Since you cover more global stuff, you should do a video on the flying junctions of the NY subway (if you haven't already). There are many and some are wonderfully convoluted but allow for many different service patterns.
@@mkkm945 I'm a Sydneysider in the US, and if you're talking about the ones I'm thinking about (giant-arse shunting yards that you drive over if you're on the way to Long Island when the freeway is fucked up), then yeah, I'd love that video too!
I'm a Sydney train driver and that was basically spot on! In fact the only thing I can add is that trains crossing from Up Airport to Down Airport at 850 points can also arrive on Platform 22 as well as 23 to terminate - and I much prefer arriving on 22, it's less hassle! Other than that, your explanation was pretty damn good! Thanks 👍🏻
David, I speak from afar, but you are surely right as You always have been a str8 A student, but darling The Practise of being a Guard is knowing not to open the doors on the wrong side of the train. hmmmm must be so stressful now as a Driver!
Before the airport line was introduced, the flyover was the ultimate "pass go, collect $200" section of track on the network. In our training schools we were told that was the only section of track we could never challenge if wrong roaded because it could take us anywhere.
I always found it fascinating seeing the brick supports going by and seeing adjacent tracks going up and down. It added to the experience of travelling home from the city. It's a very elaborate set up.
The Flying Junctions is an interesting piece of infrastructure that has changed and adapted as the Sydney network has expanded over the years. The conversion of the Bankstown line to a metro line will bring more changes as those trains are removed from this part of the network. The great advantage of the flyovers is they remove conflicting movements by avoiding 'at grade' crossings. Such a simple idea that makes you wonder why it hasn't also been employed in many other locations. You have provided a very good explanation of the operation of the flyovers.
they do exist at Glenfield (down direction to leppington, up direction to east hills), merrylands (up direction to granville) and blacktown (down direction to richmond), redfern even has an underpass for south coast train to access platform 1-12 other places don't make sense because of engineering challenges, money or traffic frequency
@@u1zha I'd be curious how the long term costs stack up especially if the crossovers are done as sets of points with their significant ongoing maintenance costs and tendency to fail occasionally (generally at the most inconvenient moment)
@@hannahranga The cost is far lower than having all the required movements made through points at the same level and the cost of the delays this would cause.
@@hannahranga The problem with crossovers is Time. With this system trains only have to slow down entering or exiting the platforms due to delays, otherwise the system allows trains to continnously move. thru the junction
I was lucky enough to have a bricklayer Grandfather who worked in the Construction of this Brick Flyover project. He was always very proud to have been part of it with the many other bricklayers employed on this great project
I've been travelling over and under this for 43 years with no clue what it did. Now I know what it does I can get on a train doing the city circle as it empties at Central but more importantly before it fills up before coming back in the direction I wish to travel. Hahaha brilliant.
This is pretty much spot on for what the flyovers achieve. Essentially they are there so no flat junctions interfere with capacity of the city lines, unlike what happens between Flinders street and Southern Cross.
The dual-level construction of Town Hall (and Wynyard) provides one more crossover for trains going north from Central to Circular Quay to not be in the way of North Shore trains going south to Central. It is all very clever.
Love how you took the effort to teach people about what seems like an overcomplicated piece of track from a foreign city to you but you did it anyway! Great work mate
Martin, thanks so much for this brilliant video! I'm a Sydneysider, and even though I've used the trains often, and been intrigued by the central crossover complex, haven't pursued it the way you have. I didn't know I needed to know all this but your excellent explanation kept me interested till the end. Thanks again and best wishes
Well done. I live in the U.S., and have recently become a Sydney Trains fan, (I watch your channel, too). UA-cam is my way to travel to systems worldwide.
I worked at TNT so I had a bird's-eye view of the flying junctions (we called them the cross-overs) and it took some time to work out why they were in place. You don't explain why until about four minutes into the video. You see, on the left, each one of those lines has got an up line and a down line side-by-side, which is the usual situation since they're coming from/going to the same stations but at Sydney central you have platforms which take trains in the same direction on both sides of the platform. This is great for the commuter who wants to jump off one train to get onto another on their way to work. All they have to do is cross the platform and they will be on the appropriate train. I just wish you had explained that at the beginning. Go to the TNT Towers at Redfern ('Fawlty Towers'), ask to go to the top floor to see for yourself, it's beautiful to watch. It's actually consumer-focused - so rare!
This was amazing! For the next explanation could you maybe do the city circle tunnels? Like there’s 2 levels of platforms at town hall and 2 at Wynyard. Could you explain how some go on the lower platforms and how they stay up?
It's actually not that complicated. Two of the upper platforms at Town Hall and Wynyard go to the bridge, the lower ones at Wynyard and ones from each level at Town Hall go around the City Circle, and the two remaining lower ones at Town Hall go to the Eastern Suburbs line. There are no platforms 1 or 2 at Wynyard; they used to be tram platforms connecting to the Harbour Bridge. (Platforms 26 and 27 at Central, 13 and 14 at Redfern, and a couple of filled in platforms at St James, were for lines that were never built.) But a video would still be cool.
@@nomadMik yes correct, I am always wondering if they are ever going to make use of the Tunnels at Central and Redfern stations that lie south of the main Illawarra LInes? Airport Line, and Metro line could have utilised these oddities!
I have puzzled over that flyover for the last 48 years. Thanks for the answer. If you wanted to clutter your diagrams even more, you could have shown platforms 24 & 25 as well as the never used, for trains at least, platforms 26 & 27.
Your explanation brings back a lot of memories. I lived in Australia for about 25 years before returning home to England. I held several jobs and obtained a degree from the University of N.S.W. However, I lived in Sydney, Hobart and Adelaide. I have also travelled extensively around the almost aall of Australia, both by car, but in the earlier years by train. Many of the trains I travelled with, no longer run. My biggest regret was that I had the opportunity to travel on the original Ghan, to Alice springs. I knew Sydney Central very well, having probably used all services either terminating air passing through the suburban platforms. I always marvelled at how when approaching Central, you would encounter the section highlighted in this video. As you looked through the wyindow, you would be, for example running parallel with trains running slowly but at different speeds, then as you emerged from the flyover, slowing further to either terminate or sa stop at the suburban stations. I often marvelled at finding that a train on my starboard side was. then seen again ont the port side. I also remember talking to some friends I’d met who were Station Assistants on the suburban and circle line platforms, used tio have bets who could run across all lines ad platforms between the north and south sides of the suburban lines - not the sort of thing you would do
Wonderful stuff and it is a masterpiece of engineering I have marvelled at since childhood. Central has two more underground platforms as well, 24 and 25 supporting the Cronulla to Bondi Junction line.
I've always marvelled at the engineering of the network and the obvious age of the flyover (and other old sections along the T1 loop) but never thought to have a good overhead look on maps. I did notice that they seem to have reconnected the Illawarra up line to the platform 20/21 up, I can't speak to volumes on those lines but maybe something changed to justify the outlay (I'm a Hornsby kid, used to watch Bugsy, Bert and Ernie do their thing at the yards from my high school) Not even a rail guy really but was fascinated, rad video my dude.
I just subscribed. I’m from Adelaide so I’m always fascinated by metro railway junctions of cities where their central stations are through lines. Adelaide doesn’t have trains in the eastern suburbs so our central station is a terminus. I’ve traveled to Sydney twice in my life and I’ve been on the city loop every time. I’ve always wondered how it’s southern end flyover works so thanks for this video
Well, for a bloke from Melbourne, you explain it better than the Sydney train lot...lol...well done. I was born in Sydney but live in SA, but thanks to Sydney vloggers, and you too, I can keep tabs.
It doesn't really come into the flyover arrangement, but you can certainly add that the Illawarra trains mostly now go underground a few kilometres south and just north of Erskineville. They then stay underground through Central and go on to Bondi Junction. When I was very young my mother took me into the city from the south. On the way home we continued around the circle and when we got home I thought there must be another house just like ours in the north!
ha! I used to think Melbourne had this complex, slummy inner-suburban subway system connecting the suburban lines, because of the underground toilets. I assumed we were just ducking off to the side instead of heading down to where the trains were. Even now in my dreams Melbourne has an east-west station underground someplace like Collingwood. does anyone else have *very specific* alternate versions of real places in their dreams...?
Another reason for the shuffling of the lines could be for inter-platform changes (changing trains without leaving the platform), so notice how redfern has the same colour/line on each side of the platform, then central slightly shifts things so that each platform has a different line opposite it. Not sure if on purpose, but this ordering of being able to reverse directions in redfern and then change lines but stay the same direction for central is also convenient as you'd want to reverse directions as soon as possible, which is great for anyone coming in from the west as redfern is first. Townhall also has some interesting cross platform intersections, I need to check if the combination of redfern/central/townhall creates the most optimal combination of changing lines from any line to any other line with minimal movement between platforms.
For me it was common to change from platform 18 to 19 coming from the North Shore but going to the inner west station. On a rainy day it can be done at Town Hall 2 to 1. City Circle outer track line, can arrive at Town Hall platform 4 and change to 5 to go to Bondi Jn. At Chatswood Metro train platform cross over to continue the journey to the city or from city to join metro train
This is a great video. I had long reasoned that this flyover could get any train on to any platform at Central, but never new the ins and outs of exactly how it did it. Thank you!
What I experienced, before actually understanding the engineering and discovering all those crossovers,was coming into Central from Parramatta and being able to walk straight across the platform and onto a city circle train. The crossovers change the format from a usual configuration in just about every station in the network with an up line and a down line sharing a platform platform to two uplines sharing a platform. This made my journey, Parramatta to Circular Quay, a straight across the platform change. Marvellous engineering by people smarter than me!
It's iconic. I spent several years heading up the central coast line and it was always relaxing to watch the trains using the flyover as you crawled out of the Sydney Terminal side of Central
Used to do heaps of track work & drainage works between Redfern/Central/Circular Quay in the 90's. Week days were usually drainge etc 1am till 4am & weekends mostly track work. Actually miss doing that job.
I've recently changed jobs to where I not only commute to Haymarket, I also get to sit high up in an office and watch Central Station out of the window, like a big train set. I've always noticed more up-trains moving than down-trains from this viewpoint and now I know why; the down-trains disappear from view a few seconds after leaving the station. Anyway, super interesting.
When you take into account that the Bankstown line trains will be removed in 2024 with the Sydney Metro. you can see how there will be smoother operations. This also helps people understand why a delay on the Inner West, Airport and South West or Bankstown line has so much flow on impact to the trains on the other line. If a Bankstown train misses it's path, it needs to displace another train to make up it's path. This needs to be done in the next available path as the Bankstown line train will have other Bankstown line trains come behind it. So maybe a late running train might be because someone at Sydenham hesitated in the train door for 30 seconds, or held the train for a friend by blocking the door from closing, delaying other trains. Great video! Excellently and clearly explained!
Thank you for your wonderful discussion about Central Station to which I arrived by train in 1967 from Melbourne and promptly travelled almost everywhere possible on the city circle and North Shore and later on the Eastern line.
First travelled on it in abut 1950, aged 4,before the city circle was complete. i was more interested in what was happening on platforms 1 - 15 with STEAM TRAINS, as we usually arrived on platform 16, but within a few years I had it worked out, especially when they added the city circle. It is a brilliant pre-war engineering solution, to my mind. These days we enter the city on T6 from Sutherland deep underground, and I miss the fly-overs. I first encountered the Melbourne network in 1964, could not figure it out; and still can't. All I know is these days I board an XPT on platform 1 or 3 at Central and 11 hours later it pulls into platform 1 at Melbourne Southern Cross; and the taxis & trams are right outside!! Truth is I am terrified of the Melbourne network. One day I will get a route map.
Excellent video Some-Guy-from-Melbourne. Being Sydney born and bred, I've been wondering since the 70s how the flyovers work. Thank you for ending my suffering.
this is a really good explanation. as someone who lives on the airport line (and who is especially lazy) it can be useful to time a trip as such so if you have an extra 15 minutes, you can go from the airport all the way into a station on the inner west via the city circle without changing trains. one of the best features of the sydney train network in the rain. :)
I would think that some of the reasons for this later set up was due to the location of the earlier Sydney terminus. You can find details that position the platforms some 200 metres further to the south, more nearer to the Old Mortuary platform. Earlier still, much adoo was had when a cemetary was relocated from this southern area out to the Botany area. There is a lot of great history attached to earlier lines both north to Newcastle and south to Wollongong. In particular the line north which required a ferry (steamer) ride from Brooklyn / River Wharf along Broken Bay / Brisbane Waters to Woy Woy to catch the northbound train. The section between Hawkesbury River and Woy Woy was a major feat of engineering in the 1890's. The southern line with the realignment that included the magnificent Stanwell Park viaduct is also noteable.
The value of the Central flyovers has been demonstrated when it's smooth operation has been compared to the delays that can happen to conflicting movements when trains have had to use the crossovers just west and east of Redfern Station to go to or from "Sydney Terminal" platforms. I have been on a train from Helensburgh that had to do this because of flooding of the Illawarra Dive (which takes Illawarra trains underneath the suburban lines just west of Redfern Station). The other was a steam tour train headed for Bankstown via Sydenham (although it could have used the Dive as there is a crossover to the Bankstown line just before Sydenham).
I'm fromt he illawarra line, sometimes when travling into the city there was trackwork on the ungerground stations beginning at Redfern, & the train would run via the flying junction and terminate at Central. It was always an exciting change of scenery as it was an uncommon event!
I worked in the Signal Box that controlled this area from 1987 to 2017, I think you explained it very well. 2 other pieces of infrastructure to the south of this location that may interest you are the Engine Dive which allows engines or trains to travel from Eveliegh to Sydney Yard or via versa under the 10 running lines and enters the up main line the Central side of Redfern also the up and down Illawarra dives which travel under the running lines to allow trains from Sydney Yard to join the Illawarra lines just before Erskinville
I remember talking to you Russell, many times over the years before I retired in 2017, taking the track possessions every night. I think after all the years there I probably know a bit of how it all works as well. The control area in the old Sydney box is where they now run the nightly possessions from.
@@davidrayner9519 how are you Dave, I always enjoyed working with you. I received as a farewell present a scaled down version of the Sydney Yard panel which takes pride of place in our lounge room. I retired to the Southern Highlands
It must be confusing at times for the controllers in that box. For the South Coast / Illawarra line there are specific times when trains from the south coast run into terminating platforms at Central and other times when they go underground and through Redfern to Central to Bondi Junction
pretty good explanation I would also add that the station indicators at central are set up to display the next line, the train's front indicator changes after leaving Redfern and the train's internal indicators change either after leaving central or at circular quay.
Many thanks for posting this: a very clear and concise explanation of a fascinating piece of engineering. I wish this video had been available before my own visit to Sydney some years ago!
The Sydney Central Flying Junctions were designed by Dr John Bradfield, as part of his overall design for the Sydney underground railway. Bradfield, of course, also (importantly) oversaw the design and construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge (as well as the Storey Bridge in Brusbane). A very clever engineer, way before his time.
Really nice explanation. I live next to redfern Station so I’ve used this bit of rail infrastructure most days for the past 20 years. (Love the diagram with coat hanger too!)
There is also another tunnel/flyover just South of Redfern station with the tunnel bit just before Redfern station. Reason being that if a train comes from platforms 1 etc at Central. They can get to the Illawarra line tracks. Also to the Redfern train works. So if you are ever on a train leaving Redfern to Central. After the bridge look to the left and you will see the tunnel entrance. The tunnel comes out just South of Redfern station and the track goes under the normal suburban tracks.
I was going to point out the P23 bi-directional stuff. Last weekend they were terminating every second airport line train there due to trackwork, very rare indeed!
Excellent video on a truly fascinating piece of infrastructure that has bedevilled me for 5 decades. The wicked mind-trick it plays is that when you’re on the top heading in to Central, you’re not conscious of any of it, but when you’re on the lower tracks you’re suddenly immersed in a world not dissimilar to Hogwarts moving staircases. Then you forget entirely about the whole thing til next time.
Also noted some Inner West train, would originate from Leppington goes to city circle in the outer track, back to Central then goes to Redfern platform 10 then terminate. It then start from Redfern platform 9 and back to Central, goes via Museum than back to Platform 17, then inner west track back to Leppington. Other more regular service it could have gone to Airport track and end up in Macarthur.
Love these videos of yours!! Even the East Pakenham was fascinating!! Just watched a couple of videos showing the shunt of the Indian Pacific at Central. Could you do an explainer on that? From the split somewhere between Redfern and Central, then the shunt, and finally the shunt to pick up the car carriers... Keeping my fingers crossed!!
Fantastic information. I never knew it, but had wondered what the deal was with the upper and lower tracks at central. Also oblivious to 2 tracks coming in or out at each station island compared to your typical 2 track station.
Did you know Redfern Station platform 11 is actually directly adjacent to one of the down lines? It's not underground but underneath/next to the flyover junction
Don't know if it has been done but it is basically designed so you can run a set from Hornsby Maintenance Centre to The Royal National Park. Good brickwork too probably from the St. Peters brick pit.
Good point and I have travelled on a passenger (supporters) train that travelled directly from Wollongong to Newcastle without going into Central. A connecting section of the Goods Rail train system was used.
Yay I understand them now! I agree, it looks annoying that the Airport line branches off at such an angle but oh well. A neat video detailing a neat piece of infrastructure!
Watch out Sydney Trains...you are next! They've already started on the buses! Great video, I seen Hitachi 66M sitting in the bush at Bumberry NSW last year in Met colours.
Great video firstly. Great explanation of a fairly integral part of the Sydney Trains system. There are also a number of crossovers on the other end of the Central platforms. These and the fly overs allow for failed trains to be worked around to keep the system "kinda" operating. if a train in Plat 16 had someone with a medical emergency, you can stop the train there and work Shore and City outer services via Plat 17. shore services then cross back over on the approach to Goulburn st tunnels. I suppose explanation of trains changing lines as they go around the city circle can also be explained by the names for these lines, the City Inner and City Outer. all signals and track circuits are referred to by CI or CO numbers, these only apply Central to Central though. after that they revert back to SH, IL, M, S, etc
I think it is also handy as if you arrive from the "inner west" and want to go to the north short, you only walk to the other side of the platform. Likewise in reverse. (Coming form the north shore line wanting to get to the inner west.) Rather than having to change platforms by going down the steps along and up steps to the other platform.
I love this and I need to know who is "The Dulcet Toned Narrator from Melbourne" I just spent one viewing to remember all this when I was a guard on the network. Know it like the back of my hand. However would be great if you could please update the initial video of Central railway Station and to show the Metro and the tunnel systems
13, 14 and 15 were removed to facilitate underground Metro platform construction, but my understanding is 13 and 14 are being reinstated. See ua-cam.com/video/bCqbU6qKrNE/v-deo.html at around 4 minutes for some details. Not sure what the story is with what the extra space is to be used for, but might be ventilation, natural light and other services for the Metro platforms. I wonder what platform numbers they will use for the two Metro platforms?
For a period 12-15 were removed, then they rebuilt and opened 12. 13-15 effectively became the dig site for the Metro Platforms and Concourse. 13-14 are now being reinstated and could well reopen this year along with Central Walk that connects 12-23 directly with new escalators and lifts (and will link to the existing 4-11 tunnel) 15 is essentially lost to ventilation and services buildings for the Metro.
Another interesting take on The Flying Junctions Taitset. However i should point out that with Sydney Terminal only platforms 1-12 see regular use as Platforms 13-15 are closed to heavy rail altogether and when they re-open will be part of the second stage of The Sydney Metro to Bankstown due for completion in 2024.
Adding the airport line was a bit of a (clever) hack. The biggest problem with the Central "city" platforms 16-23 is that these platforms are too narrow and are severely congestion - especially 16-17 and 18-19. It would have been possible to merge 20-21 into a single platform and merge 22-23 into a single platform, thus reducing the setup to 6 platforms (3 islands). This would have meant wider platforms, less congestion and more future proofing. And it could have been done at the same time as building Central Walk (underneath). Now, making this change is a lot harder. You can also see how converting the Bankstown line to metro prevents a lot of complexity and potential disruption as these trains have to merge with both T2 and T8 trains before entering the city platforms.
I didn't include the eastern suburbs railway in the diagram because it doesn't interact with any of the other trackage in this area. It uses underground platforms at Central and Redfern, then joins the Illawarra lines in a flat junction on the up side of Erskineville.
A superb video a very simple explanation of a very complex and useful piece of infrastructure. A slight addition, trains from the airport can terminate on P23 or P22 using the bidirectional signalling you've mentioned. An excellent video and a topic I'd be interested to see you revisit following the changes to the network brought on by the Bankstown Metro changes.
thank you, great explanation, can I pose an observation? I live in Redfern and all the platforms have trains going in opposite directions i.e. into the city and from the city, after the lines travel though the flying junctions the trains on the platforms are all traveling in the same direction. I believe that this is so the lines can enter and leave the underground as you explained. As I say just an observation.
Yeah, this has always given me some mild consternation. Being much more familiar with the Central platforms, I always check the twice before committing to a platform at Redfern. It’s kinda like when the train doors open on the left, and then the right, and then the left again. You vaguely wonder “how did that happen?” and then get on with your day.
Such an excellent video! I've always loved this section of track but, its so much easier to appreciate with this lovely explainer!
Thanks Reece, glad you enjoyed it! I reckon there are quite a lot of places around the world that could benefit from something like this.
Since you cover more global stuff, you should do a video on the flying junctions of the NY subway (if you haven't already). There are many and some are wonderfully convoluted but allow for many different service patterns.
@@mkkm945 I'm a Sydneysider in the US, and if you're talking about the ones I'm thinking about (giant-arse shunting yards that you drive over if you're on the way to Long Island when the freeway is fucked up), then yeah, I'd love that video too!
catch you
@@nomadMik that’s just a normal day here in the US the highway is cramed every day because there is no alternative to driving 🤬
I'm a Sydney train driver and that was basically spot on! In fact the only thing I can add is that trains crossing from Up Airport to Down Airport at 850 points can also arrive on Platform 22 as well as 23 to terminate - and I much prefer arriving on 22, it's less hassle! Other than that, your explanation was pretty damn good! Thanks 👍🏻
David, I speak from afar, but you are surely right as You always have been a str8 A student, but darling The Practise of being a Guard is knowing not to open the doors on the wrong side of the train. hmmmm must be so stressful now as a Driver!
Before the airport line was introduced, the flyover was the ultimate "pass go, collect $200" section of track on the network. In our training schools we were told that was the only section of track we could never challenge if wrong roaded because it could take us anywhere.
I always found it fascinating seeing the brick supports going by and seeing adjacent tracks going up and down. It added to the experience of travelling home from the city. It's a very elaborate set up.
For some reason, as a kid I imagined the brick supports to be pages in a very large book flipping by.
The Flying Junctions is an interesting piece of infrastructure that has changed and adapted as the Sydney network has expanded over the years. The conversion of the Bankstown line to a metro line will bring more changes as those trains are removed from this part of the network. The great advantage of the flyovers is they remove conflicting movements by avoiding 'at grade' crossings. Such a simple idea that makes you wonder why it hasn't also been employed in many other locations. You have provided a very good explanation of the operation of the flyovers.
they do exist at Glenfield (down direction to leppington, up direction to east hills), merrylands (up direction to granville) and blacktown (down direction to richmond), redfern even has an underpass for south coast train to access platform 1-12 other places don't make sense because of engineering challenges, money or traffic frequency
Simple idea that comes with a significant price tag, so no wonder tbh
@@u1zha I'd be curious how the long term costs stack up especially if the crossovers are done as sets of points with their significant ongoing maintenance costs and tendency to fail occasionally (generally at the most inconvenient moment)
@@hannahranga The cost is far lower than having all the required movements made through points at the same level and the cost of the delays this would cause.
@@hannahranga The problem with crossovers is Time. With this system trains only have to slow down entering or exiting the platforms due to delays, otherwise the system allows trains to continnously move. thru the junction
I was lucky enough to have a bricklayer Grandfather who worked in the Construction of this Brick Flyover project.
He was always very proud to have been part of it with the many other bricklayers employed on this great project
I'll bet he was. I often look at it as I go over wondering how many years and men it took. How long did he work on it?
I've been travelling over and under this for 43 years with no clue what it did. Now I know what it does I can get on a train doing the city circle as it empties at Central but more importantly before it fills up before coming back in the direction I wish to travel. Hahaha brilliant.
Ive done that a few times. A few extra minutes travel but it ensures you get a seat!
This is pretty much spot on for what the flyovers achieve. Essentially they are there so no flat junctions interfere with capacity of the city lines, unlike what happens between Flinders street and Southern Cross.
The dual-level construction of Town Hall (and Wynyard) provides one more crossover for trains going north from Central to Circular Quay to not be in the way of North Shore trains going south to Central. It is all very clever.
Love how you took the effort to teach people about what seems like an overcomplicated piece of track from a foreign city to you but you did it anyway! Great work mate
Have travelled on this track for 48 years and my thoughts on it were 'on the right track' but now it is all much clearer for me. Thanks!
Martin, thanks so much for this brilliant video! I'm a Sydneysider, and even though I've used the trains often, and been intrigued by the central crossover complex, haven't pursued it the way you have. I didn't know I needed to know all this but your excellent explanation kept me interested till the end. Thanks again and best wishes
Thanks Harry, glad you enjoyed it!
Well done. I live in the U.S., and have recently become a Sydney Trains fan, (I watch your channel, too). UA-cam is my way to travel to systems worldwide.
That's insanely good construction there. What great forward thinking and just. We need this kinda smarts in the UK
I worked at TNT so I had a bird's-eye view of the flying junctions (we called them the cross-overs) and it took some time to work out why they were in place. You don't explain why until about four minutes into the video. You see, on the left, each one of those lines has got an up line and a down line side-by-side, which is the usual situation since they're coming from/going to the same stations but at Sydney central you have platforms which take trains in the same direction on both sides of the platform. This is great for the commuter who wants to jump off one train to get onto another on their way to work. All they have to do is cross the platform and they will be on the appropriate train. I just wish you had explained that at the beginning. Go to the TNT Towers at Redfern ('Fawlty Towers'), ask to go to the top floor to see for yourself, it's beautiful to watch. It's actually consumer-focused - so rare!
This was amazing! For the next explanation could you maybe do the city circle tunnels? Like there’s 2 levels of platforms at town hall and 2 at Wynyard. Could you explain how some go on the lower platforms and how they stay up?
I probably will make that one at some point, yes.
It's actually not that complicated. Two of the upper platforms at Town Hall and Wynyard go to the bridge, the lower ones at Wynyard and ones from each level at Town Hall go around the City Circle, and the two remaining lower ones at Town Hall go to the Eastern Suburbs line. There are no platforms 1 or 2 at Wynyard; they used to be tram platforms connecting to the Harbour Bridge. (Platforms 26 and 27 at Central, 13 and 14 at Redfern, and a couple of filled in platforms at St James, were for lines that were never built.) But a video would still be cool.
@@nomadMik yes correct, I am always wondering if they are ever going to make use of the Tunnels at Central and Redfern stations that lie south of the main Illawarra LInes? Airport Line, and Metro line could have utilised these oddities!
Love being a passenger going through these. Sometimes your train pops out somewhere unexpected 😆 the brickwork bridges are also so lovely to look at.
That is a great explanation. I used to travel these lines a lot and was always intrigued by the flyovers.
As some bloke from Melbourne , you have nailed that explanation to this bloke from Sydney. Really clear, marvellous description. Thank you!
This is an great explanation with excellent visuals and narration, thanks so much for compiling this!
Being a train loving Sydneysider for 10 years, I’ve loved this part of the network! It also is pretty fascinating to look at as you travel over it :)
I have puzzled over that flyover for the last 48 years. Thanks for the answer. If you wanted to clutter your diagrams even more, you could have shown platforms 24 & 25 as well as the never used, for trains at least, platforms 26 & 27.
used for ghosts O.o
@@mr.jamster8414 It is quiet and rather spooky in those platforms. I've been in there once and that was enough!
Love the coat hanger reference 👌
Your explanation brings back a lot of memories. I lived in Australia for about 25 years before returning home to England. I held several jobs and obtained a degree from the University of N.S.W. However, I lived in Sydney, Hobart and Adelaide. I have also travelled extensively around the almost aall of Australia, both by car, but in the earlier years by train. Many of the trains I travelled with, no longer run. My biggest regret was that I had the opportunity to travel on the original Ghan, to Alice springs. I knew Sydney Central very well, having probably used all services either terminating air passing through the suburban platforms. I always marvelled at how when approaching Central, you would encounter the section highlighted in this video. As you looked through the wyindow, you would be, for example running parallel with trains running slowly but at different speeds, then as you emerged from the flyover, slowing further to either terminate or sa stop at the suburban stations. I often marvelled at finding that a train on my starboard side was. then seen again ont the port side. I also remember talking to some friends I’d met who were Station Assistants on the suburban and circle line platforms, used tio have bets who could run across all lines ad platforms between the north and south sides of the suburban lines - not the sort of thing you would do
Wonderful stuff and it is a masterpiece of engineering I have marvelled at since childhood. Central has two more underground platforms as well, 24 and 25 supporting the Cronulla to Bondi Junction line.
Awesome video Martin! - You explained that really well!
I've always marvelled at the engineering of the network and the obvious age of the flyover (and other old sections along the T1 loop) but never thought to have a good overhead look on maps. I did notice that they seem to have reconnected the Illawarra up line to the platform 20/21 up, I can't speak to volumes on those lines but maybe something changed to justify the outlay (I'm a Hornsby kid, used to watch Bugsy, Bert and Ernie do their thing at the yards from my high school) Not even a rail guy really but was fascinated, rad video my dude.
You've done well for 'just some guy from Melbourne" 👏
I just subscribed.
I’m from Adelaide so I’m always fascinated by metro railway junctions of cities where their central stations are through lines. Adelaide doesn’t have trains in the eastern suburbs so our central station is a terminus. I’ve traveled to Sydney twice in my life and I’ve been on the city loop every time. I’ve always wondered how it’s southern end flyover works so thanks for this video
Great video, thanks so much. As a fellow Melburnian also looking to travel up to Sydney soon, this should help me heaps.
As a passenger it really isn't complicated at all.... unlike the City Loop!
Well, for a bloke from Melbourne, you explain it better than the Sydney train lot...lol...well done. I was born in Sydney but live in SA, but thanks to Sydney vloggers, and you too, I can keep tabs.
It doesn't really come into the flyover arrangement, but you can certainly add that the Illawarra trains mostly now go underground a few kilometres south and just north of Erskineville. They then stay underground through Central and go on to Bondi Junction.
When I was very young my mother took me into the city from the south. On the way home we continued around the circle and when we got home I thought there must be another house just like ours in the north!
ha! I used to think Melbourne had this complex, slummy inner-suburban subway system connecting the suburban lines, because of the underground toilets. I assumed we were just ducking off to the side instead of heading down to where the trains were.
Even now in my dreams Melbourne has an east-west station underground someplace like Collingwood.
does anyone else have *very specific* alternate versions of real places in their dreams...?
Another reason for the shuffling of the lines could be for inter-platform changes (changing trains without leaving the platform), so notice how redfern has the same colour/line on each side of the platform, then central slightly shifts things so that each platform has a different line opposite it. Not sure if on purpose, but this ordering of being able to reverse directions in redfern and then change lines but stay the same direction for central is also convenient as you'd want to reverse directions as soon as possible, which is great for anyone coming in from the west as redfern is first.
Townhall also has some interesting cross platform intersections, I need to check if the combination of redfern/central/townhall creates the most optimal combination of changing lines from any line to any other line with minimal movement between platforms.
For me it was common to change from platform 18 to 19 coming from the North Shore but going to the inner west station. On a rainy day it can be done at Town Hall 2 to 1. City Circle outer track line, can arrive at Town Hall platform 4 and change to 5 to go to Bondi Jn. At Chatswood Metro train platform cross over to continue the journey to the city or from city to join metro train
This is a great video. I had long reasoned that this flyover could get any train on to any platform at Central, but never new the ins and outs of exactly how it did it. Thank you!
What I experienced, before actually understanding the engineering and discovering all those crossovers,was coming into Central from Parramatta and being able to walk straight across the platform and onto a city circle train. The crossovers change the format from a usual configuration in just about every station in the network with an up line and a down line sharing a platform platform to two uplines sharing a platform. This made my journey, Parramatta to Circular Quay, a straight across the platform change. Marvellous engineering by people smarter than me!
It's iconic. I spent several years heading up the central coast line and it was always relaxing to watch the trains using the flyover as you crawled out of the Sydney Terminal side of Central
Used to do heaps of track work & drainage works between Redfern/Central/Circular Quay in the 90's. Week days were usually drainge etc 1am till 4am & weekends mostly track work. Actually miss doing that job.
I've recently changed jobs to where I not only commute to Haymarket, I also get to sit high up in an office and watch Central Station out of the window, like a big train set. I've always noticed more up-trains moving than down-trains from this viewpoint and now I know why; the down-trains disappear from view a few seconds after leaving the station.
Anyway, super interesting.
Leaving Fairfield at 5.26am, get into Sydney just to dart across the bridge on sunrise 🌅 is an amazing way to do an apprenticeship
Wow, really interresting to see all the thoughts behind this amazing junction.
Thanks for the video.
This was easier to understand than my local mess of Subway,Intercity, Long Island Railroad maps here in NY
5:35 Me, a Transport Tycoon baron: No, it makes perfect sense.
When you take into account that the Bankstown line trains will be removed in 2024 with the Sydney Metro. you can see how there will be smoother operations. This also helps people understand why a delay on the Inner West, Airport and South West or Bankstown line has so much flow on impact to the trains on the other line. If a Bankstown train misses it's path, it needs to displace another train to make up it's path. This needs to be done in the next available path as the Bankstown line train will have other Bankstown line trains come behind it. So maybe a late running train might be because someone at Sydenham hesitated in the train door for 30 seconds, or held the train for a friend by blocking the door from closing, delaying other trains.
Great video! Excellently and clearly explained!
Did someone mention bats?
Upgraded the signals through there. Fun times.
Thank you for your wonderful discussion about Central Station to which I arrived by train in 1967 from Melbourne and promptly travelled almost everywhere possible on the city circle and North Shore and later on the Eastern line.
First travelled on it in abut 1950, aged 4,before the city circle was complete. i was more interested in what was happening on platforms 1 - 15 with STEAM TRAINS, as we usually arrived on platform 16, but within a few years I had it worked out, especially when they added the city circle. It is a brilliant pre-war engineering solution, to my mind.
These days we enter the city on T6 from Sutherland deep underground, and I miss the fly-overs.
I first encountered the Melbourne network in 1964, could not figure it out; and still can't. All I know is these days I board an XPT on platform 1 or 3 at Central and 11 hours later it pulls into platform 1 at Melbourne Southern Cross; and the taxis & trams are right outside!! Truth is I am terrified of the Melbourne network. One day I will get a route map.
It's an incredible, visionary piece of infrastructure. The people who built it were really forward thinking.
Excellent video Some-Guy-from-Melbourne. Being Sydney born and bred, I've been wondering since the 70s how the flyovers work. Thank you for ending my suffering.
this is a really good explanation. as someone who lives on the airport line (and who is especially lazy) it can be useful to time a trip as such so if you have an extra 15 minutes, you can go from the airport all the way into a station on the inner west via the city circle without changing trains. one of the best features of the sydney train network in the rain. :)
It is a cool setup. Last time i was in Sydney I made it from the Airport to Circular Quay for a beer at the Opera House in less than an hour.
Nice work Sydney, nice explanation too.
I loved the coat hanger representing the Harbour Bridge.
Also, great video - very informative. Thanks 👍
I would think that some of the reasons for this later set up was due to the location of the earlier Sydney terminus. You can find details that position the platforms some 200 metres further to the south, more nearer to the Old Mortuary platform. Earlier still, much adoo was had when a cemetary was relocated from this southern area out to the Botany area.
There is a lot of great history attached to earlier lines both north to Newcastle and south to Wollongong. In particular the line north which required a ferry (steamer) ride from Brooklyn / River Wharf along Broken Bay / Brisbane Waters to Woy Woy to catch the northbound train. The section between Hawkesbury River and Woy Woy was a major feat of engineering in the 1890's. The southern line with the realignment that included the magnificent Stanwell Park viaduct is also noteable.
Very good video! Explains everything in simple details!
The value of the Central flyovers has been demonstrated when it's smooth operation has been compared to the delays that can happen to conflicting movements when trains have had to use the crossovers just west and east of Redfern Station to go to or from "Sydney Terminal" platforms. I have been on a train from Helensburgh that had to do this because of flooding of the Illawarra Dive (which takes Illawarra trains underneath the suburban lines just west of Redfern Station). The other was a steam tour train headed for Bankstown via Sydenham (although it could have used the Dive as there is a crossover to the Bankstown line just before Sydenham).
I'm fromt he illawarra line, sometimes when travling into the city there was trackwork on the ungerground stations beginning at Redfern, & the train would run via the flying junction and terminate at Central. It was always an exciting change of scenery as it was an uncommon event!
I worked in the Signal Box that controlled this area from 1987 to 2017, I think you explained it very well. 2 other pieces of infrastructure to the south of this location that may interest you are the Engine Dive which allows engines or trains to travel from Eveliegh to Sydney Yard or via versa under the 10 running lines and enters the up main line the Central side of Redfern also the up and down Illawarra dives which travel under the running lines to allow trains from Sydney Yard to join the Illawarra lines just before Erskinville
I remember talking to you Russell, many times over the years before I retired in 2017, taking the track possessions every night. I think after all the years there I probably know a bit of how it all works as well. The control area in the old Sydney box is where they now run the nightly possessions from.
@@davidrayner9519 how are you Dave, I always enjoyed working with you. I received as a farewell present a scaled down version of the Sydney Yard panel which takes pride of place in our lounge room.
I retired to the Southern Highlands
It must be confusing at times for the controllers in that box. For the South Coast / Illawarra line there are specific times when trains from the south coast run into terminating platforms at Central and other times when they go underground and through Redfern to Central to Bondi Junction
Bravo, so interesting as a Sydneysider!
pretty good explanation I would also add that the station indicators at central are set up to display the next line, the train's front indicator changes after leaving Redfern and the train's internal indicators change either after leaving central or at circular quay.
Many thanks for posting this: a very clear and concise explanation of a fascinating piece of engineering. I wish this video had been available before my own visit to Sydney some years ago!
Travelling into the city, I always wondered what the up and down lines were for! Coool
The Sydney Central Flying Junctions were designed by Dr John Bradfield, as part of his overall design for the Sydney underground railway. Bradfield, of course, also (importantly) oversaw the design and construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge (as well as the Storey Bridge in Brusbane). A very clever engineer, way before his time.
Really nice explanation. I live next to redfern Station so I’ve used this bit of rail infrastructure most days for the past 20 years.
(Love the diagram with coat hanger too!)
There is also another tunnel/flyover just South of Redfern station with the tunnel bit just before Redfern station. Reason being that if a train comes from platforms 1 etc at Central. They can get to the Illawarra line tracks. Also to the Redfern train works. So if you are ever on a train leaving Redfern to Central. After the bridge look to the left and you will see the tunnel entrance. The tunnel comes out just South of Redfern station and the track goes under the normal suburban tracks.
watch those fun trackwork clips where Illawarra trains got switched to North Sydney and terminate and then return. Quite a lot of points crossing.
I was going to point out the P23 bi-directional stuff. Last weekend they were terminating every second airport line train there due to trackwork, very rare indeed!
I was almost not going to mention it, but figured somebody would point it out!
Excellent video on a truly fascinating piece of infrastructure that has bedevilled me for 5 decades. The wicked mind-trick it plays is that when you’re on the top heading in to Central, you’re not conscious of any of it, but when you’re on the lower tracks you’re suddenly immersed in a world not dissimilar to Hogwarts moving staircases. Then you forget entirely about the whole thing til next time.
RMTransit sent me! Loved this explainer!
Also noted some Inner West train, would originate from Leppington goes to city circle in the outer track, back to Central then goes to Redfern platform 10 then terminate. It then start from Redfern platform 9 and back to Central, goes via Museum than back to Platform 17, then inner west track back to Leppington. Other more regular service it could have gone to Airport track and end up in Macarthur.
Thanks for the video! Always been a train enthusiast and you made it crystal clear for me to understand.
its 1- 12 now - platforms 13, 14 and 15 are closed for metro works
Love these videos of yours!! Even the East Pakenham was fascinating!! Just watched a couple of videos showing the shunt of the Indian Pacific at Central. Could you do an explainer on that? From the split somewhere between Redfern and Central, then the shunt, and finally the shunt to pick up the car carriers...
Keeping my fingers crossed!!
Glad you're enjoying them! The IP shunt is definitely very interesting, I'll put it on my list!
This is a brilliant video.
Nothing more to add
Fantastic information. I never knew it, but had wondered what the deal was with the upper and lower tracks at central. Also oblivious to 2 tracks coming in or out at each station island compared to your typical 2 track station.
Did you know Redfern Station platform 11 is actually directly adjacent to one of the down lines? It's not underground but underneath/next to the flyover junction
Don't know if it has been done but it is basically designed so you can run a set from Hornsby Maintenance Centre to The Royal National Park. Good brickwork too probably from the St. Peters brick pit.
Good point and I have travelled on a passenger (supporters) train that travelled directly from Wollongong to Newcastle without going into Central. A connecting section of the Goods Rail train system was used.
@@flamingfrancis I think they used this line during the Sydney 2000 games too. The Tempe (Meeks Road Junction) to Flemington metropolitan goods line.
i love the coathanger!
Yay I understand them now! I agree, it looks annoying that the Airport line branches off at such an angle but oh well. A neat video detailing a neat piece of infrastructure!
I was only traveling into the city circle the other day and wondering what was going on with these flyovers....
Well done and Thanks
Watch out Sydney Trains...you are next! They've already started on the buses! Great video, I seen Hitachi 66M sitting in the bush at Bumberry NSW last year in Met colours.
This is really interesting and very well presented. Thanks!
Great video firstly. Great explanation of a fairly integral part of the Sydney Trains system. There are also a number of crossovers on the other end of the Central platforms. These and the fly overs allow for failed trains to be worked around to keep the system "kinda" operating. if a train in Plat 16 had someone with a medical emergency, you can stop the train there and work Shore and City outer services via Plat 17. shore services then cross back over on the approach to Goulburn st tunnels.
I suppose explanation of trains changing lines as they go around the city circle can also be explained by the names for these lines, the City Inner and City Outer. all signals and track circuits are referred to by CI or CO numbers, these only apply Central to Central though. after that they revert back to SH, IL, M, S, etc
I think it is also handy as if you arrive from the "inner west" and want to go to the north short, you only walk to the other side of the platform.
Likewise in reverse. (Coming form the north shore line wanting to get to the inner west.)
Rather than having to change platforms by going down the steps along and up steps to the other platform.
I'm currently on platform 5 at Town Hall, what train do I need to get to Kogarah?
Just a little quirk, you can access platform 22 from the up airport line also.
Thanks, I thought so but wasn't 100% sure so I left it out. Probably should have just asked you lol.
That is true,
Don't feel bad Sydney if a guy from Melbourne had to explain your rail network. I'm from Perth and we had a guy from Canada explain ours 😂
I love this and I need to know who is "The Dulcet Toned Narrator from Melbourne" I just spent one viewing to remember all this when I was a guard on the network. Know it like the back of my hand. However would be great if you could please update the initial video of Central railway Station and to show the Metro and the tunnel systems
Correction: At 0:29, it is no longer platforms 1 - 15. It is platforms 1 - 12. No offence
Right you are - the google earth imagery is out of date, and I forgot about the Metro construction site.
13, 14 and 15 were removed to facilitate underground Metro platform construction, but my understanding is 13 and 14 are being reinstated. See ua-cam.com/video/bCqbU6qKrNE/v-deo.html at around 4 minutes for some details. Not sure what the story is with what the extra space is to be used for, but might be ventilation, natural light and other services for the Metro platforms. I wonder what platform numbers they will use for the two Metro platforms?
For a period 12-15 were removed, then they rebuilt and opened 12.
13-15 effectively became the dig site for the Metro Platforms and Concourse.
13-14 are now being reinstated and could well reopen this year along with Central Walk that connects 12-23 directly with new escalators and lifts (and will link to the existing 4-11 tunnel)
15 is essentially lost to ventilation and services buildings for the Metro.
Interesting the flyover is still named after the illawarra lines when they go underground before redfern into central platform 24/25
Another interesting take on The Flying Junctions Taitset. However i should point out that with Sydney Terminal only platforms 1-12 see regular use as Platforms 13-15 are closed to heavy rail altogether and when they re-open will be part of the second stage of The Sydney Metro to Bankstown due for completion in 2024.
Question: How would the Northern Beaches Line/Southern Bridge tracks have fit into this?
One word - brilliant!
Actually, the illawarra lines are used for Bankstown lines, but that's not a ridiculous amount.
Just wondering is there a video that explains the Sydney City circle?
Adding the airport line was a bit of a (clever) hack. The biggest problem with the Central "city" platforms 16-23 is that these platforms are too narrow and are severely congestion - especially 16-17 and 18-19. It would have been possible to merge 20-21 into a single platform and merge 22-23 into a single platform, thus reducing the setup to 6 platforms (3 islands). This would have meant wider platforms, less congestion and more future proofing. And it could have been done at the same time as building Central Walk (underneath). Now, making this change is a lot harder.
You can also see how converting the Bankstown line to metro prevents a lot of complexity and potential disruption as these trains have to merge with both T2 and T8 trains before entering the city platforms.
I understand the concept. its to keep the traffic flowing and doesnt have to tie up interlockings.
Purely because of the Coathanger…. I will give this video a like 😁
makes sense, concise too
Great video. Very well explained but I’m still confused. Also, could you explain how the Bondi Junction line comes into the picture?
I didn't include the eastern suburbs railway in the diagram because it doesn't interact with any of the other trackage in this area. It uses underground platforms at Central and Redfern, then joins the Illawarra lines in a flat junction on the up side of Erskineville.
A superb video a very simple explanation of a very complex and useful piece of infrastructure. A slight addition, trains from the airport can terminate on P23 or P22 using the bidirectional signalling you've mentioned. An excellent video and a topic I'd be interested to see you revisit following the changes to the network brought on by the Bankstown Metro changes.
Thanks Trent, I wasn't 100% sure about 22!
@@Taitset Totally fair enough too, better to say nothing when you're unsure rather than providing incorrect information. Keep up the good work! :)
thank you, great explanation, can I pose an observation? I live in Redfern and all the platforms have trains going in opposite directions i.e. into the city and from the city, after the lines travel though the flying junctions the trains on the platforms are all traveling in the same direction. I believe that this is so the lines can enter and leave the underground as you explained. As I say just an observation.
Yeah, this has always given me some mild consternation. Being much more familiar with the Central platforms, I always check the twice before committing to a platform at Redfern. It’s kinda like when the train doors open on the left, and then the right, and then the left again. You vaguely wonder “how did that happen?” and then get on with your day.