Location Lawson Street, Redfern Operated by Sydney Trains Opened 1878 Platforms in use 12 (2 side, 5 island) | Owned by RailCorp Connections Bus Owner RailCorp Tracks 12 | |
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Line(s) Main Suburban
Illawarra Distance 1.30 kilometres from Central Address Eveleigh NSW 2015, Australia Similar Central Railway Station - S, Strathfield railway station, Epping railway station - S, Bondi Junction railway st, Macdonaldtown railway station | ||
Redfern railway station is located on the Illawarra line, serving the Sydney suburb of Redfern. It is served by all Sydney Trains lines except the airport branch of the Airport, Inner West & South Line and the Cumberland Line. Some NSW TrainLink Intercity services also call at the station.
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History
In the early history of the New South Wales Railways, Redfern was the name of the principal Sydney terminus. It was located to the south of Devonshire Street and opened on 26 September 1855 in an area known as Cleveland Fields. This original Redfern station comprised one wooden platform in a corrugated iron shed. As traffic increased the original station was replaced in 1874 by a brick building containing two platforms. This second station, which grew to 14 platforms, was designed for through traffic if the lines were extended in the city direction. This second station was found to be too far from the city centre, so a new station (the present Sydney Central station) was built to the north of Devonshire Street and opened on 4 August 1906 [Sydney Morning Herald 6 August 1906, p6]. The 1874 station was soon demolished.
A station was opened in 1876 1.3 kilometres west of the original Redfern and called Eveleigh. In 1885 Eveleigh's platforms were reconstructed at the present Redfern site, and on 21 October 1906 this station was renamed Redfern.
On 1 August 1926, a further two platforms opened on the southern side (9 and 10) as part of the electrification of the Illawarra line.
Platforms 11 and 12, as well as the area containing the unfinished platforms (see below), were constructed in the late 1970s as part of the Eastern Suburbs Railway construction, which opened in 1979.
Until 1994, Redfern had an overhead footbridge at the Eveleigh end of the platforms, connecting platforms 1-10 by stairs. This was demolished because the funds for its maintenance were not available.
A single track underground tunnel was built for steam locomotives from Central station to access Eveleigh Railway Workshops. Known as the Engine Dive, it dives to the north of Platform 1 surfacing at the southern end of Platform 10. A number of chimneys still exist, especially on Platform 1.
The present Redfern station was damaged by fire in the 2004 Redfern riots. The ticketing area and station master's office were significantly damaged - and the windows in the front of the station were bricked up for almost a year afterwards to prevent further attacks. They have since been replaced with glass windows.
Station configuration
Redfern has 12 platforms, 10 above ground (linked by stairs to the concourse at Lawson Street), and 2 underground (linked by stairs and escalators to the concourse at Gibbons Street). The two concourses are linked. Station offices and facilities such as toilets and the main indicator boards are located next to the Lawson Street entry.
As part of the construction of the Eastern Suburbs Railway (now platforms 11 and 12), it was proposed to build up to four platforms for the underground route. Two of these platforms were built and now are platforms 11 and 12, however, the two platforms above were half constructed above platforms 11 and 12. These are visible through a small gap in the wall opposite Platform 11, as well as by a boarded up entry portal under the Lawson Street Bridge (which was to be the down track), and a now filled-in dive tunnel under the Wells Street Sectioning Hut on the Central side of Lawson Street. The area in which the platforms were to be situated is visible from the station concourse at the entrance to Platform 10.
Accessibility and exits
The station has three main exits - the main entrance and exit on Lawson Street next to the ticketing area (Exit A on the diagram below), a second entrance on Gibbons Street (especially for passengers using platforms 11 and 12) (Exit B on the diagram below), and a third exit to the Australian Technology Park, which is accessed by walking along platform 10 (Exit C on the diagram).
Upgrades
Since 2013 there have been a number of announcements concerning major upgrades for Redfern Station including the building of a lift to platforms 6 and 7. In December 2014 Transport for NSW invited customers to provide feedback on plans for the new lift at Redfern station. Work on the upgrade commenced on 13 April 2015.
Station map
Legend:
Transport links
Redfern does not have a connecting bus interchange. However, a stop close to the Gibbons Street entrance (near platforms 11 & 12) serves the following Sydney Buses routes:
Redfern station is served by one NightRide route:
There are stops further afield in Lawson Square, Botany Road and Redfern Street servicing bus routes to the City, Railway Square, Matraville, Pagewood and Marrickville.