North Shore & Western Line

The North Shore & Western Line (numbered T1, coloured orange) is a commuter rail line on the Sydney Trains network, serving the North Shore, parts of the Inner West and Western Suburbs of Sydney

North Shore & Western Line
An A set at Wentworthville
Overview
Service type	Commuter rail service
Status	Active
Locale	Sydney
Current operator(s)	Sydney Trains
Annual ridership	142,853,000 (2017–18)
Route
Line(s) used	Main North Main Suburban Main Western North Shore Richmond
Technical
Rolling stock	T, H, A and B sets
Timetable number(s)	T1
Sydney Trains services Metro North West & Bankstown North Shore & Western Inner West & Leppington Bankstown Eastern Suburbs & Illawarra Cumberland Lidcombe & Bankstown Olympic Park Airport & South Northern v t e

It was previously the North Shore, Northern & Western Line (also numbered T1) until April 2019, when the T9 Northern Line was spun off from the original T1 line.^[1]

History

Following victory in the 2011 New South Wales election, the O'Farrell Government embarked on reform of transport in New South Wales. In November 2011, Transport for NSW was created to improve planning and coordination of transport projects and services. The organisation developed a new rail timetable and branding, which was put into effect on 20 October 2013. This saw the merger of the North Shore Line and Western Line (Berowra - City via Gordon then to Emu Plains or Richmond via Strathfield) with the Northern Line (Hornsby - City via Macquarie Park then to Epping via Strathfield) to form the North Shore, Northern & Western Line. A new numbering system was also introduced and the line was given the number T1. The North Shore, Northern & Western Line formerly ran along the Epping to Chatswood line until it closed in September 2018 to be converted to metro standards as part of the Sydney Metro Northwest project. As a result, the traditional Northern line route from Hornsby to Central via Strathfield was reinstated.^[2] The closed section was replaced by Station Link bus services until it reopened as metro. On 28 April 2019, this route became a separate T9 Northern Line, with the T1 renamed the North Shore & Western Line.^[1][3]

Railway line history

The T1 uses a number of different railway lines and is the result of various schemes to link the lines together. The line is centred around the Main Suburban railway line which runs from Central to Granville, which continues as the Main Western line at Granville. The Richmond railway line branches from the Main Western line at Blacktown.

In the other direction from Central towards the North Shore, the T1 uses the North Shore Line towards Hornsby, then continues along the Main North Line towards Berowra.

Main Western and Richmond railway lines

Main articles: Main Western railway line, New South Wales and Richmond railway line

The Main Western railway line opened to Penrith in 1863 as a branch from the junction with the Main South line at Granville.^[4] Electrification reached Parramatta in 1928 and Penrith in 1955.^[5]

A branch line was opened to Richmond in 1864 under the stewardship of engineer James Moore. Electrification from Riverstone to Richmond opened in August 1991.^[6] Through running to and from Sydney commenced in 1992.

North Shore railway line

Main article: North Shore railway line

The North Shore railway line was opened on 1 January 1890 between Hornsby and St Leonards. The line was extended to the Sydney Harbour foreshore at Milsons Point in 1893. Transport between this original Milsons Point station and central Sydney was by ferry boat. The line was electrified in 1927.

When the Sydney Harbour Bridge was opened in 1932 a new Milsons Point station (on the bridge approach) came into operation and the North Shore Line was extended through it and over the Sydney Harbour Bridge to link with the underground lines of central Sydney. The result is that the two ends of the North Shore Line link to the Sydney railway system at Central and Hornsby.

Main North railway line

Main article: Main North railway line, New South Wales

The T1 uses the section of the Main North railway line between Hornsby and Berowra, which was opened in 1887 and electrified in 1959.^[7]

Route

v t e T1 route diagram
Legend
Main Northern line 44.7 km Berowra 40.7 km Mount Kuring-gai 37.7 km Mount Colah 35.7 km Asquith Hornsby depot Pacific Hwy 25.2 km Hornsby Main Northern line Pacific Hwy 24.2 km Waitara Pacific Motorway 22.6 km Wahroonga 21.9 km Warrawee 20.8 km Turramurra Pacific Hwy Pacific Hwy 18.9 km Pymble Mona Vale Road 17.1 km Gordon 15.9 km Killara 14.6 km Lindfield 13.3 km Roseville Boundary Street Sydney Metro Northwest 11.7 km Chatswood 10.3 km Artarmon Sydney Metro City & Southwest Gore Hill Freeway 8.4 km St Leonards 7.2 km Wollstonecraft 6.1 km Waverton Luna Park siding 5.1 km North Sydney 4.4 km Milsons Point Sydney Harbour Bridge City Circle 2.1 km Wynyard 1.1 km Town Hall 0 km Central 1.3 km Redfern Macdonaldtown Newtown King Street Stanmore Petersham Lewisham Inner West Light Rail Summer Hill Liverpool Road Ashfield Croydon Burwood 11.8 km Strathfield Main Northern line Homebush Flemington Centenary Drive Metropolitan Goods line Flemington depot Olympic Park 16.6 km Lidcombe Main South line Olympic Drive 18.6 km Auburn Duck River 18.6 km Clyde Carlingford line 21.4 km Granville Old Main South line Parramatta Road Old Main South line M4 Motorway 22.5 km Harris Park 23.2 km Parramatta 25.1 km Westmead 26.7 km Wentworthville Cumberland Highway 28.3 km Pendle Hill 29.9 km Toongabbie 32.1 km Seven Hills 34.8 km Blacktown Marayong 37.4 km 38.6 km Doonside Westlink M7 Quakers Hill 40.1 km 40.9 km Rooty Hill Schofields 43.8 km 43.3 km Mount Druitt Riverstone 46.0 km 47.4 km St Marys Vineyard 49.2 km 49.1 km Werrington Mulgrave 52.6 km 52.7 km Kingswood The Northern Road Windsor 55.0 km 55.1 km Penrith Clarendon 57.2 km Nepean River East Richmond 60.0 km 57.4 km Emu Plains Richmond 60.7 km Main Western line

The route passes through a number of business districts and major centres, namely Hornsby, Chatswood, North Sydney, the Central Business District, Parramatta, Blacktown and Penrith.

The line heads south from Berowra to Hornsby using the Main North Line. Trains then divert onto the North Shore Line, eventually passing through North Sydney station before heading across the Sydney Harbour Bridge, through the western limb of the City Circle and the stations of Central and Redfern. Services then run along the Main Suburban Railway, usually using the middle 'Suburban' pair of the six tracks between Redfern and Strathfield. Services do not stop at intermediate stations between Redfern and Strathfield.

Services continue west from Strathfield to Granville where trains join the Main Western Line. After passing through Parramatta, trains reach Blacktown, where the line divides in two. A western branch continues along the Main Western Line as far as Emu Plains and a north-western branch heads to Richmond using the Richmond Line.

T1 interactive map

T1 stations

Name	Distance from Central [8][9][10][11]	Opened [8][9][10][11]	Railway line	Serving suburbs	Other lines
Berowra	44.7 km	1887	Main North	Berowra	none
Mount Kuring-gai	40.7 km	1901		Mount Kuring-gai
Mount Colah	37.7 km	1887		Mount Colah
Asquith	35.7 km	1915		Asquith, Hornsby Heights
Hornsby	33.9 km	1886	North Shore	Hornsby, Waitara	T9
Waitara	24.2 km	1895		Waitara	none
Wahroonga	22.6 km	1890		Wahroonga
Warrawee	21.9 km	1900		Warrawee, Wahroonga
Turramurra	20.8 km	1890		Turramurra, North Turrmarra, South Turramurra
Pymble	18.9 km	1890		Pymble
Gordon	17.1 km	1890		Gordon	T9
Killara	15.9 km	1899		Killara, East Killara
Lindfield	14.6 km	1890		Lindfield, East Lindfield
Roseville	13.3 km	1890		Roseville
Chatswood	11.7 km	1890		Chatswood	T9 M1
Artarmon	10.3 km	1898		Artarmon	T9
St Leonards	8.4 km	1890		St Leonards, Naremburn, Crows Nest, Greenwich, Artarmon
Wollstonecraft	7.2 km	1893		Wollstonecraft, Greenwich
Waverton	6.1 km	1893		Waverton
North Sydney	5.1 km	1932		North Sydney, Lavender Bay
Milsons Point	4.4 km	1932		Milsons Point, Kirribilli
Wynyard	2.1 km	1932		Sydney CBD, Barangaroo	T2 T3 T8 T9 M1
Town Hall	1.2 km	1932		Sydney CBD	T2 T3 T4 T8 T9
Central	0 km	1855		Haymarket, Chippendale, Ultimo, Surry Hills
Redfern	1.3 km	1878	Main Suburban	Redfern, Waterloo, Darlington, Eveleigh	T2 T3 T4 T8 T9 (T8 peak hours only)
Strathfield	11.8 km	1876		Strathfield, Burwood	T2 T9
Lidcombe	16.6 km	1858		Lidcombe	T2 T3 T7
Auburn (Only during weekend and late services)	18.7 km	1877		Auburn	T2
Clyde (Only during weekends and late services)	20.6 km	1882		Clyde, Granville
Granville (Only during weekends and late services)	21.4 km	1860		Granville
Harris Park (Only during weekends and late services)	22.6 km	After 1883	Main Western	Harris Park, Rosehill	T2 T5
Parramatta	23.2 km	1860		Parramatta
Westmead	25.1 km	1883		Westmead	T5
Wentworthville	26.7 km	1883		Wentworthville
Pendle Hill	28.3 km	1924		Pendle Hill
Toongabbie	29.9 km	1880		Toongabbie
Seven Hills	32.1 km	1863		Seven Hills
Blacktown	34.8 km	1860	Main Western Richmond	Blacktown
At Blacktown, the line branches. The western branch is towards Emu Plains, and the northwestern branch is towards Richmond.
To Emu Plains
Doonside	38.6 km	1880	Main Western	Doonside	none
Rooty Hill	40.9 km	1861		Rooty Hill
Mount Druitt	43.3 km	1881		Mount Druitt
St Marys	47.4 km	1862		St Marys, North St Marys
Werrington	49.1 km	1868		Werrington
Kingswood	52.7 km	1887		Kingswood, Cambridge Park
Penrith	55.1 km	1863		Penrith
Emu Plains	57.4 km	1868		Emu Plains, Emu Heights
To Richmond
Marayong	37.4 km	1922	Richmond	Marayong, Kings Park	T5
Quakers Hill	40.1 km	1872		Quakers Hill
Schofields	43.8 km	1870		Schofields
Riverstone	46.0 km	1864		Riverstone
Vineyard	49.2 km	1935		Vineyard
Mulgrave	52.6 km	1864		Mulgrave, McGraths Hill
Windsor	55.0 km	1864		Windsor, South Windsor
Clarendon	57.2 km	1870		Clarendon
East Richmond	60.0 km	1939		Richmond
Richmond	60.7 km	1864		Richmond, Hobartville

Patronage

The following table shows the patronage of Sydney Trains network for the year ending 30 June 2022.

2021–22 Sydney Trains patronage by line^{[n.b. 1] [12]}

T1	41,980,000
T2	23,077,000
T3	11,198,000
T4	27,775,000
T5	3,503,000
T7	605,000
T8	16,879,000
T9	10,415,000

1. Figures based on Opal tap on and tap off data.

References

1. "Service Adjustments 2019". Transport Info NSW. 12 April 2019. Archived from the original on 13 April 2019. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
2. Station Link bus services to connect customers during Metro upgrade Archived 8 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine NSW Transport Info
3. "A new red line through Sydney's rail map". The Sydney Morning Herald. 21 February 2019. Archived from the original on 20 February 2019. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
4. "Main West Line". Nswrail.net. Archived from the original on 24 October 2017. Retrieved 3 January 2007.
5. "Cheers for rail plan, now let's get it moving". The Sydney Morning Herald. 10 June 2005. Archived from the original on 10 July 2006. Retrieved 3 January 2007.
6. "The Times Oct 1998". AATC. Archived from the original on 12 January 2007. Retrieved 3 January 2007.
7. "Main North Line". NSWrail.net. Archived from the original on 3 September 2019. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
8. "NSW Rail.net Main North line". Archived from the original on 13 October 2006. Retrieved 3 July 2007.
9. "NSW Rail.net North Shore line". Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 3 July 2007.
10. "NSW Rail.net City Circle". Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 3 July 2007.
11. "NSW Rail.net Main South line". Archived from the original on 18 April 2013. Retrieved 3 July 2007.
12. "Train Patronage – Monthly Figures". Transport for NSW. Retrieved 20 August 2022.

External links

• Sydney Trains North Shore, Northern & Western Line timetables Transport for NSW
• Neety's Train Page - information on suburban stations.
• New South Wales Railways - historical information on suburban stations.
• New South Wales Transport Information
• Australian Railmaps - information & maps of train services & stopping patterns.
• Transport Infrastructure Development Corporation project website Archived 30 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine