Denistone railway station

Denistone
Northern Line
Station code	DST
Suburb	Denistone (West)
Street(s)	West Parade Gordon Crescent
Distance from Central Station	20.16 km
Altitude (above sea level)	43 m
Types of stopping trains	Suburban all stops
Number of platforms	4
Number of tracks	4
Platform arrangement	2 island
Type of station	Ground
Ticket barriers	No
Transfers available	-
Disabled access	No
Station facilities	Link

Denistone railway station is located on the Main North railway line in the residential suburb of Denistone in the northern suburbs of Sydney, Australia. It is serviced by suburban trains of CityRail's Northern line. The station consists of two island platforms with access via a footbridge to the overhead concourse and weatherboard ticket office at the northern end. It remains virtually untouched since construction in the 1930s. It contains one of Sydney's smaller commuter car-parks.^[1]

History

The station opened much later than the rest of the Main North line, on 26 September 1937, a few years after the electrification of the line in 1929.^[2] It is one of only 3 stations added to existing lines in the 1930s (the others being Jannali and Wiley Park). The station is located on a steep gradient (1 in 40 (2.5%)), so it would have been quite hard for steam trains to stop and start when heading towards Hornsby - hence the reason for its later construction. Although built with two island platforms, only the centre platform faces were initially in use until quadruplication between West Ryde and Epping was completed.

The station is one of the least used on the metropolitan CityRail network. There are no shops in the immediate vicinity of the station, and the station is quite close itself to West Ryde station, which means that few people use the station. On the last few timetable releases it has received a minimum number of trains due to its low patronage.

In 2001 the local member (and current Minister for Transport), Mr John Watkins suggested as an election issue for the state seat of Ryde that the station should be closed. This brought anger from the local community (especially over concerns about its proximity to Ryde Hospital), and the then Mayor of Ryde Council, Ivan Petch. The suggestion was abandoned.

Platforms and services

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

Platform	Line	Stopping Pattern	Notes
	Northern Line	Southbound services towards Central and North Sydney via Strathfield
	Northern Line	Southbound services towards Central and North Sydney via Strathfield
	Northern Line	Northbound services to Epping	Occasional peak hour northbound services to Hornsby
	Northern Line	Northbound services to Epping	Occasional peak hour northbound services to Hornsby

Accessibility and exits

The two island platforms are connected to the main station concourse, overhead booking office and the only station exit by an overhead footbridge at the Eastwood end of the platform, which is reachable from Gordon Crescent, the street which runs across the railway line next to the station concourse. There are no provisions for wheelchair or disabled access. As of 2005 there are no plans to add them - West Ryde is a short distance away anyway and has adequate disabled access.

The station is usually only attended on weekday peak hour mornings, between 9am and 12pm. At other times the station facilities and toilets are usually not open. The waiting rooms and toilets on the platforms are usually always closed.

Bus services

Denistone currently has no bus interchange or bus stop near the station. The nearest bus stop is on Blaxland Road, some three streets away, next to Ryde Hospital, which services the following route:

• 515 - Eastwood Railway Station (outbound); City (Queen Victoria Building) via West Ryde, Gladesville, Drummoyne and Rozelle (inbound). (There is also an express peak hour bus on the same route (X15).)

Gallery

• 

  The station overbridge leading to platforms 3&4

• 

  The station concourse at 5pm on a weekday afternoon during the peak hour; the station is usually unstaffed

• 

  The four platforms of the station; note the 1930s-style buildings (containing toilets and waiting rooms) on the platform, similar ones have been demolished at other stations on the Northern Line

• 

  Station entrance

Trackplan

Track arrangement at Denistone

Neighbouring stations

Preceding station		CityRail		Following station
Eastwood towards Epping		Northern Line		West Ryde towards Central

References

1. ^ Sydney: Denistone, Back to the 1930s. Transit Australia, Vol 65 no 8, October 2010. Transit Australia publishing.
2. ^ Denistone Station. NSWrail.net, accessed 15 October 2010.

Coordinates: 33°47′59″S 151°05′15″E / 33.799838°S 151.087364°E / -33.799838; 151.087364