The Seaford line is a commuter railway line in the city of Adelaide, South Australia. It is the city's second longest metropolitan railway line at 35.9 kilometres (22.3 mi).

Seaford line
Seaford railway station, the terminus of the line, January 2023
Overview
LocaleAdelaide, South Australia
Termini
Stations24
Service
TypeCommuter rail
Operator(s)Adelaide Metro
Rolling stock
History
Opened
Re-sleepered
(concrete)
2009–2011
ElectrifiedJanuary 2013–14
Technical
Line length35.9 km (22.3 mi)
Number of tracks2
Track gauge1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)
Electrification25 kV 50 Hz AC from overhead catenary
Route map

km
0
Adelaide Trams in Adelaide Buses in Adelaide
Adelaide Depot
closed 2011
Glover Avenue
2.0
Mile End
2.9
Mile End Goods
closed 1994
Adelaide Parklands Terminal
Keswick
closed 2013
4.0
Adelaide Showground
Showground Central
2003–2013
Leader Street
5.0
Goodwood
Victoria Street
East Avenue
6.3
Clarence Park
7.1
Emerson
Cross Road (level crossing)
South Road (overpass)
7.9
Edwardstown
De Laine Avenue
Angus Avenue
Raglan Avenue
9.1
Woodlands Park Buses in Adelaide
Dunorlan Road
10.2
Ascot Park
11.4
Marion
Oaklands (original site)
1913–2008
12.9
Oaklands Buses in Adelaide
Diagonal Road/Morphett Road
13.7
Warradale
14.6
Hove
Brighton Road
Jetty Road
Brighton (original site)
1913–1976
16.0
Brighton Buses in Adelaide
Edwards Street
Shoreham Road
South Brighton
closed 1976
17.1
Seacliff (to Adelaide) Buses in Adelaide
Wheatland Road
17.2
Seacliff (to Seaford)
Maitland Terrace
Singleton Road
18.3
Marino Buses in Adelaide
Jervois Terrace
18.9
Marino Rocks
21.4
Hallett Cove Buses in Adelaide
Hallett Cove (original site)
1915–1974
The Cove Road
22.9
Hallett Cove Beach Buses in Adelaide
Grand Central Avenue
Meyer Road
Christie Road
Lonsdale Depot
26.7
Lonsdale
Dyson Road
O'Sullivan Beach Road
Christie Creek
Flaxmill Road
28.9
Christie Downs
Elizabeth Road
Christie Downs (original site)
1976–81
Beach Road
Hannah Road
30.2
Noarlunga Centre Buses in Adelaide
Goldsmith Drive
Old Honeypot Road
River Road
Seaford Meadows Depot
34.7
Seaford Meadows
Seaford Road
Lynton Terrace
36.0
Seaford Buses in Adelaide Buses in Adelaide
reserved corridor to Aldinga Beach

History

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Before the extension of the line to Noarlunga Centre in 1978, the Willunga line ran from Hallett Cove station on a different route through Reynella, Morphett Vale and Hackham to Willunga (south-east of Noarlunga). It closed in 1969 and in September 1972 a track-removal train removed the tracks, and for six years Noarlunga had no train service.

The South Australian Railways and its successor, the State Transport Authority, extended the current railway southwards in stages from Hallett Cove to cater for increasing residential development in the southern area. Opening dates for passenger services were: Hallett Cove Beach on 30 June 1974; Christie Downs on 25 January 1976 (This was a temporary terminus just north of Beach Road and adjacent to Hyacinth Crescent, and was in a different location to the current Christie Downs station, which opened in November 1981.); and Noarlunga Centre on 2 April 1978.

Prior to 2014, most trains were operated by 3000 class railcars augmented at times by 2000 class railcars. Since the electrification of the line, the latter are no longer authorised to operate on the line.[1] Most services are now operated by 4000 class electric multiple units. A number of railcars needed for peak-hour services are now stabled overnight in secure sidings at Port Stanvac, north of Lonsdale station, and at a much bigger facility adjacent to Seaford Meadows. The last freight trains on the line, to and from Port Stanvac Refinery, ceased in the late 1990s.

Re-sleepering and electrification

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A train from the Seaford railway line travels over a viaduct spanning the Onkaparinga River in March 2017

In 2008, the State Government announced a plan to upgrade and electrify the Seaford line with the Federal Government also to provide funding.[2] In December 2009, Stage 1 of the Noarlunga line upgrade was completed between Adelaide and Brighton.[3] This work saw the track removed, with the track bed and track renewed. Dual gauge sleepers were laid to allow for the line to be converted to standard gauge at a future date. Stage 2 commenced in February 2011 with the line closed for six months and continued the upgrade works between Oaklands and Noarlunga.[4] Most stations (Brighton, Seacliff, Marino, Marino Rocks and Lonsdale) received a minor upgrade due to the presence of asbestos in many station shelters, necessitating their replacement.

On 2 January 2013, the line closed to allow for its electrification and extension, with trains being replaced by bus services.[5] Rail services resumed on 1 December 2013.[6] The completed project was opened by the South Australian Transport and Infrastructure Minister Tom Koutsantonis on 18 January 2014.[7] Electric train services commenced in February 2014 after testing was completed on the line.[8][9] At the time, only four 4000 class electric multiple units had entered service, so most services continued to be operated by 3000 class railcars.

Seaford extension

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In 2005, the State Government announced the line would be extended 5.5 kilometres (3.4 mi) to the southern suburb of Seaford. The plan was cancelled in December 2007 after a study concluded that the extension could not be justified. The government announced that it would retain the corridor to Aldinga for a possible extension further south in the future.[10] In July 2008, a feasibility study was commissioned by the government into extending the line.[11] This extension was given approval after the Federal Government announced a $291 million investment in the project as part of the 2009/10 Federal Budget.[12]

Construction started in 2011 with the extension opening on 23 February 2014.[8][9] The extension included a new 1.2-kilometre (0.75 mi) elevated rail bridge over the Onkaparinga River, a rail bridge over Old Honeypot Drive, and new railway stations at Seaford Meadows and Seaford. New road bridges were also constructed over the extension at Goldsmith Drive, Seaford Road and Lynton Terrace.[13][14][15][16][17]

Future extension to Aldinga Beach

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In 2019, Renewal SA delivered a Draft Structure Plan of a 94 hectare area of land in Aldinga which is set to include a new school and a train station.[18]

Route

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Two Adelaide Metro 4000 Class EMU's at the old Oaklands station prior to grade separation in January 2018

The line runs south from Adelaide station paralleling the Belair line as far as Goodwood. It then branches off in a south-west direction through the suburbs of Edwardstown, Oaklands Park and Marion to the coast at Brighton, where it turns south towards Noarlunga Centre in the southern suburbs. The line was known as the Marino and Hallett Cove line when it finished at Hallett Cove. Most trains terminated at Marino, with only about a quarter going to Hallett Cove.

Like the rest of the Adelaide network, the line is broad gauge. Dual gauge sleepers have been laid to allow for the line to be converted to standard gauge at a future date.[19] The line is 35.9 kilometres (22.3 mi) long and is the second longest of the Adelaide suburban railway lines. The line is double track throughout. The Australian Rail Track Corporation standard-gauge main line passes over the line just south of Goodwood station, and the Flinders line branches off south of Woodlands Park.

Line guide

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Seaford Line
Name Distance from
Adelaide
Year opened Serving suburbs Connections
Adelaide 0.0 km 1856 Adelaide Gawler Grange
Outer Harbor Port Dock

  Bus   Tram

Mile End 2.0 km 1898 Mile End
Adelaide Showground 4.0 km 2014 Keswick, Wayville
Goodwood 5.0 km 1883 Forestville, Goodwood Belair
Clarence Park 6.3 km 1913 Black Forest, Clarence Park   Bus
Emerson 7.1 km 1928 Black Forest, Clarence Park
Edwardstown 7.9 km 1913 Edwardstown
Woodlands Park 9.1 km 1925 Ascot Park, Edwardstown Flinders

  Bus

Ascot Park 10.2 km 1914 Ascot Park
Marion 11.4 km 1954 Marion
Oaklands 12.9 km 1913 Oaklands Park, Warradale   Bus
Warradale 13.7 km 1956 Warradale
Hove 14.6 km 1914 Hove
Brighton 16.0 km 1913 Brighton   Bus
Seacliff 17.0 km 1915 Seacliff   Bus
Marino 18.3 km 1913 Kingston Park, Marino   Bus
Marino Rocks 18.9 km 1915 Marino
Hallett Cove 21.4 km 1915 Hallett Cove   Bus
Hallett Cove Beach 22.9 km 1974 Hallett Cove   Bus
Lonsdale 26.7 km 1976 Lonsdale
Christie Downs 28.9 km 1976 Christie Downs
Noarlunga Centre 30.2 km 1978 Noarlunga Centre   Bus
Seaford Meadows 34.7 km 2014 Seaford Meadows
Seaford 36.0 km 2014 Seaford   Bus   Regional Coach

Former stations

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Services

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3000 class railcar on the Seaford line before it was electrified

, 2011

Trains to and from Adelaide operate every 5–10 minutes during the weekday peak periods, every 10–20 minutes off-peak on weekdays, and every 30 minutes on weekends plus in the late evening. Previously, some stations were also serviced by trains from Brighton and from the Flinders branch line on weekdays.[20]

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References

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  1. ^ "Limited life for 2000 class Jumbo railcars" Railway Digest January 2015 page 20
  2. ^ 2008/09 State Budget South Australian Department of Treasury & Finance June 2008
  3. ^ Noarlunga Rail Revitalisation Schedule Department of Transport, Energy & Infrastructure
  4. ^ Schedule Department of Planning, Transport & Infrastructure
  5. ^ Noarlunga & Tonsley lines closed Adelaide Metro
  6. ^ "Rail services resume on Noarlunga line" Railway Digest January 2014 page 23
  7. ^ Wills, Daniel (19 January 2014). "Transport and Infrastructure Minister Tom Koutsantonis turns on new electric Noarlunga train lines".
  8. ^ a b Rail revitalistaion Seaford rail extension Department of Planning, Transport & Infrastructure
  9. ^ a b Electrifying opening for the new Seaford line ABC Adelaide 23 February 2014
  10. ^ No rail service for Seaford ABC News 19 December 2007
  11. ^ Government looks at extending Noarlunga, Tonsley rail lines Adelaide Advertiser 3 July 2008
  12. ^ 2009-10 Budget Archived 14 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine Federal Government May 2009
  13. ^ Features & benefits Archived 29 March 2014 at archive.today Department of Planning, Transport & Infrastructure
  14. ^ Seaford rail extension moves forward as planning contracts awarded Anthony Albanese 12 August 2009
  15. ^ Work starts on Seaford rail extension Projectlink 4 September 2009
  16. ^ Seaford Rail Extension Project Adcor Constructions
  17. ^ Seaford Rail Extension Thiess
  18. ^ "Development of Aldinga train station inches closer". Victor Harbour Times. 29 May 2019. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  19. ^ The gauge problems lives on Archived 29 November 2014 at the Wayback Machine 21 March 2012
  20. ^ Seaford & Tonsley timetable Adelaide Metro 20 July 2014
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