Adelaide Parklands Terminal is by far the weirdest station in Adelaide. Having a major long distance terminal outside of walking distance to the City, with absolutely NO local transport links is bloody ridiculous.
It is ridiculous on how there is no public transport, but it's built with private travel in mind I mean... have you seen the ticket prices for those trains?!
Yes, they got rid of the nearby Keswick station and built the Showgrounds station which has no connection. I wrote to my local member and suggested there be sitting cars attached to The Overland and The Ghan, not sure about the Indian Pacific. They used to have cheap sitting cars but now they are run like cruise ships.
@@darylcheshire1618 The Overland is now ALL sitting cars, and it's entire existence is funded by the Victorian Government, on the Victorian side riding it costs no more than a V/Line ticket, words from a Journey Beyond staff member were "The Victorian Government has more control over it than we do!" Ironically despite the ticket prices, Journey Beyond has apparently only barely made a profit on its trains, likely because they have to fund it all themselves, and there are a LOT of staff involved.
Noarlunga station is an overbuilt and undermaintained station, it was built in a time when station staff where still a common concept. Furthermore the fare gates where installed in 2014 to combat fare evasion at the station, the same was also done to Salisbury railway station. However by 2019 Salisbury, Mawson Lakes and Noarlunga stations ceased to be staffed and by extension the fare gates where left unlocked due to safety and disability access concerns.
Good to see you covering my city. Noarlunga Centre has the weird double platform thingy as it used to be the terminus until 2014. So back then, trains could be switched onto the now city bound track to terminate.
yeah Adelaide stations are done as cheap as possible. i mean there's no staff at any station other than the main one, there are NO timetables or maps on the platforms.
Adelaide PT in general is done as cheap as possible. Once freight operations were no longer done on our lines, any line that didn't have high passenger patronage was closed or curtailed with no thought to future use, and regional train services are non existent.
I always loved the Outer Harbour line. I grew up in Belair and my primary school oval overlooks the station terminus. The station is maintained by the Friends of Belair Railways Station and they're a very dedicated group. The frequency of services and the fact they nixxed the upper Hills line (Aldgate and Stirling have stations that are no longer in use) really sucks. But lots of kids would use the trains as a handy trip back up the hill when they were mountain biking.
Fun fact; the escalators don't just not operate outside of 8:30... they don't operate at all! They've been out of order for YEARS at this point. Good news is Noarlunga Centre is finally getting some renovations done as we speak, with the escalators set to be back in function.
(As an Adelaideian some things I noticed) Noarlunga Centre weirdly enough has a TransAdelaide logo on one of the station signs, alongside the modern Adelaide Metro. There are a few other stations with 2 platforms for 1 tracks (The Spanish solution) These being Glanville, with that track being a bay platform (platforms?) for peak hour trains. Brighton being the other station, having it's platform 2/3 having no regular service at all, but being bi-directional, making it useful for disruptions.
The Noarlunga gates are for when ticket inspectors are on duty, as it makes it harder to avoid the fine if youre being forced to fare evade directly infront the enforcement team.
5:38 Correction: All the buildings are in use at Belair, but used by station volunteers as a chillout space and other stuff. i've been inside the signal box many times and it is well maintained :) The Belair volunteers maintain it and have a get together on friday mornings for trainspotting which is fun
Discussion at Belair some context is needed. The local train is still running on broadguage where as the freight lines have been converted to standard guage as part of the national standard guage network for freight. One day ‘The Overland’ may use Belair for passenger pick up (standard guage), but the extention you mentioned, would have to be on the standard guage system, not the broadguage system.
Yeah, I was going to mention that too. When I was growing up near Blackwood, suburban trains used to use both lines and there was an additional track for freight bypass at Blackwood too (I assume that was the case at Belair also). When the Adelaide/Melbourne line was converted to standard gauge, local trains were confined to the single remaining track. Prior to conversion to standard gauge passenger services ran to Bridgewater in the Adelaide Hills. And although the service terminated at Belair some years before the conversion to standard gauge, restarting that service became impossible once the change happened as there's only one line through the national park. Adelaide desperately needs a service to Mt Barker, and possibly beyond to Murray Bridge or Tailem Bend, but the line would either need to become dual gauge (at least through the park), or standard gauge rolling stock acquired (and standard gauge track laid into Adelaide station) or an entirely new rail corridor found to make it possible.
Nice to see someone covering my home city. BTW I have used all the stations you mentioned althought I've only ever used North Adelaide once and that was becuse my Gawler train was going to depart in 25 minutes so I decided to walk from the city to North Adelaide to kill some time.
4:00 worth noting that anyone in north adelaide wanting to get into adelaide cbd can also take one of the numerous buses on o'connell, jeffcott and hill street. they all have at most 15 minute frequency to my knowledge
Very interesting and informative video! The fact that North Adelaide is one of the closest stations to the CBD and yet is the least used is so crazy to me. Another interesting station I remember when I visited is Nurlutta, which has two side platforms bisected by a railway crossing in the middle.
I think Adelaide would benefit from copying a few things that Perth did. Perth's trains carry as many people as Adelaide's and Brisbane's do, combined.
The older buildings at Belair were used when the dual broad gauge services were still in place, and metro trains ran all the way to Bridgewater. They even had a station in the MIDDLE of the national park then too (there were 10 more in all). I can't see them reopening back to Mt Barker on the existing service because it would take forever. At the very least they need to be able to get down the hill from Belair to Mitcham much quicker then they can now.
Not only did they have 1 station in the park, they actually had 2 at one point (National Park and Long Gully) iirc national park closed before the bridgewater services, but long gully definitely lasted until the end (and its platform is still there by my knowledge)
Brighton station also has one track with two platforms. Seems to be used in peak times. I noted that the first train leaves at 5:41am which is not enough time to catch the V/line bus due out at 6:35am. The first bus from Brighton leaves at 5:19am and went paat the bus terminal at Franklin St.
Love your work, keep it up! You should do one for NSW. Since the Sydney metropolitan and intercity (Newcastle, Central Coast, Blue Mountains, Illawarra, South Coast, Southern Highlands) networks are so huge, you should do two separate videos. One for Sydney and one for the Intercity network One you could do for Intercity is Wondabyne. The only station in all of Australia that does not have road access. You can only access it somehow via boat from one of the few houses around the Hawkesbury River, or by the quarry if you’re a worker there.
People do believe that the unused platforms at Belair can be used fot an Adelaide to Mt Barker railway. Change trains at Belair to continue the trip to Mt Barker.
Olympic Park in Sydney also has two platforms serving one line but given that was specifically built for large crowds, it makes a lot more sense. Gungahlin Place light rail stop in Canberra also has two platforms serving one line (kind of) but given it's light rail, I feel it doesn't really count
1:39 this is actually untrue, there is a help-point on both platforms, which will tell you the time of the next train. Also as someone who uses Port Adelaide regularly, I just remember the minutes to departure, note the time, and just countdown. 2:20 The location isn't ideal, however there is a mall within a short walk, and I think it (and Mitham) are the closest Adelaide metro station to a KFC, and it is absolutely the closest to a maccas. 4:10 Bowden gets 15 minute frequencies at all times except late nights, where it gets 15-15-30, due to the Grange line running hourly at these times. 6:05 That honestly sounds like one of the quiet ones, the sharp bends and reasonably high line speeds result in a lot of screeching here. Overall, great video providing an outsider's perspective, I would've recomended covering Gawler Racecourse, a mostly equiped station with no regular service at all and only one platform for two tracks!
The other 2 platforms at Belair will never re open. Because those lines are owned and operated by national rail. That's also why it's been so hard getting trains further out as the national freight services will not share their tracks
I watched this video fully expecting to find some stations i've never been to and i was already planning a daytrip but it seems ive already been to all these stations more than once... great video though haha
I still find it interesting that they technically have diesel comengs and electric vlocitys in their fleet when in Melbourne its the other way around XD
Most lines will eventually be electrified, its just being worked on gradually and not pushed as a major project. Belair line is not though, due to low tunnels. What the network really needs is to be changed to Standard Gauge. It was planned for last decade, but put off to save money. Pity.
@@martythemartian99 I know why SG wound be great but there is no need to do so. BG will always been there and this is why... ARTC doesn't want them on the mainline full stop. So why waste all that money going from BG to SG if it's only going to be BG railcars only on that network. But yes i know SG would mean opening up to the mainline use for country services again.
@@boomeraus0073 I don't mean to be rude, but the world does not revolve around ARTC. The SA gov. is currently doing a study on extending local services to Mt. Barker, Aldinga, and Nuriootpa. Mt. Barker will need to be SG, because it would be foolish to extend the BG line from Belair. Also when the suburban system is SG, then it would be possible to see the eventual return of country passenger rail. This is something people have been calling for ever since the SG mainline was created in 1995. The line between Adelaide and Pt. Augusta is one of the busiest in Australia and over time, needs to be dual track, thus enabling passenger services to return to the mid north.
@@boomeraus0073 Do you really think they will extend the BG all the way to Mt. Barker? And as I tried to say before, it doesn't matter if ARTC doesn't want passenger trains on the main line, they are not the rulers of the land. They put up with passenger rail in NSW and Victoria, so they can put up with it in SA too. We do NOT bow down at the altar of ARTC.
@@martythemartian99 ARTC is federal government owned and they will not give state government access to those lines for scheduled passenger services. That is not going to change. ARTC own the Melbourne - Adelaide corridor. They run a seperate line out north for freight as well so they don't share there either. The reason they share in Victoria and NSW is those lines are owned by the states and ARTC lease access to the lines.
My cousin lives in North Adelaide, but North Adelaide station would probably be on the moon as far as she's concerned. Lucky the station has old buildings otherwise it would be loooong gone.
If the government liked us we'd have most of our lines electrified, the plan was to have 5/6 lines to be electrified, with the Belair Line being unelectrified, most likely not only to low ridership, but also difficulty electrifying it in some areas.
@@trainco1643Tbf we've had the same mob in goverment for 10 of those 14 years. There's no political will to do anything as they know the braindead public will vote them in anyway.
@@peterkehoe481 Yeah, well many, many years ago, when Max Basheer was looking to relocate the SANFL from Adelaide, he heard a rumor that the Islington Railyards were about to close down & he tried to see if he could purchase the area... BUT in the first meeting with the then government (Say "Hello" Donny) it was obvious to him that the ONLY property he'd be allowed to purchase was in the middle of a swamp (They called it West Lakes). It even went so far, as when he'd arranged finance & was about to buy a certain property closer to the Airport, suddenly he was out bid & the property was NOT available to him. After the contract was signed with the State Government for the West Lakes deal, that property suddenly came back on the market at about 1/2 what he'd been willing to pay and the vendor this time was the State Government!
I'm convinced Edwardstown has no signs so it's nameless, there was also a station on the Gawler line that had this awhile back but can't recall which one
Yeah as a regular user of the Noarlunga station. Platform 3 was built in the late 90's as an latter addition. That was because up till 2010's. Noarlunga was the southern most station for the greater Metro Adelaide rail service. In 2014 it was extended down to Seaford. That explain it's janky layout. It should really be torn down, and be redeveloped with a whole new layout that truly reflect its position as a through station rather then a terminating station. Given the surrounding topography. If the redevelopment of the station done right. It would serve as a good spot for a public transport centered development.
I love Noarlunga station! Its my local one and its honestly a really interesting building (along with the whole of the Noarlunga Centre area); shame its so derelict these days. There even used to be a kiosk next to the platform that operated sometime until 2018/19 (?) I think.
They've repainted some of the building recently to an absolutely heinous white and grey colour-scheme, but I would love to see a full blue, orange, and cream late 1970s restoration of the place!
The blocked off platform at Belair would only be used if the overland started stopping there, it’s the crossing loop for the freight train line (platform 1 [Thats the one with the big shelter]), But I can’t see that happening, the fenced off platform is the passing loop, also yes the Murraylander (when it starts again) should stop at Belair, Also All diesel lines will soon be hybrid train lines, those Green rail cars you saw are hybrid trains
3000 class are not new. All they have done is added some batteries to be charged by Regen electricity to be used to power the lights when the railcar is stopped for any length of time. Otherwise still diesel powered.
I looked on the map, they need to rename Pinera Station - Belair and Rename Belair Station - Belair East. Or just shorten the line back to Pinera And Call that Belair. You will understand what I am saying if you go on google maps, Pinera Station is near Belair Town Centre 😅. That’s an Adelaide Metro Move 😂
(EDITED) To find the next train they used to have speakers on the Port Adelaide station that would activate at the press of a button (used to have them on most stations, they'd also auto-activate as a train approached) - similar to the one you press on the North Adelaide one. But haven't caught a train in Adelaide for a decade or more.... Wow Bowden looks different! I think extension past Belair is problematic because of a gauge problem. I remember trains going to Bridgewater and maybe Even Mount Barker - but not sure the old track is still there (at least not in the right Gauge).
Yeah, Bowden got a massive overhaul a few years ago as they were doing the north south corridor section work between Bowden and Croydon so it got upgraded as well to address the bridge got built as well as the grade separation of Gawler and Outer Harbour/Grange lines. The OH and Grange trains used to cross over the Gawler tracks and it would cause delays so they decided to do the two upgrades togetjer. They also moved the station technically a little forward and dug into the ground. The old station buildings still exist on ground level.
Port Dock station is in some ways an old station. There was a station in use there until the early 80s. Then it closed and was demolished. The railway museum was expanded into its place. Now the railway museum to losing space so a new station can be built there. Noarlunga Centre is in an economically depressed area. It is just a short distance to the Centerlink office where you can put in your dole form every 2 weeks. I am sure you can find some dealers in illicit substances there as well. The line by platform 3 at Belair was pulled out in the early 90s, only to be reinstalled as part of the standardization project. I doubt that South Australia will ever have country passenger trains again. Talk is talk and there has been lots of talk since 1990 about bring them back. 1990 is when the last passenger train ran!
The Port Dock station and line officially opens on Sunday August 25. 30 minute services days/nights/weekends all stops to Adelaide. There is a new timetable out already. Things you need to know If you get on/off at: - Alberton/St Clair/Woodville - you get extra services every half hour. - Port Adelaide to Outer Harbor - All services to/from Adelaide are express to/from Woodville. You'd need to change trains if you want to travel to Woodville Park to Bowden, and vice versa - Cheltenham - you need to change trains at Alberton to travel to Port Adelaide and beyond, and vice versa Everyone needs to note that almost no train will leave at the time it does now - the timetable is a complete change.
Unfortunately Adelaide's rail system has alway been a poor cousin to the bus network. Needs a lot of investment in the none rail infrastructure. Also the Belair line needs to take a new route to Mt Barker and onto Murray Bridge, but that involves money the State Government is unwilling to spend.
North Adelaide is a Joke.I can remember as a kid attending the public school in the era but living in Salisbury,It was quicker to get a 224F if my parents had allowed me to do so in the fifth grade(1988)to O'Connell St and then walk from the Stop near the old NAB to school.returning to town would have been in those days a 191/192/195/196/210/214/216 then a Gawler Line Train due to school schedules of the day.I changed schools mid 1989 so can only imagine what things would have been like,worse case scenario would a notice sent to the deputy for me to get a friends parents to take me from the train station to school and back again although it was in walking distance in the newsletter.
The new port dock station is where the old port dock station used to roughly be.Where the new police station is used to be where it was. There is an old fountain out the front
Enjoyed the Video. Belair line needs a lot more research done on it as suggested by others who have commented here. Between Belair & City half the stations were closed off forever, some remnants still remain if you know where to look. As for Mile End station, it used to be extremely popular until the goods yard (Freight) was closed and demolished late 80's, demolished very early 1990's - last of the land cleared 1994. It was then turned into a housing estate that did not include use of the remaining platform. Not sure if the pedestrian underpass is still there. North Adelaide is used more in warmer months during festivals/special events being held at Bonython park. Used to be a spur line off Elizabeth Line to General Motors Holden factory but that was shut around 30-35 years ago. Was for the factory workers. GMH factory been closed a long time now too. I hope that adds to your video and gives you some more research ideas. Glenelg Tram line used to be a rail line as well prolly 50+ years ago. I am ex STA employee hence my tidbits of knowledge 🙂
The station list from Adelaide to Goodwood used to read: Adelaide (Duh), Mile End, Mile End Goods (Only available to SAR workers, NO public access) Keswick, Adelaide Showgrounds (But only a temporary stop to allow access during the Royal Adelaide Agricultural & Horticultural Show, or "The Show" for Adelaideans) Goodwood (two different lines split up after this.) NOW it is: Adelaide, Mile End (but there's some conjecture as to how long it'll remain) Adelaide Showgrounds {Permanent stop] Goodwood.
I'd assume for quicker loading & unloading of passengers as you've doubled the number of doors people can get on and off at. I wouldn't have thought that would be an issue in Adelaide though.
Extra capacity during events, though as previously stated, Adelaide rarely has these issues. It's known as the Spanish solution, in which you board from one side and exit from the other, this allows more people to bored faster.
Until the Seaford line extension, Noarlunga Centre was the terminus. Trains would normally pull in on this platform to facilitate faster transfers to the bus interchange.
Hmmmmmm, this is a different state, which means to stay in topic I would have to find a weird station in perth or Sydney but I have never gonna out of QLD so I can’t also I noticed now, I think every train in australia comes from Maryborough because the horns Sounds like the NGR horns and the traction motors sound like the SMU260 IMU160 and the TRANSPERTH b series and also look similar
Ah but living right at the Bowden station I get really annoyed North Adelaide is under serviced because if I want to go north I cannot just walk to the station that will allow me to do so, that 5 minute train ride into the city can mean I am standing around for additional time waiting for the next northbound service in the city.
norlunga center is the station that i am most familer with out of thes ones and it defently could use a redo with how much trafik it gets and ther are plans alos to send a line to mout barker but they have bean saying that for the about last 20 years so who knows when it will hapen. also oklands is intresting becuse it is the only trench stop on the seafood line and posibli on the network
I always wondered why it even exists except for people who live to the areas between Wayville and Belair or Seaford either side of the city who work or live in the area or need to commute to other areas on a Train beyond Adelaide.Temple College students have plenty of h22/h20/h30/h33 and the J1/J2 buses every 15 or 30 minutes to whatever they need to connect to.
I remember riding the train there when it was brand new and thinking it was better than the Adelaide train station. Actually at the time it likely was. It hasn't had much renovation since.
“Strangest” is a great clickbait title. But many of your points were just reflections on Adelaide’s poor planning. I think a lot of your “weird points” could have also been explained through some small bits of research online - mostly Belair. For example: I have seen drivers at Noarlunga only allow entry through platform 3. Furthermore, the useless ticket gates are actually used. When they do a blitz at the station they will close the gates and have everyone enter through the proper means. This requires about 12+ staff and often cops with sniffer dogs, a costly endeavour to have all the time. Felt like a lot of hype for nothing 😅
I did research Belair - I am aware of the sungle track conversion. I dont see how that makes it any less strange of a station. Ill admit with Noarlunga I couldve researched a bit more, but info about that sort if thing is not that easy to find. if you disagree with my station choices, feel free to rell me which ones you wouldve chosen instead - Id love to know
Adelaide Parklands Terminal is by far the weirdest station in Adelaide. Having a major long distance terminal outside of walking distance to the City, with absolutely NO local transport links is bloody ridiculous.
It is ridiculous on how there is no public transport, but it's built with private travel in mind I mean... have you seen the ticket prices for those trains?!
Yes, extortionate even for the Overdue these days.
Yes, they got rid of the nearby Keswick station and built the Showgrounds station which has no connection.
I wrote to my local member and suggested there be sitting cars attached to The Overland and The Ghan, not sure about the Indian Pacific. They used to have cheap sitting cars but now they are run like cruise ships.
@@darylcheshire1618, yes the IP used to have sitting cars until roughly 20 years ago.
@@darylcheshire1618 The Overland is now ALL sitting cars, and it's entire existence is funded by the Victorian Government, on the Victorian side riding it costs no more than a V/Line ticket, words from a Journey Beyond staff member were "The Victorian Government has more control over it than we do!"
Ironically despite the ticket prices, Journey Beyond has apparently only barely made a profit on its trains, likely because they have to fund it all themselves, and there are a LOT of staff involved.
Noarlunga station is an overbuilt and undermaintained station, it was built in a time when station staff where still a common concept. Furthermore the fare gates where installed in 2014 to combat fare evasion at the station, the same was also done to Salisbury railway station. However by 2019 Salisbury, Mawson Lakes and Noarlunga stations ceased to be staffed and by extension the fare gates where left unlocked due to safety and disability access concerns.
Noarlunga also used to be a terminus station back in the day hence why it’s so big
Good to see you covering my city. Noarlunga Centre has the weird double platform thingy as it used to be the terminus until 2014. So back then, trains could be switched onto the now city bound track to terminate.
yes the station made more sense back when it was the terminus 🤣🤣
yeah Adelaide stations are done as cheap as possible. i mean there's no staff at any station other than the main one, there are NO timetables or maps on the platforms.
Adelaide PT in general is done as cheap as possible. Once freight operations were no longer done on our lines, any line that didn't have high passenger patronage was closed or curtailed with no thought to future use, and regional train services are non existent.
I always loved the Outer Harbour line. I grew up in Belair and my primary school oval overlooks the station terminus. The station is maintained by the Friends of Belair Railways Station and they're a very dedicated group. The frequency of services and the fact they nixxed the upper Hills line (Aldgate and Stirling have stations that are no longer in use) really sucks. But lots of kids would use the trains as a handy trip back up the hill when they were mountain biking.
Fun fact; the escalators don't just not operate outside of 8:30... they don't operate at all! They've been out of order for YEARS at this point. Good news is Noarlunga Centre is finally getting some renovations done as we speak, with the escalators set to be back in function.
Finally been replaced.
(As an Adelaideian some things I noticed) Noarlunga Centre weirdly enough has a TransAdelaide logo on one of the station signs, alongside the modern Adelaide Metro. There are a few other stations with 2 platforms for 1 tracks (The Spanish solution) These being Glanville, with that track being a bay platform (platforms?) for peak hour trains. Brighton being the other station, having it's platform 2/3 having no regular service at all, but being bi-directional, making it useful for disruptions.
WHY SO LONG
If that's long, I wish you good luck in life @@Mrmoo6000
Outer Harbour also has a TranAdelaide logo at its entrance, with a 2000 class used as a train symbol, too!
It wasn't too long ago that there was an STA logo in one of the office windows on the concourse.
The Noarlunga gates are for when ticket inspectors are on duty, as it makes it harder to avoid the fine if youre being forced to fare evade directly infront the enforcement team.
5:38 Correction: All the buildings are in use at Belair, but used by station volunteers as a chillout space and other stuff. i've been inside the signal box many times and it is well maintained :)
The Belair volunteers maintain it and have a get together on friday mornings for trainspotting which is fun
love visiting adelaide. peaceful and quiet to me. their rail line next to hallett cove down to noarlunga is quite scenic and spectacular.
I live on the Belair line and I think it’s one of the most scenic public transport routes!
Discussion at Belair some context is needed. The local train is still running on broadguage where as the freight lines have been converted to standard guage as part of the national standard guage network for freight. One day ‘The Overland’ may use Belair for passenger pick up (standard guage), but the extention you mentioned, would have to be on the standard guage system, not the broadguage system.
I am aware
Yeah, I was going to mention that too. When I was growing up near Blackwood, suburban trains used to use both lines and there was an additional track for freight bypass at Blackwood too (I assume that was the case at Belair also). When the Adelaide/Melbourne line was converted to standard gauge, local trains were confined to the single remaining track. Prior to conversion to standard gauge passenger services ran to Bridgewater in the Adelaide Hills. And although the service terminated at Belair some years before the conversion to standard gauge, restarting that service became impossible once the change happened as there's only one line through the national park. Adelaide desperately needs a service to Mt Barker, and possibly beyond to Murray Bridge or Tailem Bend, but the line would either need to become dual gauge (at least through the park), or standard gauge rolling stock acquired (and standard gauge track laid into Adelaide station) or an entirely new rail corridor found to make it possible.
My wife comes from SA, her grand father was one of the men in who laid the standard gauge tracks from Eastern WA to Geelong
Nice to see someone covering my home city. BTW I have used all the stations you mentioned althought I've only ever used North Adelaide once and that was becuse my Gawler train was going to depart in 25 minutes so I decided to walk from the city to North Adelaide to kill some time.
4:00 worth noting that anyone in north adelaide wanting to get into adelaide cbd can also take one of the numerous buses on o'connell, jeffcott and hill street. they all have at most 15 minute frequency to my knowledge
Very interesting and informative video! The fact that North Adelaide is one of the closest stations to the CBD and yet is the least used is so crazy to me. Another interesting station I remember when I visited is Nurlutta, which has two side platforms bisected by a railway crossing in the middle.
That was awesome... as an Adeladian myself, I learned a fair bit. Hope you enjoyed your trip to Adelaide!
Hi Qazzy! I really enjoyed watching this video. Keep up the great content! And congrats on getting Taitset and Straya Trains to subscribe!
Very strange indeed! Well researched and well presented. Great video, thank you! 👏🙏
I think Adelaide would benefit from copying a few things that Perth did. Perth's trains carry as many people as Adelaide's and Brisbane's do, combined.
Perth has an excellent public transport system - well worth copying where possible.
Nice to see more of Australia through your eyes!
I was literally in stitches watching that last segment featuring that absurd randomly-oddball station. What a strange place Adelaide is 😀
The older buildings at Belair were used when the dual broad gauge services were still in place, and metro trains ran all the way to Bridgewater. They even had a station in the MIDDLE of the national park then too (there were 10 more in all).
I can't see them reopening back to Mt Barker on the existing service because it would take forever. At the very least they need to be able to get down the hill from Belair to Mitcham much quicker then they can now.
Not only did they have 1 station in the park, they actually had 2 at one point (National Park and Long Gully) iirc national park closed before the bridgewater services, but long gully definitely lasted until the end (and its platform is still there by my knowledge)
@@liammatthews5656 Yes I'd forgotten about that one
Brighton station also has one track with two platforms. Seems to be used in peak times.
I noted that the first train leaves at 5:41am which is not enough time to catch the V/line bus due out at 6:35am. The first bus from Brighton leaves at 5:19am and went paat the bus terminal at Franklin St.
There used to be trains that went from Adelaide to Brighton and return, that stopped at all the stations that expresses passed.
Love your work, keep it up!
You should do one for NSW. Since the Sydney metropolitan and intercity (Newcastle, Central Coast, Blue Mountains, Illawarra, South Coast, Southern Highlands) networks are so huge, you should do two separate videos. One for Sydney and one for the Intercity network
One you could do for Intercity is Wondabyne. The only station in all of Australia that does not have road access. You can only access it somehow via boat from one of the few houses around the Hawkesbury River, or by the quarry if you’re a worker there.
People do believe that the unused platforms at Belair can be used fot an Adelaide to Mt Barker railway. Change trains at Belair to continue the trip to Mt Barker.
Back in 1999 when The Overland was an overnight train, I was with a group that had arranged to board it at Belair to return to Melbourne.
Olympic Park in Sydney also has two platforms serving one line but given that was specifically built for large crowds, it makes a lot more sense.
Gungahlin Place light rail stop in Canberra also has two platforms serving one line (kind of) but given it's light rail, I feel it doesn't really count
1:39 this is actually untrue, there is a help-point on both platforms, which will tell you the time of the next train. Also as someone who uses Port Adelaide regularly, I just remember the minutes to departure, note the time, and just countdown.
2:20 The location isn't ideal, however there is a mall within a short walk, and I think it (and Mitham) are the closest Adelaide metro station to a KFC, and it is absolutely the closest to a maccas.
4:10 Bowden gets 15 minute frequencies at all times except late nights, where it gets 15-15-30, due to the Grange line running hourly at these times.
6:05 That honestly sounds like one of the quiet ones, the sharp bends and reasonably high line speeds result in a lot of screeching here.
Overall, great video providing an outsider's perspective, I would've recomended covering Gawler Racecourse, a mostly equiped station with no regular service at all and only one platform for two tracks!
i remembered the freight train sounded much louder in person, i don't think it came out as well on video
The other 2 platforms at Belair will never re open. Because those lines are owned and operated by national rail. That's also why it's been so hard getting trains further out as the national freight services will not share their tracks
8:33 fun fact : the escalator doesn't work at all
Fixed now.
Brisbane closed Tennyson back in 2011 due to low ridership
At least we can afford our train network.
Pretty sure chinese own it
Woo!!! Video about my city :3
I watched this video fully expecting to find some stations i've never been to and i was already planning a daytrip but it seems ive already been to all these stations more than once... great video though haha
I still find it interesting that they technically have diesel comengs and electric vlocitys in their fleet when in Melbourne its the other way around XD
Most lines will eventually be electrified, its just being worked on gradually and not pushed as a major project. Belair line is not though, due to low tunnels.
What the network really needs is to be changed to Standard Gauge. It was planned for last decade, but put off to save money. Pity.
@@martythemartian99 I know why SG wound be great but there is no need to do so. BG will always been there and this is why... ARTC doesn't want them on the mainline full stop. So why waste all that money going from BG to SG if it's only going to be BG railcars only on that network.
But yes i know SG would mean opening up to the mainline use for country services again.
@@boomeraus0073 I don't mean to be rude, but the world does not revolve around ARTC. The SA gov. is currently doing a study on extending local services to Mt. Barker, Aldinga, and Nuriootpa. Mt. Barker will need to be SG, because it would be foolish to extend the BG line from Belair.
Also when the suburban system is SG, then it would be possible to see the eventual return of country passenger rail. This is something people have been calling for ever since the SG mainline was created in 1995.
The line between Adelaide and Pt. Augusta is one of the busiest in Australia and over time, needs to be dual track, thus enabling passenger services to return to the mid north.
@@boomeraus0073 Do you really think they will extend the BG all the way to Mt. Barker? And as I tried to say before, it doesn't matter if ARTC doesn't want passenger trains on the main line, they are not the rulers of the land. They put up with passenger rail in NSW and Victoria, so they can put up with it in SA too.
We do NOT bow down at the altar of ARTC.
@@martythemartian99 ARTC is federal government owned and they will not give state government access to those lines for scheduled passenger services. That is not going to change. ARTC own the Melbourne - Adelaide corridor.
They run a seperate line out north for freight as well so they don't share there either.
The reason they share in Victoria and NSW is those lines are owned by the states and ARTC lease access to the lines.
My cousin lives in North Adelaide, but North Adelaide station would probably be on the moon as far as she's concerned.
Lucky the station has old buildings otherwise it would be loooong gone.
Noarlunga Centre used to be the end of line heading south until extension.
As a person from Melbourne that’s lived pretty much all my life these look really weird especially the diesel trains
If the government liked us we'd have most of our lines electrified, the plan was to have 5/6 lines to be electrified, with the Belair Line being unelectrified, most likely not only to low ridership, but also difficulty electrifying it in some areas.
I’ve lived in Adelaide for 14 years and yes, pretty much everything Adelaide is very weird and shit compared to Melbourne
@@trainco1643Tbf we've had the same mob in goverment for 10 of those 14 years. There's no political will to do anything as they know the braindead public will vote them in anyway.
@@Flumps-jz7pkIf there was a footy ground next to it, Poolside Pete would be all over it.
@@peterkehoe481 Yeah, well many, many years ago, when Max Basheer was looking to relocate the SANFL from Adelaide, he heard a rumor that the Islington Railyards were about to close down & he tried to see if he could purchase the area...
BUT in the first meeting with the then government (Say "Hello" Donny) it was obvious to him that the ONLY property he'd be allowed to purchase was in the middle of a swamp (They called it West Lakes).
It even went so far, as when he'd arranged finance & was about to buy a certain property closer to the Airport, suddenly he was out bid & the property was NOT available to him.
After the contract was signed with the State Government for the West Lakes deal, that property suddenly came back on the market at about 1/2 what he'd been willing to pay and the vendor this time was the State Government!
I'm convinced Edwardstown has no signs so it's nameless, there was also a station on the Gawler line that had this awhile back but can't recall which one
Gawler Racecourse would be what you're thinking of. Rarely used though as it's only open when the Gawler races are on.
Edwardstown only has the name on the station under the shelter up near the roof of it on both sides and no where else… pretty useless
We are really needing our A-Game here in Radelaide... I'd like to see regional rail restored, and electrification of everything.
I love the diesel trains
no way i just went to adelaide too and i was curious about the trains 😂 thanks for the video!!!
Yeah as a regular user of the Noarlunga station. Platform 3 was built in the late 90's as an latter addition. That was because up till 2010's. Noarlunga was the southern most station for the greater Metro Adelaide rail service. In 2014 it was extended down to Seaford. That explain it's janky layout. It should really be torn down, and be redeveloped with a whole new layout that truly reflect its position as a through station rather then a terminating station. Given the surrounding topography. If the redevelopment of the station done right. It would serve as a good spot for a public transport centered development.
I love Noarlunga station! Its my local one and its honestly a really interesting building (along with the whole of the Noarlunga Centre area); shame its so derelict these days. There even used to be a kiosk next to the platform that operated sometime until 2018/19 (?) I think.
They've repainted some of the building recently to an absolutely heinous white and grey colour-scheme, but I would love to see a full blue, orange, and cream late 1970s restoration of the place!
can you do a video about the trams in Adelaide while your at it? also what happened to the discord, I keep on trying to join but it doesn't let me
must be on your end, the discord works fine for everyone else
The blocked off platform at Belair would only be used if the overland started stopping there, it’s the crossing loop for the freight train line (platform 1 [Thats the one with the big shelter]), But I can’t see that happening, the fenced off platform is the passing loop, also yes the Murraylander (when it starts again) should stop at Belair, Also All diesel lines will soon be hybrid train lines, those Green rail cars you saw are hybrid trains
Can you do a perth one one day?
Good to se how trains work in Australia...a lot like in Stockholm 🇸🇪. Good one 😎
Some could say Goodwood is pretty strange too considering there’s no link on the tram bridge directly above the station to link to the trains…
Considering Noarlunga centre was a terminal back in the day and now since 2014 it’s a through station
New 3000 hybrid trains in Adelaide
3000 class are not new. All they have done is added some batteries to be charged by Regen electricity to be used to power the lights when the railcar is stopped for any length of time. Otherwise still diesel powered.
I looked on the map, they need to rename Pinera Station - Belair and Rename Belair Station - Belair East. Or just shorten the line back to Pinera And Call that Belair.
You will understand what I am saying if you go on google maps, Pinera Station is near Belair Town Centre 😅. That’s an Adelaide Metro Move 😂
very strange indeed.
(EDITED) To find the next train they used to have speakers on the Port Adelaide station that would activate at the press of a button (used to have them on most stations, they'd also auto-activate as a train approached) - similar to the one you press on the North Adelaide one. But haven't caught a train in Adelaide for a decade or more....
Wow Bowden looks different!
I think extension past Belair is problematic because of a gauge problem. I remember trains going to Bridgewater and maybe Even Mount Barker - but not sure the old track is still there (at least not in the right Gauge).
Yeah, Bowden got a massive overhaul a few years ago as they were doing the north south corridor section work between Bowden and Croydon so it got upgraded as well to address the bridge got built as well as the grade separation of Gawler and Outer Harbour/Grange lines. The OH and Grange trains used to cross over the Gawler tracks and it would cause delays so they decided to do the two upgrades togetjer. They also moved the station technically a little forward and dug into the ground. The old station buildings still exist on ground level.
they still have the push button thing with the speakers, they're kept up to date (relevant re: port dock station being on the announcements now)
Port Dock station is in some ways an old station. There was a station in use there until the early 80s. Then it closed and was demolished. The railway museum was expanded into its place. Now the railway museum to losing space so a new station can be built there.
Noarlunga Centre is in an economically depressed area. It is just a short distance to the Centerlink office where you can put in your dole form every 2 weeks. I am sure you can find some dealers in illicit substances there as well.
The line by platform 3 at Belair was pulled out in the early 90s, only to be reinstalled as part of the standardization project.
I doubt that South Australia will ever have country passenger trains again. Talk is talk and there has been lots of talk since 1990 about bring them back. 1990 is when the last passenger train ran!
The Port Dock station and line officially opens on Sunday August 25. 30 minute services days/nights/weekends all stops to Adelaide. There is a new timetable out already.
Things you need to know If you get on/off at:
- Alberton/St Clair/Woodville - you get extra services every half hour.
- Port Adelaide to Outer Harbor - All services to/from Adelaide are express to/from Woodville. You'd need to change trains if you want to travel to Woodville Park to Bowden, and vice versa
- Cheltenham - you need to change trains at Alberton to travel to Port Adelaide and beyond, and vice versa
Everyone needs to note that almost no train will leave at the time it does now - the timetable is a complete change.
Interesting to see another city's trains featured on this channel. Will there be any others like Sydney or Perth in the future?
potentially if i get a chance to go there
@@QazzyTransport Ok cool.
Unfortunately Adelaide's rail system has alway been a poor cousin to the bus network. Needs a lot of investment in the none rail infrastructure.
Also the Belair line needs to take a new route to Mt Barker and onto Murray Bridge, but that involves money the State Government is unwilling to spend.
If there was a football ground next to it, Poolside Pete would be all over it with his shirt off.
North Adelaide is a Joke.I can remember as a kid attending the public school in the era but living in Salisbury,It was quicker to get a 224F if my parents had allowed me to do so in the fifth grade(1988)to O'Connell St and then walk from the Stop near the old NAB to school.returning to town would have been in those days a 191/192/195/196/210/214/216 then a Gawler Line Train due to school schedules of the day.I changed schools mid 1989 so can only imagine what things would have been like,worse case scenario would a notice sent to the deputy for me to get a friends parents to take me from the train station to school and back again although it was in walking distance in the newsletter.
The new port dock station is where the old port dock station used to roughly be.Where the new police station is used to be where it was. There is an old fountain out the front
Enjoyed the Video. Belair line needs a lot more research done on it as suggested by others who have commented here. Between Belair & City half the stations were closed off forever, some remnants still remain if you know where to look. As for Mile End station, it used to be extremely popular until the goods yard (Freight) was closed and demolished late 80's, demolished very early 1990's - last of the land cleared 1994. It was then turned into a housing estate that did not include use of the remaining platform. Not sure if the pedestrian underpass is still there. North Adelaide is used more in warmer months during festivals/special events being held at Bonython park. Used to be a spur line off Elizabeth Line to General Motors Holden factory but that was shut around 30-35 years ago. Was for the factory workers. GMH factory been closed a long time now too. I hope that adds to your video and gives you some more research ideas. Glenelg Tram line used to be a rail line as well prolly 50+ years ago. I am ex STA employee hence my tidbits of knowledge 🙂
can confirm mile end still has the underpass
The station list from Adelaide to Goodwood used to read:
Adelaide (Duh),
Mile End,
Mile End Goods (Only available to SAR workers, NO public access)
Keswick,
Adelaide Showgrounds (But only a temporary stop to allow access during the Royal Adelaide Agricultural & Horticultural Show, or "The Show" for Adelaideans)
Goodwood (two different lines split up after this.)
NOW it is:
Adelaide,
Mile End (but there's some conjecture as to how long it'll remain)
Adelaide Showgrounds {Permanent stop]
Goodwood.
Any ideas why you'd have two platforms serving one line?
I'd assume for quicker loading & unloading of passengers as you've doubled the number of doors people can get on and off at. I wouldn't have thought that would be an issue in Adelaide though.
Extra capacity during events, though as previously stated, Adelaide rarely has these issues. It's known as the Spanish solution, in which you board from one side and exit from the other, this allows more people to bored faster.
Until the Seaford line extension, Noarlunga Centre was the terminus. Trains would normally pull in on this platform to facilitate faster transfers to the bus interchange.
@@TheNthbeach nice, that makes a lot of sense.
There used to be a small shop at Noarlunga centre station
Some of those trains look like vlocity sets from victoria
Hmmmmmm, this is a different state, which means to stay in topic I would have to find a weird station in perth or Sydney but I have never gonna out of QLD so I can’t also I noticed now, I think every train in australia comes from Maryborough because the horns Sounds like the NGR horns and the traction motors sound like the SMU260 IMU160 and the TRANSPERTH b series and also look similar
the Balair line use to get to go from Baair to Littlehamption so its a piece of history
Ah but living right at the Bowden station I get really annoyed North Adelaide is under serviced because if I want to go north I cannot just walk to the station that will allow me to do so, that 5 minute train ride into the city can mean I am standing around for additional time waiting for the next northbound service in the city.
Nice
norlunga center is the station that i am most familer with out of thes ones and it defently could use a redo with how much trafik it gets and ther are plans alos to send a line to mout barker but they have bean saying that for the about last 20 years so who knows when it will hapen. also oklands is intresting becuse it is the only trench stop on the seafood line and posibli on the network
Alot of the stations from the 1970s have closed etc Bridgewater, Penfield, Rosewater
Mile End station is the worst station ever.
true
I always wondered why it even exists except for people who live to the areas between Wayville and Belair or Seaford either side of the city who work or live in the area or need to commute to other areas on a Train beyond Adelaide.Temple College students have plenty of h22/h20/h30/h33 and the J1/J2 buses every 15 or 30 minutes to whatever they need to connect to.
Adelaide has a few Spanish solution platforms. Why is that?
Que?
I don't think I've ever heard anyone pronounce Balair the way you do 😅😅
Smithfield is easily one of the worst train stations in Adelaide.
Do another video on adelaide
Noarlunga Centre 1978
I remember riding the train there when it was brand new and thinking it was better than the Adelaide train station. Actually at the time it likely was. It hasn't had much renovation since.
Adelaide has the worst train system in the western world. Its actually embarrassing how much its been neglected.
At least it has one! Better than most cities in America...
@@QazzyTransport yes that's very true. Probably a tad bit of an extreme statement from me. It's definitely needing to catch up on years of neglect
the thing is adelaide can get away with a small system becuse it is les populated and the buses ar the main focus sadly
All Adelaide needs is a bit more patronage and transit oriented development like Melbourne
Even some of the cities in America that actually have a train system have an awful one.
Enjoyed it but for the background music..totally unnecessary for us folks whose hearing is marginal. Screws it up baldly. 😢
Didn't notice it at all, but I never do on videos where people complain.
i dare you to jump from platform 2 to 3 cause its only a 2 metre gap at nolonga
“Strangest” is a great clickbait title. But many of your points were just reflections on Adelaide’s poor planning.
I think a lot of your “weird points” could have also been explained through some small bits of research online - mostly Belair.
For example: I have seen drivers at Noarlunga only allow entry through platform 3. Furthermore, the useless ticket gates are actually used. When they do a blitz at the station they will close the gates and have everyone enter through the proper means. This requires about 12+ staff and often cops with sniffer dogs, a costly endeavour to have all the time.
Felt like a lot of hype for nothing 😅
I did research Belair - I am aware of the sungle track conversion. I dont see how that makes it any less strange of a station. Ill admit with Noarlunga I couldve researched a bit more, but info about that sort if thing is not that easy to find. if you disagree with my station choices, feel free to rell me which ones you wouldve chosen instead - Id love to know
Alternatively to Qazzy's suggestion, you could make your own set of videos...
@@EarlJohn61 oh i definitely could, I was just providing feedback to the limited research