Type Commuter rail service Opened 1855 Electrification Overhead 1500V DC Track gauge Standard gauge Operator Sydney Trains | Status Active Rolling stock K, C, T, H and A sets Owner RailCorp Locale Sydney | |
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Operating speed Depots Hornsby Maintenance Depot, Auburn Maintenance Centre | ||
The North Shore, Northern & Western Line (numbered T1, coloured yellow) is a commuter rail line operated by Sydney Trains in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It serves the North Shore, Northern Suburbs and parts of the Inner West and Western Suburbs.
Contents
History
Following victory in the 2011 New South Wales election, the O'Farrell Government embarked on reform of transport in New South Wales. In November 2011, a new organisation, Transport for NSW, was created to improve planning and coordination of transport projects and services. The organisation developed a new rail timetable and branding, which was put into effect on 20 October 2013. This saw the merger of the North Shore Line and Western Line (Berowra - City via Gordon then to Emu Plains or Richmond via Strathfield) with the Northern Line (Hornsby - City via Macquarie Park then to Epping via Strathfield). A new numbering system was also introduced and the line was given the number T1.
Railway line history
The North Shore, Northern & Western Line utilises a number of different railway lines and is the result of various schemes to link the lines together. The line is centred around the Main Suburban railway line which runs from Central to Granville. The Main Northern and Main Western lines branch from the Main Suburban Line. The North Shore Line branches from the Main Northern Line and was later extended through the city and connected to the Main Suburban Line as well. The Epping to Chatswood line provides a second connection between the Main Northern and North Shore lines, enabling the creation of the North Shore, Northern & Western Line's current layout.
Main Western and Richmond lines
The Main Western line opened to Penrith in 1863 as a branch from the junction with the Main South line at Granville. Electrification reached Parramatta in 1928 and Penrith in 1955.
A branch line was opened to Richmond in 1864 under the stewardship of engineer James Moore. Electrification from Riverstone to Richmond opened in August 1991. Through running to and from Sydney commenced in 1992.
Trains from the Main Western and Richmond lines run as the Western Line.
North Shore Line
The North Shore line was opened on 1 January 1890 between Hornsby and St Leonards. The line was extended to the Sydney Harbour foreshore at Milsons Point in 1893. Transport between this original Milsons Point station and central Sydney was by ferry boat. The line was electrified in 1927.
When the Sydney Harbour Bridge was opened in 1932 a new Milsons Point station (on the bridge approach) came into operation and the North Shore Line was extended through it and over the Sydney Harbour Bridge to link with the underground lines of central Sydney. The result is that the two ends of the North Shore Line link to the Sydney railway system at Central and Hornsby.
Main Northern and Epping to Chatswood lines
The traditional Northern Line was the suburban portion of the Main Northern line which opened in 1886 and was electrified in 1926. When the Sydney Harbour Bridge was opened, the Northern Line was connected to the City underground and the North Shore line.
In 2009 the Epping to Chatswood line was opened. The traditional Northern line route ran from Hornsby to North Sydney via Strathfield and the City. When the Epping to Chatswood Line opened, the Northern Line was split in two, with trains from north of Epping operating via the new link, approaching the city via the North Shore Line and rejoining the traditional route before terminating at Epping. The Northern Line was colour coded red prior to being merged with the North Shore and Western lines. After merging, the Northern Line loop was split on weekdays, with trains from the upper Northern Line continuing to Richmond or Emu Plains.
In 2018 the Epping to Chatwood line will be closed and be converted to a metro. As a result, the traditional Northern line route from Hornsby to Central via Strathfield will be reinstated with expanded train services on the North Shore line. This will coincide the proposed new timetable that year.
Route
The route is complex and features many branches. It passes through a number of business districts and major centres, namely Hornsby, Macquarie Park, Chatswood, North Sydney, the Central Business District, Parramatta, Blacktown and Penrith.
The line heads south from Berowra to Hornsby to using the Main Northern Line. Trains from this branch then divert on to the North Shore Line. A second branch starts at Hornsby and continues down the Main Northern Line to Epping. At Epping the line heads underground to the Macquarie employment centre and Chatswood via the Epping to Chatswood Line. The line surfaces at Chatswood and joins the Berowra branch on the North Shore Line for the run south towards the City. Trains pass through North Sydney station before heading across the Sydney Harbour Bridge, through the western limb of the City Circle and the stations of Central and Redfern.
Services then run along the Main Suburban Railway, usually using the middle 'Suburban' pair of the six tracks between Redfern and Strathfield. Services do not stop at intermediate stations between Redfern and Burwood. At Strathfield, trains to Epping via Rhodes usually head onto a flyover over the 'Main lines', before heading north back on the Main Northern Line, crossing the Parramatta River between Rhodes and Meadowbank, and terminating at Epping's surface platforms. Other services continue west from Strathfield to Granville where trains join the Main Western Line. After passing through Parramatta, trains reach Blacktown, where the line divides in two. A western branch continues along the Main Western Line as far as Emu Plains and a north-western branch heads to Richmond using the Richmond Line.
Services
There are no general stopping patterns for services during weekdays peak hours. However, there are general stopping patterns for other times. Services stated here do not include express trains between City and Blue Mountains or Newcastle.
Stopping Patterns (Weekdays outside peak hours)
Stopping Patterns (Weekends)
Emu Plains is served by the Blue Mountains Line on weekends.