Re: Blacktown, Parramatta, Epping, Chatswoood, St Leonards and all stations to Wolli Creek, then Canberra

[billboltonREMOVE-TO-EMAIL@computer.org (Bill Bolton)]

"Bill McNiven" <wmcniven@gunzel.ozemail.com.au> wrote:

> Artarmon:  The overhead structures on the east side tell us where the second
> island platform was going to be.

Huh?  There is no room for a second island platform at Artarmon.  It
might have been possible to have outside facing platforms, but more
likely that there would have only been one local line platform.
 
> Wollstonecraft:  The overhead structures suggest that the plan was to make
> the present 1893-vintage platforms a pair of island platforms.

Again there is little likelihood that Wollstonecraft (or Waverton)
would have received additional platform faces.

> Waverton:  On the north-east side, there is a cutting which suggests that
> two extra tracks were planned here to lead to a second tunnel.

That "cutting" is from steam days, as shown in old photos of Waverton,
where it seems to have been used for an engine road that was
associated with working down the grade to Lavender Bay.  It long
predates any of Bradfield's plans.

> Overbridges including Thomas St, Mowbray Road, River Road, Bridge End (both
> the old one and the new one) are all built to span four tracks.  Even the
> relatively-new Gore Hill freeway passes under a bridge built for the four
> tracks planned re-1924!

The "railway authorities" of various times have continually insisted
that the right of way be preserved.  That says nothing about what
particular use it would be put to.  The poor road access to parts of
the North Shore line right of way, which is often above of below grade
at public roads, means that they have often used the right of way
extra space as pseudo roads to get construction materials to various
locations along the line.
 
> don't understand the posting that it wouldn't work with double-deck cars.

The fully loaded double deck trains crawl up the existing tight curves
on the North Shore below St Leonards line as it is.  Their speed is
noticeably slower than the old four motor single deck sets.  Tighter
curves would mean even lower speeds and probably no ability to handle
the grade/curvature with any motor failures in a loaded set.  

> So, an essential part of the "Parramatta - Chatswood" railway plan has to be
> "how do we run more peak-hour trains from Chatswood to the city?".

A lot of the Parramatta - Chatswood trains could terminate at North
Sydney (now set up to handle such movements), which is a major
destination for Western Line passengers as it is.  

> My suggestion:  A new two-track underground line from St. Leonards to St.
> James to Central platforms 26/27 to Mascot.

Given the grades required just to get from St Leonards to Lavender
Bay, how do you propose getting a workable grade that goes underneath
the harbour, even if you start tunnelling at St Leonards?  Then if you
want to use anything existing at St James, you'd need even steeper
grades to get back up again to the City Railway level! 

> Looking forward to being told it's easier with model trains ...

Pipe dreams are cheap, but unless they stand basic reality tests, they
will never have even an outside chance of being anything other than
dreams.

Cheers,

Bill