boronia wrote: ↑Wed Sep 09, 2020 9:12 am
bus3533 wrote: ↑Tue Sep 08, 2020 11:12 pm
so there goes the fine looks of that sandstone building niether building compliments each other. why could they not use the empty underground station of the ESR at central????
I think that has been sacrificed for the new entrance on the east side of Chalmers St.
There might be problems getting the line above the ESR and CC tracks between Martin Place and Central?, There will be at least one more metro line to incorporate into the new complex; presumably they would want them adjacent?
From what I've read recently, it's probably unlikely that the spare platforms 26 & 27 on the upper level under Chalmers St will ever be used for new rail lines. Part of the platform space is to be used for plant and equipment to service the new metro platforms and there's also some doubt about whether they would meet current fire safety standards for emergency egress, but I'm not sure about that. Platforms 24 & 25 on the lower level which are currently in use as part of the ESR would be similarly affected.
Platforms 26 & 27 were originally intended for an extension of the line from the unused platforms 1 & 2 on the upper level at Wynyard (from the Harbour Bridge eastern lanes) through to Redfern and the Inner Southern suburbs. However, building encroachments on the alignment in later years meant that it was no longer feasible.
There wouldn't be a problem in getting a potential line on a different alignment above the ESR as it is already on a higher level and it was intended to pass below the CC between Central and Museum as part of the original scheme. I'm not sure how it would be affected by the Cross City road tunnel though.
It's a great shame that the foresight of past rail planners, including Bradfield, has been squandered by successive Governments over the decades for short term political reasons with little if any consideration of the impacts for longer term planning. Imagine what could have been achieved if Bradfield's original plans for rail alignments in the CBD and the inner suburbs had been left intact. At least the Iemma Labor Government had the good sense to belatedly preserve potential rail corridors through the CBD by restricting development in close proximity to them.
While I have long advocated a diversion of the Airport Line from the CC at Central to the unused platforms 26 & 27 and through to a new terminus at Martin Place or the unused St James centre platforms, that would no longer seem to be an option for reasons expressed above.
I agree that there will be at least one more metro line with platforms adjacent to those currently under construction beneath the terminal platforms. I also wouldn't rule out new underground platforms for a City Relief Line as part of the existing network. The most recent HSR study had also proposed a 10 platform underground terminus beneath the surface terminal platforms as well.
