Waking up in Geelong

Just over ten years ago I spent a week chasing trains, trams and buses around Adelaide. Since this resulted in too many photos to fit into my usual photos from ten years ago series, here is a special instalment.

Tourist stuff

I headed down to Glenelg on the tram.

Wondered about the ‘Polities’ signs everywhere.

Headed to the beach at Grange.

Wandered along Rundle Mall.

And visited Victoria Square.

Suburban trains

I rode Adelaide’s since retired ‘Jumbo’ railcars.

And the diesel version of Melbourne’s Comeng railcars.

Finding a six carriage consist, featuring 12 driving cabs.

And passengers riding up front beside the train driver.

I walked along the coast at Marino to capture some trains by the sea.

And stopped off at the bizarre Emerson Crossing – where the intersection of South Road and Cross Road meets the Seaford railway line at a level crossing, with the South Road Overpass passing over it all.

A run down network

I found decrepit stations like the single track terminus of Tonsley.

And the narrow platforms at Keswick.

The line up to Belair was single track, with a handful of toy-like crossing loops along the way.

And instead of automatic pedestrian gates at level crossings, illuminated ‘Caution more than one train’ warning signs were installed at passive crossings.

But there were signs of new life – the extension of suburban trains to Seaford was underway, alongside the electrification of the network.

The Gawler line was also being rebuilt.

But electrification of the line was postponed in 2013, but eventually restarted in 2019 – but has seen many delays since.

Tourist trains

I headed down to Victor Harbor to ride the Steamranger tourist railway.

Taking a trip along the cost to Goolwa and back.

I also stumbled upon the Indian Pacific headed north out of North Adelaide.

And The Ghan almost at the end of a three day journey from Darwin.

At Keswick I found the empty Great Southern Rail terminal.

Carriages for the Indian Pacific being shunted through the train wash.

And spare carriages stabled in the sidings.

Freight trains

West of Adelaide I found a massive ‘double stack’ freight train headed for Perth.

But freight trains towards Melbourne were more constrained – having to pass over the suburban tracks on the level at Goodwood Junction – grade separated in 2014 at a cost of $110 million.

And again at Torrens Junction – grade separated in 2018 at a cost of $238 million.

And buses

A trip to Adelaide isn’t complete without a ride on the O-Bahn Busway.

Buses running along concrete tracks.

Steered along by two small guide wheels.

Buses stop at three bus stations between the Adelaide CBD and Tea Tree Plaza.

‘Sump busters‘ used to prevent unauthorised vehicles from entering the busway.

Another odd feature is the double ended busway recovery truck nicknamed ‘Dumbo’.

Specially designed to enter the O-Bahn track from either direction, and tow away a broken down bus.

Power stations

Don’t you go hunting down power stations when you go on holiday?

I went past the massive 1,280 MW gas fired power station at Torrens Island.

The 58MW Port Stanvac Power Station, made up of 36 diesel generators.

And the 20 MW peaking Lonsdale Power Station, with just 18 diesel generators.

A one way freeway?

A reversible one way freeway sounds bizarre, but Adelaide used to have one – the Southern Expressway between Bedford Park and Old Noarlunga. The three lane road was setup for traffic in either direction.

Changing direction twice a day.

On and off ramps opening and closing based on the current direction of travel.

Indicated by rotating prism signs at interchanges.

With warnings signs to ensure motorists didn’t drive down the wrong way.

Opened in 1997, work on upgrading the freeway to two way operation commenced in 2011, and was completed in 2014.

And ghosts of the past

Adelaide would have to go down as a graveyard of Australian manufacturing.

Home of the former Mitsubishi engine plant at Lonsdale – closed in 2005

The Mitsubishi vehicle assembly plant at Tonsley Park, closed in 2008.

And Mobil’s mothballed Port Stanvac Refinery – demolished in 2014.

But Adelaide also had an abandoned shopping centre – the top floors of the Myer Centre.

And an abandoned international airport terminal.

Replaced by a combined domestic and international terminal in 2005.

But time to fly home

The ‘real’ Adelaide Airport was rather nice.

Big windows looking out over the city.

And a view of aircraft on the apron.

So farewell to Adelaide circa 2011.

I ended up returning in 2015 and 2019 – but travelling on The Overland instead.

Footnote

Here you can find the rest of my ‘photos from ten years ago‘ series.

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