Stanwell Park railway station explained

Stanwell Park
Style:NSW TrainLink
Address:Railway Crescent, Stanwell Park
Country:Australia
Coordinates:-34.2265°N 150.9811°W
Distance:55.95 kilometres from Central
Line:South Coast
Connections:Bus
Structure:Ground
Platform:2 side
Tracks:2
Opened:23 December 1901
Rebuilt:10 October 1920
Electrified:Yes
Accessible:No
Status:
  • Weekdays:

Staffed: 5.35am to 9.35am

  • Weekends and public holidays:

Unstaffed

Code:SWP
Owned:Transport Asset Holding Entity
Operator:NSW TrainLink
Passengers:
  • 32,800 (year)
  • 90 (daily)[1]
Pass Year:2023[2]
Pass System:Sydney Trains, NSW TrainLink
Web:Transport for NSW

Stanwell Park railway station is located on the South Coast railway line in New South Wales, Australia. It serves the seaside village of Stanwell Park opening on 23 December 1901, relocating to its current location on 10 October 1920.[3] [4]

Buildings and railway history

The original rail line followed what is now Lawrence Hargrave Drive, curving around the southern headland and through Stanwell Park. The station opened on 14 March 1890 at its original site opposite Station Street under the footbridge. To the north the line followed Chellow Dene Avenue to the Otford Tunnel through Bald Hill.[4]

A platform was provided on the eastern side on 24 April 1890, and was moved to the western side to make room for a crossing loop which opened on 23 December 1901. Station buildings were added on 4 June 1903 and a signal box on 17 May 1909. A second platform was provided on 13 July 1909, and the footbridge over the station installed on 9 October 1911.[4]

To the north a steep grade of 1 in 40 faced northbound trains almost all the way to Otford. This combined with the 1550m (5,090feet) long Otford Tunnel meant that many trains were divided at Stanwell Park and hauled through to Otford or Waterfall in stages. Refuge sidings were provided for northbound trains at Stanwell Park from 17 December 1912 so that the rear portion of divided trains no longer had to be left on the main line.[4]

In 1920, the original single line was replaced with a double track deviation. The deviation avoided the Otford Tunnel and steep grades by tracing around the Stanwell Park amphitheatre at a higher level, and the present station was constructed.[4] The new line featured an eight span, 145m (476feet) long, 42m (138feet) high[5] curved viaduct over Stanwell Creek south of the station which required over three million bricks in its construction.[4]

Platforms and services

Stanwell Park has two side platforms and is serviced by NSW TrainLink South Coast line services travelling between Waterfall and Port Kembla. Some peak hour and late night services operate to Sydney Central, Bondi Junction and Kiama.

Transport links

Premier Charters operates two bus routes via Stanwell Park station, under contract to Transport for NSW:

External links

Notes and References

  1. This figure is the number of entries and exits of a year combined averaged to a day.
  2. Web site: Train Station Monthly Usage . Open Data . 26 January 2024.
  3. http://www.nswrail.net/locations/show.php?name=NSW:Stanwell+Park&line=NSW:south_coast:3 Stanwell Park Station
  4. Book: Oakes, John. 2009. 2003. Sydney's Forgotten Illawarra Railways. 2nd. Sydney. Australian Railway Historical Society, NSW Division. 978-0-9805106-6-9. 54, 56, 67, 79–80.
  5. https://web.archive.org/web/20090913035146/http://www.railcorp.info/__data/assets/file/0005/689/Cardno_MBK-SPV_Stage_1.pdf Stanwell Park Railway Viaduct. Interim Report – Stage 1 – Inspection and Condition Assessment