Albert Park railway station, Adelaide
Encyclopedia
Albert Park railway station is located in Adelaide’s north-western suburbs on the single-track
branch line between Woodville
and Grange. The station is 9.1 km (5¾ miles) from Adelaide and serves the adjacent suburbs of Albert Park
and Woodville West
.
All train services are operated by Adelaide Metro
diesel railcar
s. Trains to Adelaide operate every 30 mins during Monday – Friday off-peak times. There is a more frequent service during peak hours and one train per hour in the evenings and at weekends. There are no freight services
along the Grange line
.
and Grange opened in September 1882. This was a private railway
, constructed by the Grange Railway and Investment Company. The early railway was not a financial success and was bought out by the government-owned South Australian Railways
in 1893. Albert Park at this time was a simple request stop
on the line.
Modifications to the track layout at Woodville station
in 1909 enabled trains from the Grange branch to travel beyond Woodville into Adelaide
.
For most of its lifetime, Albert Park has been an unattended single-platform
station on a single track
branch line. However from the Second World War until the early 1980s, facilities were expanded and Albert Park station had a more important role.
In November 1940, a short branch line was opened diverging from the Grange line at Albert Park and running 1.1km (¾ mile) to the Hendon munitions works. In connection with this, Albert Park was rebuilt as a junction station with a crossing loop, an island platform
, ticket office and signal cabin. Trains to and from the Hendon line invariably ran through to Woodville
or Adelaide
, and after the end of World War 2, the Hendon trains only operated at industrial shift-change times.
In spite of low passenger numbers
the Hendon branch continued operation until 1 February 1980, after which the line was closed and removed. The ticket office and signal cabin at Albert Park were closed on 15 November 1981 and the crossing loop was taken out of service. The mechanically-operated lower quadrant semaphore signals at Albert Park were the last such installation on the STA
suburban passenger system (although other lower-quadrant signals on AN track at Gillman Yard, Port Adelaide
survived until the early 1990s).
The layout at Albert Park was rationalised, resulting in the simple layout and basic facilities provided today. The trackbed of the Hendon branch now forms part of West Lakes Boulevard, a main approach road to AAMI Stadium
, the main AFL football
venue in South Australia
.
Single track (rail)
A single track railway is where trains in both directions share the same track. Single track is normally used on lesser used rail lines, often branch lines, where the traffic density is not high enough to justify the cost of building double tracks....
branch line between Woodville
Woodville railway station, Adelaide
Woodville station is on the suburban rail routes from Adelaide to Grange and Outer Harbor, 7.5 km from Adelaide. It is the junction station for the Grange branch and is one of the busiest stations on the Outer Harbour and Grange Lines. It has auto pedestrian gates and lights, the only location...
and Grange. The station is 9.1 km (5¾ miles) from Adelaide and serves the adjacent suburbs of Albert Park
Albert Park, South Australia
Albert Park is a suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is located in the City of Charles Sturt.-History:Named for Prince Albert, Albert Park was laid out in 1877 by a W.R. Cave. The suburb was advertised as:...
and Woodville West
Woodville West, South Australia
Woodville West is a suburb of Adelaide, in the City of Charles Sturt.Woodville West Post Office opened on 3 February 1947 and closed in 1986....
.
All train services are operated by Adelaide Metro
Adelaide Metro
Adelaide Metro is the public transport system of the South Australian capital of Adelaide and the brand name of the Public Transport Division of the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure. It is an intermodal system with services provided by bus, tram or commuter rail throughout the...
diesel railcar
Railcar
A railcar, in British English and Australian English, is a self-propelled railway vehicle designed to transport passengers. The term "railcar" is usually used in reference to a train consisting of a single coach , with a driver's cab at one or both ends. Some railways, e.g., the Great Western...
s. Trains to Adelaide operate every 30 mins during Monday – Friday off-peak times. There is a more frequent service during peak hours and one train per hour in the evenings and at weekends. There are no freight services
Freight train
A freight train or goods train is a group of freight cars or goods wagons hauled by one or more locomotives on a railway, ultimately transporting cargo between two points as part of the logistics chain...
along the Grange line
Grange railway line, Adelaide
The Grange railway line is a suburban branch line in the city of Adelaide, South Australia.-History:The railway line between Woodville and Grange opened in September 1882. This was a private railway, constructed by the Grange Railway and Investment Company...
.
History
The railway line between WoodvilleWoodville railway station, Adelaide
Woodville station is on the suburban rail routes from Adelaide to Grange and Outer Harbor, 7.5 km from Adelaide. It is the junction station for the Grange branch and is one of the busiest stations on the Outer Harbour and Grange Lines. It has auto pedestrian gates and lights, the only location...
and Grange opened in September 1882. This was a private railway
Private railway
A private railroad is a railroad run by a private corporation, as opposed to a railroad run by a public sector.-Japan:In Japan, refers to a railway line owned and operated by private sector. Although Japan Railways Group companies are private entities, they are not considered private railways...
, constructed by the Grange Railway and Investment Company. The early railway was not a financial success and was bought out by the government-owned South Australian Railways
South Australian Railways
South Australian Railways built and operated railways in South Australia from 1854 to the incorporation of its non-urban railways into the Australian National Railways Commission in 1975, together with the former Commonwealth Railways and the former Tasmanian Government Railways...
in 1893. Albert Park at this time was a simple request stop
Request stop
In public transport, a request stop or flag stop describes a stopping point at which trains or buses stop only on an as-need or request basis; that is, only if there are passengers to be picked up or dropped off. In this way, infrequently used stopping points can be served efficiently.Trains save...
on the line.
Modifications to the track layout at Woodville station
Woodville railway station, Adelaide
Woodville station is on the suburban rail routes from Adelaide to Grange and Outer Harbor, 7.5 km from Adelaide. It is the junction station for the Grange branch and is one of the busiest stations on the Outer Harbour and Grange Lines. It has auto pedestrian gates and lights, the only location...
in 1909 enabled trains from the Grange branch to travel beyond Woodville into Adelaide
Adelaide Railway Station
Adelaide Railway Station is the central terminus of the Adelaide Metro railway system. It is at on the north side of North Terrace, west of Parliament House. The Adelaide Casino is in part of the building that is no longer required for the station....
.
For most of its lifetime, Albert Park has been an unattended single-platform
Railway platform
A railway platform is a section of pathway, alongside rail tracks at a train station, metro station or tram stop, at which passengers may board or alight from trains or trams. Almost all stations for rail transport have some form of platforms, with larger stations having multiple platforms...
station on a single track
Single track (rail)
A single track railway is where trains in both directions share the same track. Single track is normally used on lesser used rail lines, often branch lines, where the traffic density is not high enough to justify the cost of building double tracks....
branch line. However from the Second World War until the early 1980s, facilities were expanded and Albert Park station had a more important role.
In November 1940, a short branch line was opened diverging from the Grange line at Albert Park and running 1.1km (¾ mile) to the Hendon munitions works. In connection with this, Albert Park was rebuilt as a junction station with a crossing loop, an island platform
Island platform
An island platform is a station layout arrangement where a single platform is positioned between two tracks within a railway station, tram stop or transitway interchange...
, ticket office and signal cabin. Trains to and from the Hendon line invariably ran through to Woodville
Woodville railway station, Adelaide
Woodville station is on the suburban rail routes from Adelaide to Grange and Outer Harbor, 7.5 km from Adelaide. It is the junction station for the Grange branch and is one of the busiest stations on the Outer Harbour and Grange Lines. It has auto pedestrian gates and lights, the only location...
or Adelaide
Adelaide Railway Station
Adelaide Railway Station is the central terminus of the Adelaide Metro railway system. It is at on the north side of North Terrace, west of Parliament House. The Adelaide Casino is in part of the building that is no longer required for the station....
, and after the end of World War 2, the Hendon trains only operated at industrial shift-change times.
In spite of low passenger numbers
Patronage (transportation)
In public transportation, patronage or ridership is a type of forecasting or statistic for studying the average quantity of passengers carried per certain time in a mode of public transit system. The concept should not be confused with the maximum loading capacity of one particular vehicle or the...
the Hendon branch continued operation until 1 February 1980, after which the line was closed and removed. The ticket office and signal cabin at Albert Park were closed on 15 November 1981 and the crossing loop was taken out of service. The mechanically-operated lower quadrant semaphore signals at Albert Park were the last such installation on the STA
State Transport Authority (South Australia)
The State Transport Authority was the government agency which controlled public transport within the State of South Australia between 1974 and 1994....
suburban passenger system (although other lower-quadrant signals on AN track at Gillman Yard, Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide is a suburb of Adelaide lying about 14 kilometres northwest of the City of Adelaide. It lies within the City of Port Adelaide Enfield and is the main port for the city of Adelaide...
survived until the early 1990s).
The layout at Albert Park was rationalised, resulting in the simple layout and basic facilities provided today. The trackbed of the Hendon branch now forms part of West Lakes Boulevard, a main approach road to AAMI Stadium
AAMI Stadium
Football Park is an Australian rules football stadium located in West Lakes, a western suburb of Adelaide, South Australia...
, the main AFL football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
venue in South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
.