Noarlunga Centre railway line, Adelaide

TransAdelaideRailLine
line_name=Noarlunga Centre Line
colour=#0000ff

---

start=Adelaide
terminus=Noarlunga Centre
majorstops=Goodwood
Oaklands
Brighton
Hallett Cove Beach
length=30.2
track=Quadruple Track to Goodwood
Double Track to Noarlunga Centre
peakfreq=Every 10-30 Mins
weekdayfreq=Every 15-30 Mins
weekendfreq=Every 30 Mins
nightfreq=Every 60 Mins
2000-class=Yes
3000-class=Yes
opened=1913 (To Marino)
1974 (To Hallett Cove Beach)
1976 (To Christie Downs)
1978 (To Noarlunga Centre)
re-sleepered=2010
electrified=2014
closed=N/A

The Noarlunga Centre railway line is a suburban commuter line in the city of Adelaide, South Australia.

History

Before the extension of the line to Noarlunga Centre line in 1978, a line ran from Hallett Cove station on a different route through Reynella, Morphett Vale and Hackham to Willunga (southeast of Noarlunga). Known as the Willunga line, it was closed in 1969 and in September 1972 a track-removal train removed the tracks. For 6 years Noarlunga had no train service.

The South Australian Railways and its successor, the State Transport Authority (STA), extended the railway southwards in stages from Hallett Cove to cater for increasing residential development in the southern area. Opening dates for passenger services were:

*To Hallett Cove Beach on 30 June 1974.
*To Christie Downs on 25 January 1976. This was a temporary terminus just north of Beach Road and adjacent to Hyacinth Crescent, Christie Downs. It was a different location to today’s Christie Downs station, which opened later, in November 1981.
*To Noarlunga Centre station on 2 April 1978.

Route

The line runs from the Adelaide Railway Station south east via the suburbs of Edwardstown, Oaklands Park and Marion to the coast at Brighton, where it turns south towards Noarlunga Centre in the city's southern regions. 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 (1600mm) for its entire length. The line is approx 30.2 kilometres in length and is the 2nd longest of the Adelaide suburban railway lines. All signalling on the Noarlunga Centre line is controlled remotely from TransAdelaide’s computerised train control centre at Adelaide station. The line is double track for it's entire length.

The ARTC mainline (standard gauge) crosses this line just south of Goodwood Station.

ervices

Trains to and from Adelaide operate every 30 minutes at off-peak times on Monday to Friday, and through the day on Saturday and Sunday. Before 11am and after 2pm on weekdays, the frequency is increased to one train every 15 minutes. In the evening, services run every hour. Some stations are also serviced by trains starting from Brighton station and coming the Tonsley branch line on weekdays. [cite web | title = Noarlunga & Tonsley line timetable | publisher = Adelaide Metro | url = http://www.adelaidemetro.com.au/routes/timetables/Noarlunga_ttable.pdf | accessdate = 2008-04-28 ]

Most services are operated by 3000 class railcars at off-peak, weekends and at night. Single cars operate off peak services to Brighton and all trains to Noarlunga Centre are at least two cars or more. 2000 class railcars (usually 3 car sets) operate most Monday to Friday peak services, sometimes on weekends, plus a few off peak services during the weekdays. [cite web | title = South Australian Railways - F.A.Q | publisher = Railpage Australia | url = http://www.railpage.com.au/f-t12600.htm | accessdate = 2008-04-28 ]

A number of the extra railcars needed for peak-hour services on the line are stabled overnight in secure sidings at Port Stanvac, around 4 km (2½ miles) north and just beyond Lonsdale station.

eaford Extension

In late 2005, the State Government announced that as part of a greater infrastructure development, the Noarlunga line would be extended 5.5 km to the outer metropolitan suburb of Seaford, South Australia. Expected to cost AU$100 million, it will include bridges over the Onkaparinga River and two new stations at Seaford Meadows and Seaford itself.cite web|url=http://www.infrastructure.sa.gov.au/projects.asp|work=Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure|author=Government of South Australia|title=Projects, Infrastructure Division|accessdate=2007-01-12|year=2006] In 2007 the project was cancelled, after a feasibility study revealed it would cost $215 million. The current patronage could not justify that expenditure. At the same time they also announced they were committed in extending the line through to Aldinga in the belief that future patronage would justify the expense. The government will hold on to the corridor on land to Seaford and look to acquire land right through to Aldinga for the line.cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/12/19/2122842.htm|author=ABC News|title=No rail service for Seaford|accessdate=2008-01-01|year=2007]

In July 2008, the State Government announced it would once again investigate the extenstion of the Noarlunga line to Seaford, in response to criticism that it was not included in the State Government's $2 billion public transport plan in the 2008 State Budget. It will be a $4 million feasibility study funded by the federal government and will include: cite web|url=http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,23967700-2682,00.html|author=Adelaide Now|title=Government looks at extending Noarlunga, Tonsley rail lines|accessdate=2008-06-04|year=2008] solving the difficulties associated with building a massive bridge across the Onkaparinga River as well as a possible extension of the Tonsley Line and grade separations elsewhere.

Electrification

When delivering the 2008 South Australian State Budget, Treasurer Kevin Foley announced a $209.7 million dollar plan to electrify the Noarlunga Centre line as part of the Governments 10 year $2 billion plan to revitalise Adelaide's public transport network. This was in addition to the electrification of the Outer Harbor and Gawler rail corridors and the extension of the Glenelg Tramline. [cite web |url=http://www.treasury.sa.gov.au/dtf/budget/publications_and_downloads/current_budget.jsp? |title=2008 State Budget|accessdate=2008-06-06 |date=2008-06-05 |publisher=South Australian Department of Treasury and Finance]

Line guide

References