Re: NYE Fireworks in Sydney

["Bill McNiven" <wmcniven@gunzel.ozemail.com.au>]

My prediction 1 was partly right ("Train services after New Year's Eve
celebrations run successfully") and partly wrong (there was no sign of
200,000 passengers queuing outside Circular Quay station from 00:30 to
01:15.)

In the 1970's and 1980's (before breathalysers?), New Year's Eve wasn't a
big transport event.  A few (typically 30) extra trains were added to the
existing all-night program of 4-car trains and chaos usually ensued. For
example, early on 1/1/1988, I caught a late-running and VERY FULL 4-car
01:26 from Lidcombe to Strathfield which was altered to be "first stop
Central" to make up time.

On 31/12/1997, I sampled fireworks and public transport.  This was a night
when it seemed that half of Sydney wanted to catch a train at Circular Quay
at exactly 00:31.  Hence my curiosity this time around.

Some observations:

Bought a "Millenium Ticket", rode from Kogarah to the City around 11:30.
Town Hall crowded as the few office workers in town finished at noon for the
half Public Holiday, but the standard weekend service (with 8 car trains)
was coping.  Hundreds of people alighting from each train at Circular Quay,
where the annual hoarding "for safety reasons" was erected on the northern
platform to discourage sightseers from hanging around.  There were also
temporary barriers to direct departing passengers from the escalators
towards the ends of the platforms.

On the way back, noticed Sydenham station staff distributing loud hailers,
hand lamps and battery/fluorescent lanterns to various platform control
rooms.  Back at Kogarah, a new sign (new since noon) announced that between
23:15 and 00:50, Bondi Junction trains would terminate at Sydenham (change
for Central).

Heard an SRA spokesman claiming on radio that a peak-hour service had been
run at noon for office workers. At least he explained clearly that SRA had
no watertight assurances of continuous electricity.

Back to the city around 19:30 on a six-car train that was stopping all
stations from Cronulla to Arncliffe ... full, but not a crush, load.  Guard
made announcements about station closures 23:45 to 01:15.  Gained the
impression at Town Hall that most trains were on time, and arriving with all
seats taken.  Also gained the impression that the majority of riders were
not regulars - for example they climbed the nearest stairs from platform 5
rather than finding an escalator that was going upwards.

After the 21:00 fireworks, caught the first tram from Pyrmont Square to
Central Station.  With a crush load from Pyrmont Bay, the conductor still
managed to get most fares - there was a "New Years Eve" special flat fare of
$2.00 (kids $1.00) to simplify collection.

Central around 22:00 was busy.  The first wave of pedestrians going home
from Darling Harbour was easily accommodated on outbound trains.  Inbound
trains were about 50% full.

Visited Circular Quay around 22:20.  Typically, each train dropped all of
its 300 riders and picked up a different 500 going home.

Headed for Milsons Point, the subject of earlier speculation (including
mine). As the train crossed the bridge, it slowed almost to a halt and the
crew pointed out the "Harbour of lights parade" floats massed near Goat
Island.  Milsons Point station had flashing mobile road signs "No City
Trains to 1:15" and neat signs advising that, while northbound service would
be continuous, city-bound trains would not stop and people on the platform
would be required to catch northbound trains.

Decided against watching fireworks from the station and found a vacant
square-foot in Kirribilli Ave.  I can confirm that you don't hear trains on
the bridge while fireworks are detonating.  I had an excellent view of the
"Ghost Trains" at Circular Quay.

Back at Milsons Point station at 00:40, passengers were queuing outside and
northbound trains were leaving half-full.  The bottleneck was the platform
stairs, which aren't as grand as those at Olympic Park.

Walked the 0.699 Km to North Sydney (along with thousands of others).  State
Transit buses excelled at northbound service, but buses to Wynyard weren't
matching the sudden demand. Overheard a young mobile phone caller saying she
wasn't home by midnight "because the trains are not Y2K compliant".

Inside the station, platforms 1/2 were blocked off and the first 2,000 or so
city passengers were corralled.  Took the easy way to Platform 1: train to
Waverton and back.

Arriving North Sydney on the up around 01:00, there were announcements that
the train would terminate but nobody actually searched the cars for
stowaways.  There were platform announcements about catching a bus (which I
ignored).  By this time, down Shore trains at North Sydney were full (I
assume some more gates had opened at Milsons Point.)

The 01:04 arrival was being emptied when a phone call advised that normal
service was to resume.  The train left as the 01:05 to Blacktown, and picked
up a fair load at Milsons Point.  (I imagine that the following train would
have been very full ex North Sydney.)

Back to Circular Quay at 01:20.  No chaos.  No queues.  Learnt that the
station had been open since 01:05, so there had since been four or five
departures.  Also learnt that staff expected the peak to be around 03:00.

Watched departures at Central for a while.  Noticed that the new stairs from
Central Electric up to Sydney Terminal are FINALLY open.  Noticed that
official SRA passenger counts were happening.

Around 02:00, trains to the West were FULL.  Trains to East Hills &
Bankstown were around 75% full.  Loadings to the Main North confused as the
trains seemed to come in pairs (scheduled for 01:51, 01:57, 02:21, 02:27
...).  Incidentally, the 01:51 Hornsby (actually departed 01:54) was
C3501,D4096 + 6-car set R41 and the 02:51 Hornsby (actually departed 03:00)
was a G set stopping Strathfield to Hornsby, then Woy Woy and Gosford.

Looked around Sydney Terminal.  Olympic Park trains (yes! This was a full
weekend afternoon programme) didn't seem to have passengers.  Inter-city
trains such as the 02:17 Newcastle were maybe 50% loaded.

Rode the 02:25 to Bondi Junction, a 6-car train which was FULL between
Martin Place and Bondi Junction.  On the return, a FULL load of passengers
largely joined at Martin Place and Town Hall.  Just like any other evening
peak!

Towards 03:00, loadings seemed to fall off.  I finally caught the 03:02
Cronulla, which was VERY full.

Some Conclusions:

Some of the lessons of Olympic Park events have filtered through to New
Year's Eve:  since it's physically impossible for half of Sydney to catch a
train at Circular Quay at exactly 00:31, don't stage an event assuming
transport will just happen.

The train service offered was a pretty good match for the demand.  No doubt
the passenger counts will assist in perfecting this more.

The "close the stations and keep the trains rolling" approach worked,
ensuring that, given a Y2K all-clear at 01:05, trains were instantly
available.

The timetable, being the standard Saturday afternoon service plus extras
after 18:00, had a few glitches such as odd intervals between Hornsby Main
trains.  Planning to have the right G set in the right place for an 02:51
Hornsby Main and Gosford service was optimistic, but it worked this time.

Looking forward to the Olympics opening (purely as an urban transit event),

Rgds

Bill