Rockingham railway station, Perth

Rockingham
Mandurah Line
Station code RRM
Street Ennis Avenue, Rae Road, Station Entry Road
Suburb Cooloongup, Hillman, Rockingham
Fare zone 5
Distance from Perth Station 43.2 km (26.8 mi)
Stopping patterns All, C, K
Number of platforms 2
Platform architecture 2 Side
Station structure Closed Station
Access by Bus Transfer, Entrance
Transit guard booth Yes
Train transfer No
Bus transfer Yes
Total number of bus stands 12
Total number of bus routes 15
Park 'n' Ride Yes
Lock 'n' Ride No, but Pay 'n' Display
Lifts 2
Escalators 2
Add Value Machines Yes
Public telephones Yes
Public toilets Yes

Rockingham Station is a bus and railway interchange located in the Rockingham suburb of Cooloongup, Western Australia. Situated near the intersection of Rae Road and Ennis Avenue in Cooloongup, 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) east of Rockingham Shopping Centre, it is served by the interurban Mandurah line, with services to both the Perth CBD and the neighbouring city of Mandurah. The station was designed by Jones Coulter Young architects.[1]

Contents

History

Original station site

Under the original Liberal State Government plan of 1999, Rockingham Station would have been located within the Rockingham Central Business District (CBD) in close proximity to major shopping and civic areas. This plan proposed the line to access Rockingham CBD by tunnel. In 2002, the new Labor State Government amended the route of the railway between Perth and Jandakot to travel directly down Kwinana Freeway instead of by the original route via Thornlie and the Armadale Rail Line. The planned central Rockingham Station was abandoned at this time, in order to offset the extra cost of the Perth leg. The new location avoided the cost of tunnelling under Rockingham, but was now located on the edge of the city rather than in the centre of it. To offset this, the State Government announced plans to construct a light rail link to the Rockingham CBD instead. This did not transpire, although provision was made in the station design and layout for it. Evidence of the abandoned light rail is seen in the busway approach to the station, where concrete 'tracks' can be seen. These would have accommodated rail inset into a concrete base and presumably can still be used in this way in the future. The light rail track would have ended at a platform under the existing station canopy near the western entrance.

Construction

Construction began in 2005. There were fears that construction work would create health hazards such as dust that could be inhaled. Traffic to Rockingham Kwinana District Hospital was diverted through Hillman via a temporary road. Hillman residents were concerned over an increase in traffic along Milina Street, and tried to have the road placed somewhere else. When station construction was complete, the road was shut down and replaced by a foot bridge.

Opening

The station opened on 23 December 2007, one year after the original opening date. The station is guarded by highly advanced security systems 24 hours a day. A police station was completed in 2009 and became the headquarters of the Western Australia Police Southern Rail Unit. The police station is shaped like a train heading around a bend in the track.

Service

Rockingham is on the Mandurah Line of the Transperth Trains network, a hybrid metro-commuter rail system with five lines in metropolitan Perth. As such, it receives trains northbound to central Perth and southbound to the suburbs of Mandurah and Rockingham. Three stopping patterns serve Rockingham station: all stations, C, and K, which terminates at this station.[2]

In the inbound direction, all stations and K-pattern trains take about 34 minutes, averaging 76.2 km/h (47.3 mph), to arrive at Perth.[2] C-pattern trains stop at all stations except Canning Bridge heading to Perth, taking 33 minutes at an average of 78.5 km/h (48.8 mph).[2]

In the outbound direction, an all stations train takes about 18 minutes, averaging 90.0 km/h (55.9 mph), to arrive at Mandurah.[2] C-pattern trains operate locally to Mandurah apart from skipping Canning Bridge; this has no effect for passengers departing Rockingham for any southbound stations. K-pattern trains terminate at Rockingham.[2]

Station layout

Rockingham utilises a simple side platform layout with two tracks. Platform 1 is used by trains bound for Perth underground station (these trains generally continue onto the Joondalup Line) whilst platform 2 is used by trains heading south towards Mandurah. The K service to Perth now departs from platform 2. Access to the station is provided from the busway platforms adjacent to the western side of the station and a parking lot next to it with a concourse containing faregates at track level on platform 1. After these gates, passengers must use escalators or a lift to access a crossover above the tracks to reach platform 2.[3] Provision was made in the station's design for a light rail platform on the western side of the concourse. Evidence of the light rail plan can be seen in the concrete 'tracks' located within the busway approach to the station. The light rail service would have linked the station to the Rockingham CBD, a service currently provided by Bus Route 555.

Stop No. Platform Line Stopping Pattern Destination Notes
[2823] Rockingham Station platforms
99701 1 Mandurah All stations, C Perth underground
99702 2 Mandurah All stations Mandurah K pattern to Perth now departs from here

Bus routes

Bus transfers will be available at Rockingham railway station. Refer to Route 555 for Rockingham Beach.

Stands 1-6

Route Number Destination / Description
[23782] Stand 1
    920 to Fremantle station via Rockingham Road
[23783] Stand 2
    825 to Fremantle station via Patterson Road and Cockburn Road
[23784] Stand 3
    555 to Rockingham Beach via Wanliss Street
[23785] Stand 4
    558 to Mandurah station via Mandurah Road
    559 to Secret Harbour via Warnbro Sound Avenue
[23786] Stand 5
    561 to Secret Harbour via Secret Harbour Boulevard
    562 to Secret Harbour via Forty Road
[23787] Stand 6
    557 to Port Kennedy via Currie Street
    564 to Baldivis via Safety Bay Road

Stands 7-12

Route Number Destination / Description
[23788] Stand 7
    909 Rail Replacement Service to Mandurah
    689 to Burswood Entertainment Complex
[23789] Stand 8
    554 Hillman Circular via Calume Street
    556 to Rockingham Hospital via Elanora Drive
[23790] Stand 9
    550 to Rockingham via Kent Street (Refer to 555 for Rockingham Beach)
    551 to Shoalwater via Parkin Street and Safety Bay Road
[23791] Stand 10
    552 to Shoalwater via Townsend Road
    553 to Shoalwater via Cygnus Street and Waikiki Road
[23792] Stand 11
    School Specials
[23793] Stand 12
    909 Rail Replacement Service to Perth

References

  1. ^ JCY
  2. ^ a b c d e Mandurah Line timetable Transperth Retrieved 2009-05-03
  3. ^ Rockingham station layout Transperth Retrieved 2009-05-02


Rockingham
Zone 5

Preceding station   Transperth Trains network   Following station
Zone 4
towards Perth
Mandurah Line
All, C
Zone 5
towards Mandurah
Zone 4
towards Perth
Mandurah Line
KU
Terminus
Zone 3
towards Perth
Mandurah Line
KD
Terminus