Adelaide Showgrounds Station

This weekend I went to the Adelaide Showgrounds, so for the first time it gave me the opportunity to travel by train to the permanent Adelaide Showgrounds Station, part of the Adelaide Metro train network.

Above is the train I arrived at Adelaide Showgrounds Station Platform 1. The train is 4005, an electric train bound for Seaford Station in the Adelaide southern suburbs. The Tonsley line (a branch line off the Seaford line) also services this platform.

You can click on any of these images to view them in a much larger resolution.

The Adelaide Showgrounds Station is completely under cover, which is great news on this day since it was raining heavily with thunderstorms too!

Before this station was opened in 2013, every year for the Adelaide Show only (in September) a temporary station platform was built/torn down to allow people to get to/from the show - this is a big improvement on the previous arrangement, which was only available at the Adelaide Show time. Now it can be used for any event staged at the Adelaide Showgrounds throughout the year (and there are many).

Below is the view from Platform 2, which is the Adelaide Station bound platform for Seaford and Tonsley line trains:

This is the view from Platform 2 towards Adelaide Station.  Up the stairs is the crossover  bridge to platform 1 and the exit ramp towards Anzac Highway in the distance. Beyond Anzac Highway bridge was the original Keswick Station that was demolished and this station built in it's place.

On Platform 3 is the Belair railway line to/from Adelaide. As the Belair line is one line only, there are no separate up/down tracks - trains to/from Adelaide depart from the same platform. This is the view towards Adelaide Station from the platform:

Next photo is the view from Platform 3 towards Belair. You can see another railway line to the right of the Belair line - this is the standard gauge line to Melbourne, used by freight trains and also the Overland train (Great Southern Rail), which departs from the nearby Adelaide Parklands Station (on the other side of Anzac Highway - behind where the photo is taken from):

I covered the Overland service in much more detail in my blog entry in April 2014 when I travelled on it , if interested.

Here is the Belair line train, a 3000 series Diesel train arriving from Adelaide Station into Platform 3, with two carriages for this service:

Closer look at the 3000 series carriages while stationary at Adelaide Showgrounds Station:

The Belair line is run by Diesel trains only. The overhead electric wires over the Belair line from Adelaide Railway Station only last until the line separates from the Seaford line a little further south allow options for electric trains to use the section also when needed. Not sure if Electric trains use the extra line often or not though.

View on Platform 3 as the Belair line train leaves, headed for Belair Station.

Another 4000 series Electric train arrives into Platform 1 at Adelaide Showgrounds Station. This view is from Platform 2, looking towards Adelaide Station direction:

The 4000 series electric train consists are generally 3 carriages, but 6 is also possible:

Close up view of 4005 stationary at platform 1:

4005 departing the station towards Seaford:

My final movement is the electric train (4007) I was waiting to catch back to Adelaide Station on Adelaide Showgrounds Station Platform 2, a Seaford line service:

Adelaide Showgrounds Station is certainly a nice station, modern, well laid out and very useful when going to/from the Adelaide Showgrounds!

Charter train trip on Adelaide's new Electric Train to Seaford

I wanted to show some pictures of Adelaide Metro's new Electric Trains, which I rode on as part of a National Rail Museum arranged charter service in March 2014 on the Seaford Line in Adelaide!

The National Rail Museum organised a member's only run of the new Electric trains on the Adelaide Metro Seaford line on a weekend in March 2014. As I am a member, I quickly organised my seat!

These trains are the new 4000 series trains, built by Bombardier in Victoria, and are being progressively introduced as they are built onto the newly contructed Seaford Electric train line in Adelaide.

The style of the carriages is similar to the carriages used by Vline in Victoria, and look much more modern than the old 2000 and 3000 series trains currently used by Adelaide Metro on the other train lines.

Each electric train is 3 carriages, with a driver cab at each end like below:

 

Externally the silver, red and blue look is refreshing from the old Yellow and blue (and indeed previous orange) used on the exterior of the older Diesel trains used by Adelaide Metro.

 

The door entrances are opened with a touch sensor:

Inside the carriages is a very bright white interior, with yellow hold bars and white seats with blue patterned cushions.

 

 

The Adelaide Metro Card Readers are at the entrance to each door for quick validation. Unlike Victoria's Myki system, there is no need to tap off when leaving the train, and validation is very quick. Older paper based ticket readers are also present for day trip tickets.

 

Priority seating areas near the doors use a red patterned cushion to make them more obvious, and Priority Seating signage makes it even more clear.

Hopefully people will actually obey the signs. There is wheelchair access as well.

With the doors closed it is very quiet inside:

This journey started at Adelaide Railway Station, which is underground. Once we emerged from the underground section we would see just how bright and quiet the new trains are when running:

View of the electric line infrastructure near Adelaide Railway Station:

Crossing over a bridge:

Passing through Oaklands Railway Station, Platform 2:

Approaching Brighton Station:

Heading down towards Hallett Cove, beautiful sea views as always on the Seaford line in this section:

Hallett Cove Railway Station, Platform 2, recently upgraded also:

Some more new sea views from the train:

Now approaching the new Onkaparinga Railway Bridge - offering impressive views from the new train:

Heading towards and past the new Seaford Rail Depot:

The Seaford Rail Depot holds older Adelaide Metro trains and the new Electric 4000 series trains:

Passing through the new Seaford Meadows Railway Station, Platform 2, built as part of the extension and electrification of the Seaford line:

Arrival at the new Seaford Railway Station, Platform 2, which is the new terminus of the Seaford line (the line used to finish at Noarlunga Centre Railway Station):

The red pantograph on top of the new trains is quite striking:

Connector for attaching to another train:

Front view of the 4000 series Electric train at Seaford Railway station:

We even got the chance to go into the drivers cab to take a look and some pictures of course!

The canopy over the station looks good and modern:

The connection to the bus interchange at Seaford looks good too:

The charter train was well patronised and basically full, which was great for the National Rail Museum as the cost of travelling on the charter service all helps with their ongoing projects.

 

The NRM volunteers were on hand to help out with the running of the train:

I then went down to the other end of the train to view the drivers cab there:

This is the view from the Seaford Railway Station platform towards Adelaide:

All signs lead to Adelaide.

We then all got back on board for the return ride home. I sat on the other side of the train this time so I could get some better shots of the Seaford Rail Depot on the way back:

Looking out from the train as we cross the Onkaparinga bridge (on the other side this time):

Showing the new concrete sleepered rail infrastructure and electric infrastructure:

It was pointed out during the trip that the entire Seaford line is now fully fenced off, done as part of the works completed during the upgrade.

Passing Oaklands Railway Station, Platform 1, on the way back:

Views towards the Adelaide Hills on the way back, on a very pleasant day:

Showing the broken connection to the Tonsley line branch. The work to complete this connection is underway as I type this blog entry, but I wanted to show it anyway.

Edwardstown Railway Station, not upgraded and looking a bit sad:

Clarence Park Railway Station, Platform 2:

Passing the Adelaide Showgrounds, with a mural showing the old 3000 series Adelaide Metro Diesel trains. Once a year the Adelaide Showgrounds stop is extremely busy during the Adelaide show!

View of the Adelaide CBD in the distance:

As we are almost back into Adelaide Railway Station, from the train we can see the huge contruction project that is the new Royal Adelaide Hospital, being constructed on the old Railway Depot site (which is now located in Dry Creek Depot north of Adelaide):

The impressive SAHMRI building is completed and looking very striking in the Adelaide CBD skyscape! The rejuvenation of this end of the city centre is very healthy indeed:

The skate park (soon to be removed to build more research facilities for UniSA and Adelaide University:

And finally, the arrival back into Adelaide Railway Station!

It was a wonderful trip, and I want to take this opportunity to sincerely thank the National Rail Museum for organising the charter service (with the SA Government DPTI's assistance also).

As a final note, since it was a direct trip to Seaford (with no intermediate station stops), it is probably the fastest Seaford line trip with paying passengers ever on the new electric trains! :-)