Re: secret train tunnels !

[craigd@lios.apana.org.au (C. Dewick)]

In <dlUZ3.24714$we.41065@newsfeeds.bigpond.com> "Someone Else" <croyle@bigpond.com> writes:

>Here is a list of all the dissused train tunnel stuff i can think of. Tell
>me if theres more please.

>Where the line from martin place leaves the tunnel there is a siding in
>between the tracks that dead ends underground at the tunnel mouths.

This is the shunting neck, and it's very much in use. Just like the one at
Bondi Junction. We (Waterfall depot) have a weekday job where we work a
4-car G-set empty from Mortdale Shed at 1530 to Martin Place neck to form
the 1618 South Coast train which starts from Martin Place.

>Stjames.....

Which isn't much of a mystery any more...

>wynyard - the old tram lines....

Basically next to the shore platforms upstairs are the walled off area from
the old tram concourse which was platforms 1 and 2. This is currently used
for a carpark. One of the tunnels from the bridge portal end was a police
shooting range last time I checked it out. The other tunnel is disused down
to the Big Fan which vents stale air from all six platform spaces. 8-)

>north sydney - disused...

Single track tunnel which was to form the start of the northern beaches
line.

>theres a tunnel that links the central to townhall line with the central to
>museum line.

Not as far as I know. 

>central ghost platforms.

Platforms 26/27, above platforms 24/25. They were leased to Central Document
Storage, but I think they're now vacant or used for something else.

>under opera house - where does this go?

What's left of the former tram depot I believe...

>rumer says there is a train tunnel from bankstown airport to the bankstown
>bunker.

Never heard of this one before...

>glebe - near the corner of victoria and maxwell rd.

Is this one of the former good line tunnels?

>next to sydnenham station there was a train tunnel now converted to a
>drainage tunnel.

There's a short 'tunnel' (probably better defined as a culvert) at Tempe
which runs under the road where the railway goes under a bridge.. Dunno what
it was originally built for - perhaps the original railway alignment when it
was a single track?

>the waterfall to otford tunnels - these a really spooky on rainy days, we
>went and one had a waterfall across the entrance!

8-) These are spooky because they've all been out of use for railway
operating purposes (except the last one which is Scarborough tunnel) since
the double track alignment was built around 1920.

One (the first one) was opened up and turned into a cutting for the double
track. A couple are still used for mushroom cultivation (you know the story
- keep them in the dark and feed them bullshite!). One is used by
Metropolitan Colliery as a water storage reservoir. One is the access for
State Rail, RSA, RAC, Fleur 'Tampon' Daniel (!), etc. at Lilyvale from the
Metrop colliery side to the Lilyvale side.

The old Otford tunnel (which is the longest of all original tunnels) is very
much out of use but was until a handful of years ago also used for
mushrooms. The Otford end now has all the buildings demolished and the
tunnel entrance is so overgrown that it can't even be seen anymore from the
current railway alignment. Access from the Stanwell Park end is as easy as
driving up Chellowdene Avenue (which is formed on the old right-of-way) and
continuing along the water-worn dirt track to the mound of dirt stopping all
but determined 4wd drivers from getting right to the tunnel mouth.

The south end metal grilles which protected the tunnel from intruders, etc.
(they only used the half at the Otford end for mushrooms btw - the rest was
unused) were pretty rusty and all but non-existent last time I walked the
tunnel a couple of years ago.

>Rumors** There is meant to be a short siding from the underground cbd
>network into a theatre used for bringing in animals for performances.

Never heard of this one either, and I've certainly never found any evidence
to suggest it might have existed.

> The tunnels from bondi junction are meant to go quite a distance towards
>bondi beach.

No. They go far about two carlength's beyond the end of the shunting neck
(which is the middle road) and end up as bare sandstone walls. The down
tunnel has track (which is a storage road) and the up tunnel has no track.

> Where is the line to switch trains to their correct track when they are
>returning from bondi juction?

Between what would have been the up and down ESR lines at the eastern end of
Bondi Junction station. I just mentioned it in the last set of remarks!

Regards,

Craig.
-- 
            Craig Ian Dewick            |       Stand clear - jaws closing
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