Welshpool railway station, Perth explained

Welshpool
Style:Transperth
Style2:ARM
Address:Sevenoaks Street, Welshpool/Bentley
Country:Australia
Coordinates:-31.9954°N 115.9233°W
Distance:9.5 kilometres from Perth
Line:
    Structure:Ground
    Platform:2 (1 island)
    Tracks:2
    Opened:1889
    Closed:20 November 2023
    Electrified:Yes
    Code:AWL
    99081 (platform 1)
    99082 (platform 2)
    Owned:Public Transport Authority
    Operator:Transperth Train Operations
    Zone:1
    Passengers:116,681
    Pass Year:2013–14
    Mapframe:yes
    Mapframe-Caption:Location of Welshpool railway station
    Mapframe-Zoom:13

    Welshpool was a railway station on the Transperth network. It was located on the Armadale and Thornlie lines, 9.5 kilometres from Perth Station serving the suburbs of Welshpool and Bentley, Western Australia.

    The station closed on 20 November 2023 as part of the Victoria Park-Canning Level Crossing Removal Project, as it was located too close to the nearby Leach Highway bridge for a new station to be built.[1]

    History

    Welshpool Station opened in 1889 as one of the original stations on the Armadale line.[2] As early as the 1930s the location was concern for railway crossing safety.[3] [4]

    During the Second World War, it was considered as a suitable location for a proposed munitions factory.[5]

    Welshpool Station was planned to be closed under the original 1999 South West Metropolitan Railway Master Plan for the Armadale line branch route of the Mandurah line to enable the construction of a bridge over Welshpool Road instead of the current level crossing. However, with the change in route alignment, the closure was no longer necessary at that point in time.[6]

    Closure

    The station closed on 20 November 2023 as part of a Metronet project for the removal of level crossings on the Armadale line. The project involves the removal of the Welshpool Road level crossing. Because Welshpool Station does not have high patronage, and it is too close to Welshpool Road and the Leach Highway bridge, it was determined that it was not possible to remove the Welshpool Road level crossing without closing Welshpool Station.[7] More car bays will be added to the new Queens Park and Oats Street stations to compensate for the closure of the station, additionally Oats Street station will move slightly south to provide another transport option for the Welshpool area.

    Services

    Welshpool Station was served by Transperth Armadale and Thornlie line services.[8] Usually, Armadale Line trains skipped the station with the station being primarily served by Thornlie Line trains. However, on Sundays and at night the station was additionally served by Armadale Line trains.

    The station saw 116,681 passengers in the 2013-14 financial year.[9]

    References

    Bibliography

    External links

    Notes and References

    1. https://www.metronet.wa.gov.au/news/latest-news/armadale-line-shutdown-begins-20-november
    2. https://web.archive.org/web/20080721030500/http://www.righttrack.wa.gov.au/Portals/3/media/History_Armadale.pdf History of Stations on the Armadale Train Line
    3. News: Railway Crossing Closures. . . VII . 14 . Western Australia . 14 February 1936 . 11 June 2023 . 1 . National Library of Australia.
    4. News: Welshpool Crossing Smash. . . VII . 46 . Western Australia . 2 October 1936 . 11 June 2023 . 1 . National Library of Australia.
    5. News: Munitions Men Choose Welshpool . . LIX . 20631 . Western Australia . 17 May 1941 . 11 June 2023 . 33 (LAST RACE) . National Library of Australia.
    6. Web site: Perth Urban Rail Development Project – Supplementary Master Plan . Transperth . 26 October 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20030309062054/http://www.purd.transperth.wa.gov.au/files/rdb/PURD_SuppMasterPlan_Aug02.pdf . 9 March 2003 . August 2002 . dead.
    7. Web site: Level Crossings – Welshpool Road . Metronet . 18 July 2021 . 18 July 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210718042124/https://www.metronet.wa.gov.au/projects/level-crossing-removal/level-crossings#welshpool-road . live .
    8. http://www.transperth.wa.gov.au/timetablepdfs/Armadale%20Thornlie%20Line%2020160131.pdf Armadale/Thornlie Line Timetable
    9. Web site: Question On Notice No. 4248 asked in the Legislative Assembly on 25 June 2015 by Mr M. Mcgowan . Parliament of Western Australia . 25 July 2022.