments and raises the general level of the park. About 30,000 cubic yards of material from the Castlereagh-street cutting have been utilised in improving
10235-461: The standard Opal fare. They are only valid for travel on light rail and must be used on the day of purchase. The following table lists Opal fares for reusable smartcards and single trip tickets. ^ = $ 2.50 for Senior/Pensioner cardholders Fares are calculated using a straight line distance between the origin and destination stops. No two stops on the existing line are located more than 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from each other using this method, so
10350-406: The station site as required. Belmore Park has been raised to carry the tramways to the station... The Sports Grounds Moore Park (cycling ground) have been formed and the best of the clay had been disposed of to Messrs. Goodlet & Smith at their brickworks ... The whole of the foundations to the main buildings have been taken out and concreted. On 21st July, 1902, the first order for building stone
10465-441: The station. Cabs will enter the station from Devonshire Street. The exit for cabs will lead into Pitt Street by an inclined ramp and subway, thus avoiding any crossing on the level of the path of either pedestrians or tramcars. The main approach to the station will be opposite the intersection of George and Pitt Street, and foot passengers, and cabs and other vehicles will enter here. Departure for vehicles will be effected by means of
10580-545: The third station was located one block further north, it linked up with the southern side of Belmore Park. The park then fortuitously provided a green foil to the commanding city front of the station. In 1902, the Railway and Tramway Construction Branch, headed by Henry Deane, reported that "plans and detail drawings have been prepared in the office for the whole of the retaining wall and shops in Pitt-Street, both north and south of
10695-404: The vehicle. The second batch replace some of the transverse seats with longitudinal seating, providing more standing room. Digital voice announcements and internal dot-matrix displays provide information about the next stop. They have a standard capacity of 206 passengers and a crush capacity of 272. The vehicles are numbered 2112, 2114–2124. 2113 was skipped due to superstition, particularly among
10810-454: The vehicles are narrower. This was to allow the fleet to access the Lilyfield maintenance centre via the Inner West Light Rail. This also allowed for Citadis trams to be used for L1 Dulwich Hill services on the Inner West Light Rail. Following the 5.6 km (3.5 mi) extension of the Inner West Light Rail to Dulwich Hill, more rolling stock was needed to support services and run alongside
10925-465: The west, Eddy Avenue in the north, Elizabeth Street in the east and the Devonshire Street Tunnel in the south. Parts of the station and marshalling yards extend as far south as Cleveland Street , and are located on the site of the former Devonshire Street Cemetery . There have been three terminal stations in Sydney. The railway arrived in New South Wales in 1831. Proposals began in
11040-503: The wishes of the minister that "the building should be a monumental work of stateliness and beauty". An early proposal for the new terminus, and the changes to the surrounding area, were reported in the Sydney Mail in 1901: One of the reforms to be incidentally effected will be the widening of Pitt Street near the railway to 100ft. The width will secured by taking in land on the right already resumed or in Government hands, and including
11155-516: The withdrawal of all other tickets. This process was completed on 1 August 2016. Several transport corridors have significant potential to allow for the growth of the network beyond its current route structure. The New South Wales Government's 2012 policy document entitled Sydney's Light Rail Future proposed investigating an extension of the CBD and South East Light Rail along the southern Anzac Parade corridor. By 2014, an initial investigation had commenced. Three potential options were examined;
11270-540: The year. All the old buildings and human remains have been removed from the site and the foundation stone was laid at the corner of Pitt-street and the New Belmore road on the 30th April. The information of New-Street, 2 chains in width, the extension of Castlereagh-street and the widening of Hay and Elizabeth Streets is well forward. The levelling of the whole site is practically finished, and great improvements have been made to Belmore and Prince Alfred Parks by filling in with
11385-419: Was a more substantial brick station building, initially with two platforms. The second station building was constructed on the site of the first station, the main hall spanning the up and down mainlines. Separate platforms and facilities were provided for arriving and departing passengers. The new station building appears to have taken three years to complete: the drawings are dated 1871, while the official opening
11500-408: Was a temporary timber and corrugated iron building, constructed rapidly in late August to early September 1855, in time for the opening of the line to Parramatta for passenger trains. This station (one wooden platform in a corrugated iron shed), called "Sydney Terminal", had Devonshire Street as its northern boundary. It was frequently but unofficially called "Redfern Station", while at that time,
11615-531: Was attempted, Selfe's proposal is recalled in the Elizabeth Street ramp which was built in 1925 to allow the extension of an electric connection to the city. The park, needless to say, was never raised to the height of the assembly platform. The Elizabeth Street façade of the Sydney Terminus has received less attention. Facing the working class terraces in Surry Hills , the eastern wing was finished in brick rather than stone when shortage of funds hurried completion of
11730-817: Was built on a site previously occupied by the Devonshire Street Cemetery , South Sydney Morgue, the Convent of the Good Samaritan, the Sydney Female Refuge, police barracks and superintendent's residence (on Pitt Street), Christ Church Parsonage, the Benevolent Asylum (fronting Railway Square), a steam train depot (at the corner of Pitt Street with Garden Road), as well as some residential properties on Railway Place. The convent, female refuge and police barracks were all original part of "Carters Barracks", built in 1819 to house convict gangs working as carters on
11845-522: Was called upon to furnish voluminous plans and estimates of the cost of the various proposals brought before the commission. After a most exhaustive investigation, the Royal Commission reported, almost unanimously, in favour of the extension of the railway into the city by the route and according to the plan as described as the St James Road Scheme". In 1897, Norman Selfe drew up a scheme for
11960-399: Was cheaper and less contentious than the acquisition of Hyde Park. It was the second scheme which was eventually adopted. The earlier schemes to extend the lines further into the city would have been prohibitively expensive and would have required large scale resumptions. The site of the Old Burial ground was, in comparison, relatively easily obtainable as no private land was involved. Due to
12075-403: Was created (in the former refreshment room, now the railway bar). Murals depicting railway scenes lined the walls and a terrazzo map of Australia was installed on the floor. In October 1980 a modernisation program at the Sydney Terminal commenced. The objective of the work was to improve the facilities for both passenger convenience and comfort. The start of this modernisation program coincided with
12190-562: Was currently under construction: In his lecture, he also discusses many of the technical aspects of the design including luggage handling, the lifts, the water towers, the train shed roof, which was subsequently deleted as a cost-cutting measure, the platforms and signalling. A novel method of luggage handling was designed for Central to "get rid of the objectionable luggage-trolley, which is always frightening nervous people". An overhead luggage carrying system had been developed in England, however, in
12305-504: Was decided to convert a disused section of the Metropolitan Goods railway line into a light rail line. A section of track between Pyrmont and Haymarket was upgraded and a new on-street section was built to link the line to Central railway station . The line was set up as a public-private partnership . It opened in August 1997, running between Central Station and Wentworth Park , Pyrmont. The private owner soon made proposals for
12420-434: Was fitted with three double doors on each side which had enhanced safety systems with obstacle detection interlocked with the traction system. Seats were generally in the transverse configuration – at 90 degrees to the sides of the vehicle. In 2014, the original external destination rolls were replaced with dot-matrix displays and digital voice announcements were installed. There were no internal displays. The last Variotram
12535-573: Was from Seville . The first Urbos 2 arrived in Sydney on 4 September 2013. Delivery was completed in November. The trams entered service on 22 March 2014, five days before the opening of the extension to Dulwich Hill. Following the introduction of the Urbos 3 trams in July 2014, the Urbos 2s were withdrawn and returned to Spain. The Urbos 2s were unpopular with passengers and attracted complaints. The trams featured four double and two single doors on each side. The seats were unpadded and were generally built in
12650-449: Was given to Mr Saunders, at Pyrmont Quarry. On the 6th of August Inspector Murray went to Pyrmont Quarry to arrange for starting work dressing stone. On the 7th August eleven masons started work, and on the 18th the first dressed stone was landed on the works from Pyrmont Quarry and was set in place on No. 3 Pier, arrival bridge, on the 19th August; and since that date 127,000 cubic feet have been built into place. This stone has been used in
12765-422: Was in 1874. The second station, like the first, was constructed to allow for a future extension of the line into the city, the lines initially extending just far enough past the building to accommodate a steam locomotive. John Whitton, the engineer-in-chief, designed a neo-classical station building to be constructed of brick, with the decorative detail formed using polychromatic and relief work. Almost immediately
12880-414: Was officially opened on 4 August 1906 and opening for passengers on 5 August 1906. During Governor Macquarie 's term, the future site of the Sydney Terminal was beyond the limits of settlement, which were marked by the tollhouse located at the end of George Street and at the entrance to Railway Square . Central station was designed by the government architect, Walter Liberty Vernon . The new station
12995-462: Was shot dead and several were injured. The only remaining evidence of the gun battle is a small bullet-hole in the marble by the entrance to platform 1. This incident had a direct influence on the introduction of 6 o'clock closing of hotels in 1916, which lasted in New South Wales until 1955. The original proposal for electrification was for the North Shore line , from Hornsby to Milsons Point ,
13110-514: Was to be continuous. This truss and roof configuration was to be based on that of the Union Station, St Louis , visited by Deane in 1894. Such a roof would have rivalled those of the major metropolitan termini in Europe and America. The platform area was to be double that of the earlier station and correspondingly double the number of passengers could be accommodated. The maximum number of passengers that
13225-456: Was withdrawn from service after operating overnight between Central and The Star on 27/28 May 2015. After sustaining damage in a derailment at Glebe on 7 October 2013, Variotram number 2106 was scrapped. The remaining six Variotrams were placed into storage in Penrith during the first half of 2015. Having been retained by Transport Heritage NSW , in October 2018, 2107 was placed in the custody of
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