South West Rail Link Explained

Box Width:300px
South West Rail Link
Start:Glenfield
End:Leppington
Stations:3
Routes:T2 Inner West & Leppington
T5 Cumberland
Owner:Transport Asset Holding Entity
Operator:Sydney Trains
Linelength Km:11.4
Electrification:Overhead 1500 V DC[1]
Map State:collapsed

The South West Rail Link is a railway line serving the developing suburbs of south-western Sydney, Australia between Glenfield and Leppington. Services form part of the Sydney Trains suburban rail network. It opened on 8 February 2015.

Description

The line consists of a 11.4km (07.1miles) double-track railway, with stations in the suburbs of Leppington and Edmondson Park. The line is the major piece of public transport infrastructure for the Sydney metropolitan area's "South West Growth Centre". It connects with the rest of the Sydney rail network at Glenfield, where services can continue north on the Main South line or east on the East Hills line. Leppington station's four platforms can support frequent terminating services, even after an extension of the line. A train stabling facility to the west of the station further enhances this capability. Development of the project was managed by Transport for NSW and its predecessor, the Transport Construction Authority.

History

Conception

The South West Rail Link was originally part of the Metropolitan Rail Expansion Program (MREP) proposed by the Carr Government in 2005,[2] along with the North West Rail Link and the CBD rail link. The three projects were to be integrated into a single operational sector, with trains from the south-west running to the north-west via the CBD Link. The other two components of the MREP were cancelled in 2008, but the South West Rail Link remained on the government's agenda. Plans for the North West Rail Link were resurrected in 2011 and the rail link was completed in 2019, forming part of the Sydney Metro network.

In March 2008, the Iemma Government indicated that construction would begin in 2009, with completion scheduled for 2012.[3] By October of that year the government had decided that delivery of the project would be divided into two stages. Stage one would comprise preliminary work around Glenfield station, and stage two would comprise construction of the new line itself, stage two was deferred due to budget cuts.[4] On 14 November 2009, Premier Nathan Rees announced that construction of stage two of the South West Rail Link would begin in mid-2010, with completion scheduled for 2016.[5] [6]

Construction

Stage one

Planning approval for stage one of the project was received in April 2009.[7] This stage involves preliminary work to support the new line. It is centred on Glenfield station and includes:

Stage two

Stage two included extending the railway line westward towards Leppington. This involved:[5]

Stage two received planning approval on 18 November 2010. On 7 December 2010, Premier Kristina Keneally announced that a contract for design and construction of stage two had been awarded to the John Holland Group.[12]

On 13 September 2014, the NSW Government announced that construction was complete, saying the line had come in $300 million under budget and a year ahead of schedule.[13] The line opened 8 February 2015.[14] [15] [16] [17]

Associated projects

Two associated projects affect the line.

The East Hills Line’s Kingsgrove to Revesby quadruplication Rail Clearways project opened in April 2013. It improved the capacity of the East Hills line by allowing the separation of express services to Leppington or Macarthur from all-stops services to Revesby.[18]

The Auburn stabling project provided additional capacity to stable trains.[19]

Operation

On 6 November 2014, the NSW Government announced that train testing had commenced on the line.[20] Passenger services began on 8 February 2015, initially as a four carriage shuttle running every 30 minutes between Leppington and Liverpool. The shuttle stopped at all stations except Casula and was also branded as the South West Rail Link. On 13 December 2015, trains operate as part of the T2 Airport, Inner West & South Line, with some services operate to the city via Granville while others continue to terminate at Liverpool.[21]

On 26 November 2017, the T2 Airport, Inner West & South Line was split into the T2 Inner West & Leppington Line. All T2 and T5 Cumberland Line services via Liverpool and Glenfield no longer operate to Campbelltown and were rerouted via South West Rail Link to start or terminate at Leppington.[22] [23]

Extension proposals

It has been proposed that the line be extended from Leppington to the Western Sydney Airport at Badgerys Creek.[24] However, as at 16 April 2014 the Federal Government has said it had no plans to build this train line. It did indicate a provision for a train line would be included in the development, this may include preparing the tunnels under the runway as part of the runway construction and preparing the underground space for a station.[25]

In June 2015, the New South Wales government announced details for a plan to preserve corridors for extensions of the line. The government indicated it intends to preserve the corridors for the extensions but not to build them in the near future.[26] [27]

From Leppington, the line would extend to Rossmore, with a northern branch to Bringelly and a southern branch to Narellan. Proposed stations would be located at Rossmore, Bringelly, Maryland, Oran Park and Narellan. Preliminary investigations for an extension of the southern corridor from Narellan to the Main South railway line also commenced.[28]

A scoping study into rail investment to service Western Sydney and the proposed Western Sydney Airport was announced by the New South Wales and Australian governments in November 2015.[29] The study's final report was released in March 2018 and included a proposal to build a "North-South Link" from Schofields to Macarthur via the airport. The report also proposed an extension of the South West Rail Link from Leppington to the "Badgerys Creek Aerotropolis" – an area south of the airport. Passengers would need to interchange to access the airport itself.[30] The North–South Link would use a similar corridor to the one being investigated for the extension of the South West Rail Link. This resulted in the corridor investigations into the South West Rail Link extensions being put on hold.[31]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: RailCorp electrical system general description, version 1.0. 19 March 2014. Asset Standards Authority.
  2. News: Besser. Linton. Bye heavy rail, now for a north-west metro. 14 June 2011. The Sydney Morning Herald. 26 February 2008.
  3. News: New $1.36b rail link on time: Iemma. 14 June 2011. The Sydney Morning Herald. 6 March 2008.
  4. News: Benson . Simon . Northwest Metro rail link officially shelved . 14 June 2011 . The Daily Telegraph . 31 October 2008 . unfit . https://web.archive.org/web/20081103115958/http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,24579596-5001021,00.html . 3 November 2008 .
  5. http://cityrail.info/news/2009/091203-southwest Green light for South West rail link Stage 2
  6. News: Axed $1.3b south-west rail link revived. 14 June 2011. The Sydney Morning Herald. 14 November 2009. Clennell. Andrew. Robins. Brian.
  7. Web site: Project profile . Transport Construction Authority . 14 June 2011 . unfit . https://web.archive.org/web/20100906084033/http://www.tca.nsw.gov.au/Our-Projects/Current-Projects/South-West-Rail-Link/Project-Profile/Project-profile/default.aspx. 6 September 2010 .
  8. https://web.archive.org/web/20110312092904/http://www.tca.nsw.gov.au/Our-Projects/Current-Projects/Commuter-Car-Park-Program/Glenfield--Seddon-Park-/Seddon-Park/default.aspx Seddon Park Commuter Car Park
  9. https://web.archive.org/web/20110308154420/http://www.tca.nsw.gov.au/News/Premier-and-Minister-for-Transport-officially-open-new-Glenfield-multi-storey-car-park/default.aspx Premier and Minister for Transport officially open new Glenfield multi-storey car park
  10. https://web.archive.org/web/20110311013901/http://www.tca.nsw.gov.au/ArticleDocuments/91/SWRL%20at%20a%20glance.pdf.aspx South West Rail Link at a glance
  11. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Web site: Sydney Trains T2 Airport, Inner West & South Line SWRL Glenfield Northern Flyover- Right Side . YouTube.
  12. News: $550 million South West Sydney Rail Link contract awarded . unfit . https://web.archive.org/web/20110302021645/http://streetcorner.com.au/news/showPost.cfm?bid=20109&mycomm=SW . 2 March 2011 .
  13. Web site: South West Rail Link construction complete, services to start in early 2015. Transport for NSW. 13 September 2014.
  14. http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2015/01/01/nsws-southwest-rail-link-open-soon NSW's southwest rail link to open soon
  15. http://www.news.com.au/national/breaking-news/nsws-southwest-rail-link-to-open-soon/story-e6frfku9-1227171965445 NSW's southwest rail link to open soon
  16. http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/sydneys-new-rail-line-to-open-next-month/story-fni0cx12-1227172066593 Sydney’s new rail line to open next month
  17. http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/media-releases/south-west-rail-link-opens-customers-february-2015-one-year-ahead-schedule-and-300m South West Rail Link opens to customers in February 2015 - one year ahead of schedule and $300m under budget
  18. https://web.archive.org/web/20100908003910/http://www.tca.nsw.gov.au/Our-Projects/Current-Projects/Rail-Clearways-Program/Kingsgrove-to-Revesby-Quadruplication/Project-profile/default.aspx Rail Clearways Program - Kingsgrove to Revesby Quadruplication project profile
  19. https://web.archive.org/web/20110311010011/http://www.tca.nsw.gov.au/ArticleDocuments/235/REF%20Volume%201%20-%20part%201.PDF.aspx Review of Environmental Factors - Part 1
  20. Web site: First test trains hit the tracks on South West Rail Link. Transport for NSW. 6 November 2014. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20141106125028/http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/media-releases/first-test-trains-hit-tracks-south-west-rail-link. 6 November 2014.
  21. Web site: South West Rail Link: Soon to head North and East, with more services. Transport for NSW. 15 October 2015. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20151119041649/http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/media-releases/south-west-rail-link-soon-head-north-and-east-more-services. 19 November 2015.
  22. http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/liverpool-leader/southwest-sydney-train-service-to-increase-with-new-peak-hour-trains-and-northsouth-connection-from-leppington-to-parramatta-and-blacktown/news-story/d73b929edb43d030766ef7fb36eccf92 Southwest Sydney train service to increase with new peak hour trains and north-south connection from Leppington to Parramatta and Blacktown
  23. http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/decision-on-rail-link-to-new-sydney-airport-many-years-off-transport-minister-andrew-constance-says-20170227-gum5rs.html Decision on rail link to new Sydney airport many years off, Transport Minister Andrew Constance says
  24. http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/badgerys-creek-railway-mapped-out-as-tony-abbott-promises-airport-decision-20140205-3211n.html Badgerys Creek railway mapped out as Tony Abbott promises airport decision
  25. News: Saulwick. Jacob. Federal government plans for airport rail line but will not build it. 16 April 2014. Brisbane Times. 16 April 2014.
  26. News: Saulwick. Jacob. Six stations proposed for future train link to Badgerys Creek. 28 April 2014. The Sydney Morning Herald. 27 April 2014.
  27. Web site: South West Rail Link Extension Corridor Protection. Transport for NSW - Projects. https://web.archive.org/web/20140429050952/http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/projects-swrl-extension-corridor-protection. dead. 29 April 2014. NSW Government. 8 June 2015.
  28. Web site: South West Rail Link Extension - Public transport corridor preservation June 2015 - Consultation on Southern Section. Transport for NSW. 9 June 2015. 4, 5, 12.
  29. Web site: Western Sydney Airport. https://web.archive.org/web/20160615185934/https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/projects-western-sydney-airport. dead. 15 June 2016. Transport for NSW. 18 February 2016.
  30. Web site: Western Sydney Rail Needs Scoping Study Outcomes Report. https://web.archive.org/web/20180306142557/https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/system/files/media/documents/2018/wsrnsoutcome-report.pdf. dead. 2018-03-06. Australian Government and New South Wales Government. 7 March 2018. 54–59. March 2018.
  31. Web site: Western Sydney Rail Needs Scoping Study Outcomes Report. https://web.archive.org/web/20180306142557/https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/system/files/media/documents/2018/wsrnsoutcome-report.pdf. dead. 2018-03-06. Australian Government and New South Wales Government. 7 March 2018. 47. March 2018.

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