Is there a map?
(stretching the friendship I know)

Is there a map?
(stretching the friendship I know)

There were an entire series of maps on the consulation website including the network map I referred to in my previous post and more detailed maps for each route group.  Due to the sudden cancelation of the consultation I only managed to download the network map and the 512/513 service which was supposed to replace the 556/557/559/503 services.  The network map is about 4.5MB, not compressable, and so may not email successfully. Send me a private message if you wish me to send it to you.

Another reversal by the Boy Blunder, together with funding for the One and All,  is the restoration of funds to maintain the Failie, good news indeed.

Transport and Infrastructure Minister Stephan Knoll said the ships were an important part of the state’s maritime history.
“Not only are they an important part of South Australian history, they are also important tourism and cultural drawcards for the Port Adelaide area,” Mr Knoll said.
“We are extending the funding arrangement for the One and All that was due to expire last financial year to help them weather the storm of the impacts of COVID.
“We’re also ensuring the essential maintenance to keep the Falie in the water is going to be undertaken so it can continue to be enjoyed by the local community and tourists alike.”

Which is not what he said when the funding for the Failie was withdrawn 18 months ago.

Messenger Article

Noticed that the droppers for the 25kv lines have gone in around Regency Road on the Gawler line - the actual catenary will be next - although I drove past not long ago at Dry Creek and noticed that the poles still haven't gone in yet so obviously it's not all the way yet.

The main work going on so far during the current two week closure has been trackwork and signalling related. The points at the north end of Dry Creek platform loop and the facing crossover at the middle entrance of the depot have been replaced.  The foot crossing at the south end of the station was being ripped up this afternoon.  Cable ducting has been installed around the Hawker St crossing.  New signal cabinets have appeared at Pym St, Belford Ave and Hawker St and are being worked.

Overhead masts have still to be erected from Park Terr to N of Ovingham and at Dudley Park Stn.  Masts extend to S of Kilburn.  Mast foundations are in place to N end of Kilburn Stn.

The main work going on so far during the current two week closure has been trackwork and signalling related. The points at the north end of Dry Creek platform loop and the facing crossover at the middle entrance of the depot have been replaced.  The foot crossing at the south end of the station was being ripped up this afternoon.  Cable ducting has been installed around the Hawker St crossing.  New signal cabinets have appeared at Pym St, Belford Ave and Hawker St and are being worked.

Overhead masts have still to be erected from Park Terr to N of Ovingham and at Dudley Park Stn.  Masts extend to S of Kilburn.  Mast foundations are in place to N end of Kilburn Stn.

Wasn't aware that the Gawler line was presently closed -

Yeah there's a long way to go in other parts but the area around Dudley Park and Kilburn looks like its ready for the catenary.

The main work going on so far during the current two week closure has been trackwork and signalling related. The points at the north end of Dry Creek platform loop and the facing crossover at the middle entrance of the depot have been replaced.  The foot crossing at the south end of the station was being ripped up this afternoon.  Cable ducting has been installed around the Hawker St crossing.  New signal cabinets have appeared at Pym St, Belford Ave and Hawker St and are being worked.

Overhead masts have still to be erected from Park Terr to N of Ovingham and at Dudley Park Stn.  Masts extend to S of Kilburn.  Mast foundations are in place to N end of Kilburn Stn.

Wasn't aware that the Gawler line was presently closed -

Yeah there's a long way to go in other parts but the area around Dudley Park and Kilburn looks like its ready for the catenary.

Partial closure school holidays Adelaide - Salisbury.  Full line closure this Sunday.

Work continues apace on the inner section of the Gawler line.  Extensive cabling excavations are continuing around Ovingham station, Belford Ave and Pym St crossings.  Some of the current up signals were unlit yesterday.  New concrete signal bases have been in place for several weeks now, some close to exisiting signals but in other locations signals are being relocated.  Fencing works under way north of Hawker St and at Dudley Park where the old fencing was being removed on the ARTC side of the line. First overhead cables have been strung from N of Dudley Park to Islington works.  However masts remain to be erected at Dudley Park Stn and from Hawker St to N of Ovingham.  Yesterday both return cables and one earth cable had been installed.

So where's that substation going?
I read it was going to be Kilburn, but I was corrected on Facebook and told it's Salisbury, and Gaol loop (Switching station I guess?)

I can see new buildings in the Dry Creek power station Switch yard, but that's neither Salisbury or Kilburn? I read that Kilburn was chosen as there's etsa power already there?

Why did I see a 4 car diesel set at Brighton today about 5pm? I thought we had surplus sparks?

So where's that substation going?
I read it was going to be Kilburn, but I was corrected on Facebook and told it's Salisbury, and Gaol loop (Switching station I guess?)

I can see new buildings in the Dry Creek power station Switch yard, but that's neither Salisbury or Kilburn? I read that Kilburn was chosen as there's etsa power already there?

Whoever said the 25 kV feed is at Salisbury has no clue what they're talking about and you should definitely let them know.

Why did I see a 4 car diesel set at Brighton today about 5pm? I thought we had surplus sparks?

Empty cars transferring from stabling at the Seaford Meadows depot to the city in time to run afternoon peak services on the diesel lines.

The line between Adelaide and the Dry Creek Railcar Depot is currently closed for the Gawler Line Electrification Stage 1 works, preventing the normal parade of empty cars out north after the morning peak and back into the city in the afternoon.

So where's that substation going?
I read it was going to be Kilburn, but I was corrected on Facebook and told it's Salisbury, and Gaol loop (Switching station I guess?)

I can see new buildings in the Dry Creek power station Switch yard, but that's neither Salisbury or Kilburn? I read that Kilburn was chosen as there's etsa power already there?

The electrification website refers to work last month at Salisbury to raise the 275kV powerlines to icrease clearances ove the railway.

At Dry Creek the switchyards are in several sections.  Immediately to the south of the power station is the SAPN 66kV Dry Creek substation.  Between there and the railway are the Electranet 275kV and SAPN 66kV Kilburn substations.  The Kilburn 66kV substation has been extended recently including a new transformer.  I understand that the railway substation will be colocated here.

Flinders Link Station.

Does anyone know whether the new station will have two platform faces, so that one train can arrive while another one is in the platform loading.

From the road it appears that the platform awning is being built for an island platform.

Les

Single track only.

The Flinders Line will be able to run a 15 minute frequency, and in the unlikely event that proves to be inadequate then lengthening the A-City EMUs to four cars by inserting an additional trailer would be the next step for increasing capacity rather than increasing frequency.

Behind the platform will be station facilities (toilets, cycle parking) and a shared path linking from the viaduct up towards Flinders University, plus the restoration of part of the FMC/FPH staff parking temporarily removed during the station project.

Why did I see a 4 car diesel set at Brighton today about 5pm? I thought we had surplus sparks?

Empty cars transferring from stabling at the Seaford Meadows depot to the city in time to run afternoon peak services on the diesel lines.

The line between Adelaide and the Dry Creek Railcar Depot is currently closed for the Gawler Line Electrification Stage 1 works, preventing the normal parade of empty cars out north after the morning peak and back into the city in the afternoon.

Yes, I was very interested to see that the catenary had been strung up around Regency Road Dudley Park this afternoon when driving over the bridge - they've certainly made a lot of progress in the last few weeks.

There has been a lot of activity on the electrification project in the last few days.  Cabling excavation has been continuing around Ovingham including S of the level crossing.  A number of signals on hinged masts have been installed but left in the folded down position.  Cabling for axle counters has started to appear.  The overhead between Dudley Park and Islington Works still just consists of the two return cables and one earth cable. The overhead activity has been in the Torrens Bridge - Hawker St section with gantry cross-members being lifted into place and various fixtures fastened to masts and gantries.

This is intended to be the last weekday shutdown for the build phase of Gawler Electrification Stage 1 (Adelaide to Salisbury).

The remainder of the build will be done over nights and weekends, before weekday closures resume for the commissioning/testing phase - currently targeted for the October school holidays.

Victorians stowed away on train raise suspicion when they try to get off at Chidda
Four Victorians have raised the suspicions of fellow passengers when they attempted to alight at the mythical Chidda Railway Station.

The four men had concealed themselves on that seat next to the driver that nobody sits on because it’s just weird to look out the front window of a train, before attempting to make a dash for the doors at Chidda.

Startled onlookers were quick to report the four Vics, who clearly had no idea that Chidda is not a real station, but merely an invention placed on Adelaide Metro maps as a tax dodge for transport minister Stephan Knoll.

Scotty Froml attempted to recount the story to Adelaide Mail, although refused to turn down the Aussie hip hop that he was playing on his phone. Loudly.

‘Yeah, these boys just [KERSER IS THE SICKEST, KERS-KERSER IS THE SICKEST] tackled by three plain-clothes pigs,’ Froml told us, we think, we’re not exactly sure.

Startled onlookers were quick to report the four Vics, who clearly had no idea that Chidda is not a real station
‘Caught ‘em trynna jemmy [smeg ALL YOU BITCHES, smeg-smeg ALL YOU BITCHES, KER-KERSER’S AT THE CLUB MAN, I’M THE SICKEST smeg] knew they were from Victoria because they were wearing coats.’

Froml then somehow found a way to make his phone go even louder and started rapping along to the third verse of a song that really seemed like it could’ve ended minutes ago. We backed away, alighting the train only to find ourselves at Kudla which is an equally smeg station.

https://adelaidemail.com/single-post/2020/07/15/victorians-stowed-away-on-train-raise-suspicion-when-they-try-to-get-off-at-chidda/

While Work Continues Between North Adelaide and Kilburn  on erecting Masts and Posts Electrical Work ETC .Heading North

There is a Second  work Crew working on the bases between   Chidda  And Parafield..Heading South

Hopefully they Meet Together one Day Maybe around Green Fields or Mawson Interchange.

Salisbury is where Stage 1 ends and Stage 2 will eventually meet it.

Stephan Knoll has been fired from his position as the state Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government.
Also kicked out of the state cabinet over the expenses corruption are Tim Whetstone (was the Minister for Primary Industries) and David Ridgway (was the Minister for Trade), and Terry Stephens has resigned as the President of the Legislative Council.

Marshall, Chapman and Lucas will hold those ministerial portfolios temporarily until a new cabinet is announced, and the Legislative Council will vote in a new President next time they sit.

I'm calling it now - Knoll will not be sitting in the next Parliament. He's not a hugely popular character in his electorate despite it getting a good number of improvements from his portfolio (which I hope ICAC will look at as well as the expenses rorts) and this will not help his chances of retaining the local branches' endorsement going into the next election.

The new Tonsley station is coming along.  The platform face, prefabricated concrete panels, is being installed today.

To be honest I neither care nor am surprised by the travel allowances rort; there was a Labor minister who is also being investigated. We had the same thing at a federal level not long ago.

I want Steve Marshall to come up with a plan for the way forward for South Australia - so does the leader of the opposition. At the moment we're distracted by these trivialities - we really need a Tom Playford to spell out the way forward.

Tom Playford
The most Labor liberal ever