Railways in Perth
Railways in Perth | |
---|---|
Heavy rail, commuter rail | |
Number of lines | 7 |
Number of stations | 75[a] |
Annual ridership | 53,223,811 (year to June 2023) |
Headquarters | Public Transport Centre |
Operation | |
Began operation | 1881 |
Operator(s) | Department of Works and Railways (1877–1890) WAGR (1890–2003) Public Transport Authority (2003–present) |
Number of vehicles | 330 railcars |
Technical | |
System length | 181 kilometres (112 mi) |
Track gauge | 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) narrow gauge |
Electrification | 25 kV 50 Hz AC from overhead catenary |
Top speed | 110–130 kilometres per hour (68–81 mph) |
Railways in Perth, the capital city of Western Australia, have existed since 1881, when the Eastern Railway was opened between Fremantle and Guildford. Today, Perth has seven Transperth commuter rail lines and 75 stations.
The Transperth network is owned and operated by the WA
Notable features of the Perth rail network are that a significant portion is designed to operate in the median of freeways, with dedicated bus-train interchanges and extensive Park & Ride (P&R) facilities provided at newer stations.[2][3] Passengers arrive on feeder buses or use P&R and transfer to trains at train stations. These system design features are a response to Perth's low density.[2][4][5][6][7][8]
History
The
The railway was operable as far east as Perth station by 9 October 1880 and on 1 March 1881, the railway was officially opened between Fremantle and Guildford by Governor William Robinson.[9] The initial timetable was five trains per day from Fremantle, two terminating at Perth and three terminating at Guildford. There was a severe shortage of rolling stock, and so the trains operated simultaneously as passenger and goods trains.[13] A contract was awarded to J. W. Wright for £53,043 for the extension of the line to Chidlow. This extension opened to traffic on 11 March 1884.[14] Suburban trains terminated at Guildford still.[15]
The railway was initially just single tracked with the only passing loop being at Perth. Another passing loop was built at Claremont in 1885,[13] and soon after, sidings were built at Guildford.[16] In 1886, a branch line opened in Bayswater to the Swan River foreshore near Ascot Racecourse (known then as Perth Racecourse).[16]
The South Western Railway between Perth and Bunbury opened on 2 May 1893.[11][17]
On 21 February 1896, a 20-kilometre (12 mi) new route for the Eastern Railway between Midland Junction and Mount Helena via Swan View opened. It had a lower gradient than the first route and upon opening, it became the main line with the old route being relegated. The maximum grade of the new route was 1:40 whereas the maximum grade of the old route was 1:29. The new route featured the Swan View Tunnel, the first rail tunnel in Western Australia.[18]
Suburban trains on the Eastern Railway were extended to Midland Junction when the Midland Railway Workshops opened in 1904/5. By 1906, suburban trains ran as far as Bellevue on the Eastern Railway and as far as Maddington on the South Western Railway.[15] Kelmscott and Armadale were considered country towns and were served by the less frequent trains to Bunbury.[19]
18 WAGR ADG class railcars were added to the network in 1954, marking the first time that diesel trains were used for suburban services.[11][20] As they had a higher acceleration, more closely spaced stations were able to be built,[21] and so on 28 November 1954, seven new stations opened: Ashfield station on the Midland line; Grant Street, Loch Street and Victoria Street stations on the Fremantle line; and Beckenham (known then as Higham), Oats Street and Stokely stations on the Armadale line.[22][23][24] Headways at this time were 20 minutes on the Fremantle and Midland lines and 40 minutes on the Armadale line.[19] The introduction of diesel railcars reduced the time to get to Perth from Fremantle, Bellevue or Armadale, and resulted in an increase in patronage. In 1953–54, there were 7.8 million boardings, which increased to 13.8 million five years later. This increase was only temporary though, with patronage dropping below 10 million per year in 1964 due to the widespread adoption of cars.[22] By 5 October 1968, suburban services were fully operated by diesel railcars for the first time.[11]
Decline
Until the 1950s, the urban development of Perth closely followed the train and tram lines, but following the advent of car-based planning, urban development began to stretch north and south where there were no railways or tramways. The 1955
In 1970, the Perth Regional Transport Study recommended that the rail system be replaced with busways, but the subsequent Tonkin government decided against this after looking at public opinion on this.[27] In 1978, the Rail and Bus Policies for the Fremantle Corridor report recommended that the Fremantle line close and be replaced with buses. On 2 September 1979, the Fremantle line was controversially closed to passenger services by the Charles Court Liberal government. A group named the "Friends of the Railways" was formed to advocate against the closure. Following the closure, the Fremantle corridor saw a 30 percent drop in patronage and a petition with over 100,000 was presented to parliament.[28] The Liberal government was defeated in the 1983 state election and several months later, the Fremantle line reopened on 29 July 1983.[29]
Resurgence
Soon after the Fremantle line reopened, the state government decided to investigate electrifying the network. It confirmed plans to electrify the network in 1985 and also announced it was investigating building a new transit line to the northern suburbs, what would later become the Joondalup line.[30] New engineering standards were developed to permit trains to fit into and safely run within freeway medians.[4][5] Electrification commenced in 1989 and the new electric trains, now known as the Transperth A-series trains, commenced operations in September 1991.[31]
The
New MetroRail
Planning for the
Metronet
Construction on the
The Joondalup line is being extended from Butler to Yanchep. Construction for that began in mid-2020,[44] and it is planned to open on 15 July 2024.[45][46]
Construction on the
The first Transperth C-series train entered service on 8 April 2024 on the Mandurah and Joondalup lines.[50][51]
Management, operation and branding
Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) was established in 1890 as the owner and operator of the railways, superseding the Department of Works and Railways.[11][52][53]
The Tonkin government decided to restructure the operations of suburban transport, and so in 1974, the management of suburban rail services was placed with the
In November 1992, the rail system was rebranded as Fastrak,[56] but this rebranding was reverted around 1995.[57] In 1993, management of the Transperth system was transferred to the Department of Transport with the aim of privatising the operation of the Transperth system.[11][54]
WAGR underwent a restructuring in 2000 with the sale of its freight business to Australian Railroad Group. The WAGR Commission was created in December 2000 which operated the network under its Urban Passenger Division as part of an alliance agreement with the Transperth division of the Department of Transport.[58][59] The Department of Transport merged with the Department of Planning in July 2001 to form the Department for Planning and Infrastructure. The Transperth division continued under the Department of Planning and Infrastructure.[60][53]
On 1 July 2003, the WAGR Commission, Transperth, school bus services and regional bus services were merged to form the Public Transport Authority (PTA), which oversaw all public transport in Western Australia as one organisation for the first time.[53][61] Services have since been managed by the PTA's Transperth division and operated by the PTA's Transperth Train Operations division under an internal service-level agreement.[62][63]
Routes and services
The Transperth rail network consists of six lines plus one spur line. All lines meet at Perth station or Perth Underground station. As of December 2021, the Transperth rail network is 181 kilometres (112 mi) long.[64]
The Fremantle and Midland lines run as through services with each other. The Fremantle line runs from Fremantle to Perth and has 17 stations, including the two termini. The Midland line runs runs from Perth to Midland and has 15 stations, including the two termini. The maximum speed of the Midland line is 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph) and the maximum speed of the Fremantle line is 90 kilometres per hour (56 mph).[65] The frequency of the Fremantle and Midland lines is five trains per hour during peak and four trains per hour outside peak and on weekends.[66][67]
The Armadale line runs between Perth and Armadale and has 20 stations. This line has a spur line: the Thornlie line, which runs from Perth to Thornlie, branching off south of Beckenham. This line has 12 stations; Thornlie line trains typically do not stop at Beckenham station. The maximum speed of these lines is 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph), except for the Thornlie spur, which has a maximum speed of 130 kilometres per hour (81 mph).[65] The frequency of the Armadale line is seven trains per hour during peak and four trains per hour outside peak and on weekends. The frequency of the Thornlie line is four trains per hour on weekdays and Saturdays, and two trains per hour on Sundays.[68]
The Armadale, Fremantle and Midland lines are collectively known as the "heritage lines" because they were constructed long before the other lines were built. The heritage lines have smaller station spacing, worse facilities,[69] fewer bus transfers and lower patronage than the newer lines. These lines predominantly use A-series trains but will be transitioned to using only B-series trains as the A-series trains are retired.[70]
The Joondalup and Mandurah lines run as through services with each other. The Joondalup line runs from Perth to Butler via Joondalup. It has 13 stations: two stations in the Perth CBD, seven suburban stations with bus interchanges, and three suburban stations without bus interchanges. The Mandurah line runs between Perth and Mandurah and has 13 stations. Two of those stations are in the Perth CBD and the rest are suburban and have bus interchanges. The maximum speed of the Joondalup and Mandurah lines is 130 kilometres per hour (81 mph).[65] The frequency of these lines during peak is twelve trains per hour between Cockburn and Whitfords and six trains per hour on the outer sections of these lines. The frequency outside peak and on weekends is four trains per hour.[71][72]
The Airport line runs between High Wycombe and Claremont via Perth Airport and the Perth CBD. Between Bayswater and Perth, the Airport line shares track with the Midland line, and between Perth and Claremont, the Airport line shares track with the Fremantle line. The maximum speed of this line is 130 kilometres per hour (81 mph) within the section between Bayswater and High Wycombe.[65] The frequency of this line is five trains per hour during peak and four trains per hour outside peak and on weekends.[73]
Most of the Transperth network is segregated from non-Transperth trains. The exceptions are the Armadale line, which is used by
Line | First service | Image | Length | Stations | Rolling stock | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fremantle line | 1881 (electrified 1991) | 19.0 km (11.8 mi) | 17 | Transperth A-series Transperth B-series | ||
Midland line | 1881 (electrified 1991) | 16.1 km (10.0 mi) | 15 | Transperth A-series Transperth B-series | ||
Armadale line | 1893 (electrified 1991) | 30.4 km (18.9 mi) | 19 (20 future) | Transperth A-series Transperth B-series | ||
Joondalup line | 20 December 1992 | 40.7 km (25.3 mi) | 13 (16 future) | Transperth B-series Transperth C-series | ||
Thornlie line | 7 August 2005 | Branch: 2.9 km (1.8 mi) Total: 25.2 km (15.7 mi) |
Branch: 1 Total: 11 |
Transperth A-series Transperth B-series | ||
Mandurah line | 23 December 2007 | 70.1 km (43.6 mi) | 13 | Transperth B-series Transperth C-series | ||
Airport line | 9 October 2022 | Branch: 8.6 km (5.3 mi) Total: 25.2 km (15.7 mi) |
Branch: 3 Total: 20 |
Transperth B-series | ||
Morley–Ellenbrook line (under construction) |
Late-2024 (planned) |
Branch: 21 km (13 mi) | Branch: 5 Total: 13 |
Transperth B-series
(Future) |
Infrastructure
Perth's suburban railways use
Perth's suburban railways use
Stations
There are 76 railway stations on the Transperth network.
Disabled accessibility is best on the newer lines, with the heritage lines all having over half their stations non-compliant. All stations along the Airport line branch and the Mandurah line are accessible and all stations along the Joondalup line except Edgewater, Leederville, and Stirling stations are accessible. Perth station is accessible with the exception of platform four, which is used by the Thornlie line. 16 stations along the Armadale and Thornlie lines are not accessible. The exceptions are Claisebrook, Perth Stadium, Thornlie, Cannington, and Victoria Park stations. 13 stations along the Fremantle line are not accessible. The exceptions are Fremantle, Subiaco, and West Leederville stations. Eight stations along the Midland line are not accessible. The exceptions are Bassendean, Bayswater, Claisebrook, East Perth, Maylands, and Midland stations. All stations have step-free access. Factors limiting accessibility include non-compliant ramps, a lack of tactile paving, large platform gaps, and pedestrian level crossings.[80]
All stations along the Airport line branch, the Joondalup line, and the Mandurah line have 150-metre (490 ft) long platforms, which are long enough for six car trains, the longest trains used on the network. Most stations along the heritage lines have platforms which are only 100 metres (330 ft) long, limiting the length of trains that can be used on those lines. The exceptions are Bayswater, East Perth, Perth, and West Leederville. The other stations are planned to be lengthened eventually.[81]
Depots and maintenance
The Public Transport Authority has three depots plus one under construction:
- Claisebrook station. It primarily serves the Airport, Armadale, Fremantle, Midland, and Thornlie lines.[82]
- Nowergup railcar depot is located in Nowergup between Clarkson and Butler stations on the Joondalup line. It primarily serves the Joondalup and Mandurah lines and can stow, clean and maintain trains.[83] It was constructed in the early 2000s as part of the extension of the Joondalup line to Clarkson and was opened in June 2004.[84][85]
- Mandurah railcar depot is located next to
- Bellevue railcar depot is under construction in Bellevue past the end of the Midland line.[70][89]
Rolling stock
Name | Image | Top speed | Total number of railcars | Railcars per train | Manufacturer | Entered service | Lines |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A-series | 110 km/h (68 mph)[90][91] | 96 (48 sets currently in service) | 2[90] | ABB/Adtranz and Walkers Maryborough, Queensland[91] |
1991–1999[91] | ||
B-series | 130 km/h (81 mph)[90][93] | 234 (78 sets currently in service) | 3[90][93] | Downer Rail and Bombardier Maryborough, Queensland[93] |
2004–2019[90] | ||
C-series | 130 km/h (81 mph)[94] | 246 (2 sets currently in service) | 6[95] | Alstom Bellevue, Western Australia[95] |
2024–2029 |
Name | Image | Top speed | Total number of railcars | Manufacturer | Entered service | Left service |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
WAGR ASA class | 1 | Sentinel–Cammell[96] | 1931[96] | 1954 | ||
WAGR ADG class | 75 km/h (47 mph)[96] | 18 | Cravens[96] Sheffield, England |
1954[96] | 1992[97] | |
WAGR ADX class | 75 km/h (47 mph)[96] | 10 | Midland Railway Workshops[96] Midland, Western Australia |
1959[96] | 1988[98] | |
WAGR ADB class
|
75 km/h (47 mph)[96] | 10 ADK 10 ABD |
Commonwealth Engineering[96] Granville, New South Wales (ADK) Midland Railway Workshops Midland, Western Australia (ADB) |
1968[96] | 1992[97] | |
WAGR ADC class
|
75 km/h (47 mph)[96] | 10 ADL 10 ADC |
A. Goninan & Co[96] Newcastle, New South Wales |
1981[96] | 1992[97] |
Ticketing
Patronage
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Train patronage in Perth from July 2022 to June 2023 was 53,223,811.[100] Perth's rail network is the third busiest in Australia, behind Sydney Trains and Metro Trains Melbourne.[99] The most used stations as of October 2017 are Perth Underground, with 38,159 boardings per weekday, Elizabeth Quay, with 11,860, Murdoch, with 7,969, Warwick, with 5,125, and Joondalup, with 4,791. The least used stations as of October 2017 are Seaforth, with 136 boardings per weekday, Success Hill, with 139, Challis, with 259, Karrakatta, with 260, and Woodbridge, with 266.[101]
Notes
References
Bibliography
|