Belair line
{{Short description|Rail line in Adelaide, South Australia}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Use Australian English|date=January 2012}}
{{coord|-34.992597|138.632355|display=title}}
{{Infobox rail line
| name = Belair line
| color = {{rcr|Adelaide|Belair}}
| logo = Adelaide_train_logo.svg
| logo_width = 80px
| image = AdelaideRail 9.jpg
| image_width =
| image_alt =
| caption = A 3000 class railcar exiting Sleeps Hill Tunnel.
| type = Commuter rail
| system =
| status =
| locale = Adelaide, South Australia
| start = Adelaide
| end = Belair
| stations = 15
| routes =
| open = 1883
| close =
| event1label = Re-sleepered
(concrete)
| event1 = April–August 2009
| event2label = partly Electrified (Adelaide–Goodwood)
| event2 = January–July 2013
| owner =
| operator = Adelaide Metro
| stock = 3000/3100 class
| linelength_km = 21.5
| tracks = {{Plainlist|
- 2 (to Adelaide Showground)
- 1 (to Belair)
}}
| gauge = {{Track gauge|1600mm|comma=off}}
| old_gauge =
| electrification = only partial: {{25 kV 50 Hz}} from overhead catenary (Adelaide–Goodwood)
| map = {{Belair railway line RDT}}
| map_state = collapsed
}}
The Belair line is a suburban rail commuter route in greater Adelaide, South Australia, that runs from the Adelaide railway station to Belair in the Adelaide Hills via the Adelaide-Wolseley line using diesel 3000/3100 class railcars. This part of the Adelaide–Wolseley line comprised two broad-gauge tracks until the Adelaide–Wolseley line was converted to standard gauge in 1995. Now two separate single-track lines run in parallel from Adelaide to Belair: the Belair commuter line – still {{Track gauge|1600mm|comma=off}} broad gauge – and the line to Wolseley thence interstate – {{Track gauge|1435mm|comma=off}} standard gauge – line. The latter carries freight except for four long-distance passenger trains per week.
History
The first part of the Adelaide-Wolseley line – from Adelaide to Belair and Bridgewater – opened in 1883. In 1919, a new alignment was built around Sleeps Hill as part of the duplication of the line. This involved a double-track tunnel being built to replace two tunnels and two viaducts.[http://www.mitchamcouncil.sa.gov.au/webdata/resources/files/Sleeps_Hill_Reserve.pdf Sleep's Hill Reserve] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180415141440/http://www.mitchamcouncil.sa.gov.au/webdata/resources/files/Sleeps_Hill_Reserve.pdf |date=15 April 2018 }} City of Mitcham The new alignment was also {{Convert|400|m|comma=off|abbr=off}} shorter. In 1928, the line was duplicated from Eden Hills to Blackwood and on to Belair.{{cite book|last1=Callaghan|first1=WH|title=The Overland Railway|date=1992|publisher=Australian Railway Historical Society|location=Sydney|isbn=0-909650-29-2|pages=124, 217, 239}}
State Transport Authority passenger services ceased beyond Belair in 1987. In 1995, the track used by Adelaide-bound services was converted to standard gauge as part of the Adelaide to Melbourne standardisation project. The broad-gauge passenger services south of Goodwood were thus restricted to one track, with crossing loops located at Mitcham, Sleeps Hill, Eden Hills and Blackwood. At the same time, the stations at Millswood, Hawthorn and Clapham were closed to speed up services. Millswood was reopened in 2014.[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-10-13/millswood-station-reopens-after-almost-20-years/5808618 Adelaide's Millswood Station reopens after almost 20 years] ABC News 13 October 2014
= Re-sleepering and electrification =
In 2008, the Government of South Australia announced a plan to rebuild the Belair line.[http://www.treasury.sa.gov.au/budget/previous-budgets/2008-09 2008/09 State Budget] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150227223416/http://www.treasury.sa.gov.au/budget/previous-budgets/2008-09 |date=27 February 2015 }} South Australian Department of Treasury & Finance June 2008 The line closed on 26 April 2009, when buses replaced trains. Both track bed and track were renewed. Dual-gauge sleepers were laid to allow for the line to be converted to standard gauge in future – this is not planned in the immediate future due to extra engineering work and complications{{vague|date=January 2025}} with the standard gauge line. The line reopened on 23 August 2009.[https://web.archive.org/web/20091226183859/http://www.adelaidemetro.com.au/better/belair_renewal.html Belair Line Renewal] Adelaide Metro
{{As of|2025|lc=no}}, the standard-gauge track is owned by the Australian Rail Track Corporation and continues beyond Belair as the Adelaide-Wolseley railway line. The track is used by freight trains operated by One Rail Australia, Pacific National and SCT Logistics, and by the twice-weekly Overland passenger service to Melbourne operated by Journey Beyond.{{citation needed|date=October 2024}}
The Adelaide end of the Belair line was closed from 1 January 2013 to 14 July 2013 to allow electrification of the line from Adelaide to Goodwood (built concurrently with electrification of the adjacent Seaford line) and construction of a grade separation at Goodwood Junction. Relatively little work was performed on the Belair line itself.[http://www.infrastructure.sa.gov.au/RR/rail_revitalisation/goodwood_junction Goodwood Junction upgrade] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180813112053/http://www.infrastructure.sa.gov.au/RR/rail_revitalisation/goodwood_junction |date=13 August 2018 }} Department of Planning, Transport & Infrastructure[http://www.yorkcivil.com.au/project/goodwood-junction-rail-grade-separation-2/ Goodwood Junction Rail Grade Separation] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150122112727/http://www.yorkcivil.com.au/project/goodwood-junction-rail-grade-separation-2/ |date=22 January 2015 }} York Civil In 2021 the new operator of the line, Keolis Downer, enforced a limit on the number of bicycles carried in railcars, which affected patronage of the Mitcham Hills mountain bike circuit.{{Cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-03-15/belair-line-cyclists-squeezed-out-by-keolis-downer/13242388|title = Carriage limits squeezing mountain bikers off popular Adelaide foothills line|newspaper = ABC News|date = 14 March 2021}}
Route
All services are now operated by Adelaide Metro's 3000 class railcars. Until June 2007, some services on weekends were operated by a 2000 class railcar modified to incorporate increased bike capacity. In 2005, trains ran the route every 30 minutes on weekdays (hourly after 7pm) and every 60 minutes on weekends and public holidays. From 2006, because of the line becoming single, this was downgraded to every 36/24 minutes on weekdays. In 2018 trains depart at least twice every hour on weekdays, with as little as 10 minutes' waiting time during rush hour.{{Cite web|url=https://www.adelaidemetro.com.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/855440/Belair_train_ttable_routemap_22-04-18.pdf|title=Belair Train Timetable|date=April 2018|publisher=Adelaide Metro|pages=2, 5|access-date=17 July 2022}}{{Update inline|date=January 2025}}
= Line guide =
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:center;" |
| colspan=7 style=background:#{{rcr|Adelaide|Belair}}|Belair Line |
|---|
| Name
!Distance from !Year opened !Serving suburbs !Connections |
| {{rwsa|Adelaide}}
|0.0 km |1856 |Adelaide |{{Rail color box|system=Adelaide|line=Gawler|inline=croute|type=|note=}} {{Rail color box|system=Adelaide|line=Grange|inline=croute|type=|note=}} {{ric|Adelaide|Bus}} Bus {{ric|Adelaide|Tram}} Tram |
| {{rwsa|Mile End|A}}
|2.0 km |1898 |Mile End | |
| {{rwsa|Adelaide Showground}}
|4.0 km |2014 |Keswick, Wayville | |
| {{rwsa|Goodwood}}
|5.0 km |1883 |Forestville, Goodwood |{{Rail color box|system=Adelaide|line=Flinders|inline=croute|type=|note=}} {{Rail color box|system=Adelaide|line=Seaford|inline=croute|type=|note=}} |
| {{rwsa|Millswood}}
|5.9 km |{{circa|1910}} |Millswood | |
| {{rwsa|Unley Park}}
|7.0 km |{{circa|1910}} |Hawthorn, Unley Park, Westborne Park |{{ric|Adelaide|Bus}} Bus |
| {{rwsa|Mitcham|A}}
|8.5 km |1883 |Lower Mitcham |{{ric|Adelaide|Bus}} Bus |
| {{rwsa|Torrens Park}}
|9.3 km |1914 |Lower Mitcham, Torrens Park |{{ric|Adelaide|Bus}} Bus |
| {{rwsa|Lynton}}
|10.7 km |1946 |Clapham, Lynton | |
| {{rwsa|Eden Hills}}
|14.2 km |1912 |Eden Hills | |
| {{rwsa|Coromandel}}
|17.2 km |1883 |Blackwood | |
| Blackwood
|18.1 km |1883 |Blackwood |{{ric|Adelaide|Bus}} Bus Interchange |
| {{rwsa|Glenalta}}
|19.3 km |1921 |Blackwood, Glenalta | |
| {{rwsa|Pinera}}
|20.2 km |{{circa|1920}} |Belair |{{ric|Adelaide|Bus}} Bus |
| {{rwsa|Belair}}
|21.5 km |1883 |Belair |{{ric|Adelaide|Bus}} Bus |
= Former stations =
- {{rwsa|Clapham|A}} – opened 1910s, relocated 1917, closed 1995.
- {{rwsa|Hawthorn|A}} – opened 1910s, closed 1995.
- {{rwsa|Keswick|A}} – opened 1913, closed 2013.
- {{rwsa|Mile End Goods}} – closed 1994.
- {{rwsa|Showground Central}} – opened 2005 for seasonal use, closed 2013.
- {{rwsa|Sleeps Hill}} – opened 1909, closed 1946.
Gallery
File:Mitcham railway station, Adelaide.jpg|Mitcham station
File:Redhen.jpg|Two Red Hen railcars working a Belair–Adelaide local train during the late 1980s, approaching Lynton
File:EdenHillsRailwayStationAdelaide.jpg|Eden Hills station
File:BlackwoodRailwayStationAdelaide.jpg|Blackwood station in 2007; bus interchange is on the left
File:Belair station.jpg|Belair station, where services to Bridgewater once departed
File:Pacific National freight train at Belair, SA, 25 June 2005.jpg|Pacific National freight train passing through Belair
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.adelaidemetro.com.au/routes/BEL Belair to City – Adelaide Metro website]
{{Adelaide Metro railway stations|Belair=y|Gawler=y|Outer Harbor=y|Grange=y|Port Dock=y|Seaford=y|Flinders=y|state=expanded}}
{{Adelaide public transport}}
Category:Railway lines in South Australia
Category:Railway lines opened in 1883
Category:Transport in Adelaide