Sydenham railway station, Sydney

Sydenham railway station is a major interchange station located in the small Sydney suburb of Sydenham, serving the East Hills, Illawarra and Bankstown lines on the CityRail system. The Illawarra line platforms are also used by a very small number of South Coast line services.

The station is currently being upgraded to allow Easy Access for wheelchairs. A new concourse will be built including four lifts and new stairs to access the platforms. The upgrade will also include new ticketing facilities, a new family accessible toilet and staff facilities. The old concourse and footbridge have been demolished, so a temporary footbridge has been built at the opposite (northern) end of the station. The upgrade is expected to be completed by the end of 2013.^[1]

History

Sydenham station, originally named Marrickville, opened in 1884 with the construction of the Illawarra railway line to Hurstville.^[2] It was originally constructed with two platform faces (the current platform faces 3 and 4). When the Bankstown line opened in 1896, it became a junction station and was renamed Sydenham.^[3] Two additional platform faces (now platforms 2 and 5) came with quadruplication in 1907. The substantial platform building on the current platform 2/3 island previously faced the street.

In 1928, the tracks were rearranged and an additional platform, current platform 6, was brought into use. At this stage there was no track at the current platform face 2. The Bankstown lines were brought into the current platforms 1 and 2 in 1962 to relieve congestion and as part of a plan to add an additional two tracks between Sydenham and Erskineville for the Eastern suburbs/Illawarra line. This latter project was never fully completed.

Sydenham station now has side platforms at both the eastern and western extremities of the station (platforms 1 and 6 respectively) and two island platforms for the four inner tracks. Platforms 1 and 2 serve the Bankstown line, Platforms 5 and 6 serve the Illawarra line. Platforms 3 and 4 now receive only an intermittent peak hour East Hills line service (most East Hills line services are now diverted through the Airport underground line).

Platforms and services

Bankstown Line services operate every 15 minutes during weekdays and weekends (7:30am to 5:30pm) daytimes and half hourly at other times to the City Circle from platform 1 and to Liverpool or Lidcombe via Bankstown from platform 2. East Hills Line services operate intermittently (mainly during peak hours) to the City Circle from platform 3 and to Campbelltown ans Macarthur via East Hills from platform 4. Illawarra Line services operate from platform 5 to Bondi Junction every 8– 15 minutes, and from platform 6 to Hurstville, Waterfall and Cronulla via Hurstville (every 8–15 minutes to each).^[4]

The station is served by eight to twelve trains per hour each way, with additional trains during weekday peak hours.

Direct Southern Highlands services between Central and Moss Vale or Goulburn pass this station without stopping, using the middle pair of tracks.

Transport links

Sydney Buses runs three routes via Sydenham station:

• metrobus 30 - to Spit Junction via Enmore, Newtown and City
• Route 357 - weekdays (Monday to Friday peak hour only) - to Bondi Junction Railway Station Bus Interchange
• Route 418 - between Burwood and Tempe

Gallery

Trackplan

Neighbouring stations

References