Semaphore railway line, Adelaide
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The Semaphore line was a branch of what is now the Outer Harbour railway line servicing the suburb of Semaphore in South Australia.
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[edit] Description and Remains
The line branched off at Glanville ran along the centre of Semaphore Road and terminated right next to the Esplanade. The stations have been demolished and no evidence of the stations remain; also, the track has since been dismantled. The large median strip along Semaphore road remains as a result of the line. In 2007 Port Adelaide Enfiled council the put a proposal up for a light rail network in the North West suburbs including a branch line along the former Semaphore Line. [1]
[edit] History
The line was extended from the port on January 7th, 1882 by South Australian Railways to serve the new overseas shipping jetty at Semaphore. In 1917 when the Semaphore to Rosewater and Albert Park tram line was opened there was an unresolved dispute over the tramline crossing the railway line at Exeter. The Railway commissioner disallowed trams to cross over the railway line. Trams continued to operate with one isolated tram service between the crossing and Largs, with passengers having to walk across the railway line to use the remaining tramline. After a short period of time the M.T.T continued full service along the line regardless of not having the rail commissioner’s consent. In response to this rail workers threatened to cut the tramline off by dumping a load of sleepers on the tramway tracks. An agreement was eventually made to allow trams to cross the line on the condition that a signal cabin be installed and a signal man was to cut off power to trams when a train approached preventing trams from proceeding over the railway tracks. [2] This system nearly caused a disaster when a tram happed to be using the crossing when power was cut off. The tram was nearly stranded on the railway line and an accident was barely avoided. [3] The switches for cutting of power was then removed and replaced by a system of traffic lights. The line closed on the 29th of October 1978. This was partly because traders on the north side of Semaphore road claims of losing business. [4]
[edit] Stations
[edit] Semaphore Railway Station
Semaphore railway station was 14.9km from Adelaide Railway Station and on the end of the Semaphore line. The station was located in the middle of Semaphore Road, and next to the Esplanade, and the station platform was level with the northern part of the road. The station closed with the rest of the line in 1978. [5]
[edit] References
- ^ Sensational Adelaide: #Proposal - $260m Tram Line Extension to Port accessed 23 February 2008
- ^ Port Adelaide News, June 1 1917
- ^ The Advertiser, August 22 1917
- ^ Railpage Forum: Walk down memory lane (aka Sempaphore Road) accessed 23 February 2008
- ^ S Thompson, Semaphore Station last day operation, National Railway Museum 29/10/1978
[edit] Further Reading
Thomas Wilson, The Relationship Between a Transport Link and Land Use Development between Adelaide and Port Adelaide South Australia, Adelaide, 1965
J.C. Radcliff. C.J.M. Steele, Adelaide Road Passenger Transport 1836 - 1958, Libraries Board of South Australia, Adelaide, 1974
[edit] See also
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