Gawler Rail Line shutdown

Adelaide / South Australia Transport Discussion
jibb
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Gawler Rail Line shutdown

Post by jibb »

Adelaide Metro have finally advised on its website that the current closure of the line will continue up to and including Sunday 26th April 2021,with the current school holiday timetables to continue until this date.
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Re: Gawler Rail Line shutdown

Post by Eurostar »

Seems suss that kanga has dressed up their runs as K Rail. Maybe they are hoping one of the new bus operators or train operator will flop
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Re: Gawler Rail Line shutdown

Post by TT »

I noticed that K-Rail livery on one of their buses.
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1whoknows
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Re: Gawler Rail Line shutdown

Post by 1whoknows »

Why is it suss? Perhaps Kanga sees a longer term opportunity to either participate in or tender in their own right for rail replacements. After all its a free market..... The buses could also be used for cruise ship transfers to the city when that activity eventually resumes.
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jibb
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Re: Gawler Rail Line shutdown

Post by jibb »

Tenders for th next 8 years commenced in July 2020 and included Rail replacement services.
Because the Gawler Bus subs require so many buses,Torrrens Transit didnt have sufficient spare buses,so they chose to give JKanga some runs.
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Re: Gawler Rail Line shutdown

Post by Eagle Eye »

jibb wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 8:45 am Because the Gawler Bus subs require so many buses,Torrrens Transit didnt have sufficient spare buses,so they chose to give Kanga some runs.
It was also common for SouthLink to use contractors for weekday closures on the Gawler & Noarlunga/Seaford lines.
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Re: Gawler Rail Line shutdown

Post by TT »

And the only time cruise ship shuttles have been run by government contractors (Torrens) is when the Outer Harbor line has been out of action. Last lot of cruises (pre-Corona) had passengers using trains to get to city, with special Cruise MetroCards being sold on at the Outer Harbor station ticket box.
Of course there are plenty of coaches doing tours and city shuttles when a cruise ship is in port but these are all arranged on board the ship before it docks, with city shuttles bring far more expensive than a “day trip” Metrocard.
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Re: Gawler Rail Line shutdown

Post by Eurostar »

1whoknows wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 6:45 am Why is it suss? Perhaps Kanga sees a longer term opportunity to either participate in or tender in their own right for rail replacements. After all its a free market..... The buses could also be used for cruise ship transfers to the city when that activity eventually resumes.
I know a few years ago when I was volunteering at NRM that one of the charter companies took cruise ship passengers to and from NRM, boosted admissions for sure.
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Re: Gawler Rail Line shutdown

Post by Eurostar »

Eagle Eye wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 9:43 am
jibb wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 8:45 am Because the Gawler Bus subs require so many buses,Torrrens Transit didnt have sufficient spare buses,so they chose to give Kanga some runs.
It was also common for SouthLink to use contractors for weekday closures on the Gawler & Noarlunga/Seaford lines.
Good way for charter companies to get some revenue whilst charter runs are not so common during Covid
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Re: Gawler Rail Line shutdown

Post by Eurostar »

According to this week's Bunyip Newspaper SA Structural Steel has gone into administration (one of the businesses working on the Electrification project). SA Treasurer is looking for another business to step in not ruling out interstate companies.
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Re: Gawler Rail Line shutdown

Post by jibb »

The Transport Minister Corey Wingard has announced this afternoon that the Gawler Rail Line will remain shut between Adelaide and Gawler from April 26th to November 7th,to enable completion of the the electrification of the line.
A new GA4 Express service between Gawler and Adelaide in the morning will provide 2 trips, whilst there will be 3 trips in the pm express between Adelaide and Gawler.
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Re: Gawler Rail Line shutdown

Post by Eagle Eye »

jibb wrote: Thu Apr 01, 2021 4:29 pmA new GA4 Express service between Gawler and Adelaide in the morning will provide 2 trips, whilst there will be 3 trips in the pm express between Adelaide and Gawler.
Extra trips on an existing service, not a new service.
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Re: Gawler Rail Line shutdown

Post by jibb »

Adelaide Metro will introduce a new service on the Gawler Rail subs from next Tuesday-SA2X.
This will run express in the morning peak from Salisbury Interchange to Adelaide Railway Station and the reverse in the afternoon. There will be 3 trips in each direction.
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Re: Gawler Rail Line shutdown

Post by I Follow PAFC »

We’re looking forward to welcoming passengers back on the Grange and Outer Harbor rail lines, following school holiday closures for the Gawler Rail Electrification Project.
You might notice though that it looks a little different just outside the Adelaide Railway Station – check out some of the works that have been happening in the Adelaide rail yards.

https://www.facebook.com/DFITSA/posts/4092190340833245
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Re: Gawler Rail Line shutdown

Post by bigrobbo »

Caught the GA3 during the week from Smithfield to the city. It seemed liked we travelled to Elizabeth and had to double back onto Womma Rd to get onto the Northern Expressway.

Would it be better if the service started at Elizabeth, went to Smithfield and then went to the Northern Expressway via Curtis Road?
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Re: Gawler Rail Line shutdown

Post by The Phonj »

I'm sure the people at Elizabeth would be pleased; having to head away from the City in order to head towards the City.

The GA3 originally travelled via Main North Rd until about a month ago, when the Regency Rd bridge on the North South Motorway opened; the timetable hasn't changed but the route has. The new route has made for more reliable travel times for the passengers of both Smithfield and Elizabeth compared to the traffic on Main North Rd.
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Re: Gawler Rail Line shutdown

Post by bigrobbo »

The Phonj wrote: Fri Apr 30, 2021 6:23 pm I'm sure the people at Elizabeth would be pleased; having to head away from the City in order to head towards the City.
Point taken. Though the people boarding the bus at Smithfield could make the same argument.
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Re: Gawler Rail Line shutdown

Post by Eagle Eye »

Would it be quicker when departing Elizabeth, to go via Philip Hwy & Salisbury Hwy, then onto the NS Motorway? A few more traffic lights, but you'd be able to travel at 60km/h for most of the time on these highways.
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Re: Gawler Rail Line shutdown

Post by The Phonj »

Plugging in Zone A Elizabeth Interchange and stop D North Tce into Google maps gives the following results (for an 'up' journey):

A vehicle travelling on the current GA3 route (including detour via Bellchambers Rd) will take 36 minutes, and 40.4 km.
Using the previous GA3 route via Main North Rd will incur 44 minutes and 29 km.
Using Salisbury Hwy and North South Motorway will incur 36 minutes, and 29.6 km.

I guess the time difference is negligible between the North South Motorway (entering at Womma Rd) and travelling via Salisbury Hwy to the North South Motorway. Certainly it is a shorter distance via Salisbury Hwy, but I guess the key thing is perception; a bus that is regularly stopping for traffic lights is going to seem slower than a bus that is travelling via a freeway but travelling an additional 10 km by doing so.

The other thing is that travelling via the motorway; a passenger cannot be set down on it, thereby meaning that those who would catch the bus in order to get dropped off at the North Park shops for instance ("sorry mate I caught the wrong bus") cannot do so.
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Re: Gawler Rail Line shutdown

Post by Eagle Eye »

That's true Phonj. But Google Maps would assume that a car is travelling at 110km/h on the motorway, but buses are limited to 100km/h, and O-Bahn buses limited to 85km/h so it would take a bus longer than the time that Google Maps shows :)
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Re: Gawler Rail Line shutdown

Post by odie8888 »

I have been surprised for the people who don't need the intermediate stations how busy the 502 for Salisbury passengers and the J1 for Elizabeth people and the 228 for Smithfield Station people have been packed lately.yes the trips take longer but they terminate on grenfell st or king william st which if you have to do onward connections elsewhere works out better.
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Re: Gawler Rail Line shutdown

Post by Eurostar »

During first 3 weekends of July 2021 no trains will be running to and from Adelaide Railway Station. Also no trains will be running from 3rd to 18th on the Outer Harbor and Grange Lines.
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Re: Gawler Rail Line shutdown

Post by TT »

The same thing happened last school holidays.
Torrens did subs on all lines except Seaford/Flinders which was done by Busways.
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Re: Gawler Rail Line shutdown

Post by gunzel42 »

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Last edited by gunzel42 on Thu Jun 17, 2021 8:35 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Gawler Rail Line shutdown

Post by 1whoknows »

Clearly you need to write a letter to the Minister seeking that explanation. Good luck with that.
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