Mount Lofty railway station, Adelaide

TransAdelaide
colour=#999999
station_name=Mount Lofty

---

line=Bridgewater (Disused)
street=
suburb=Stirling
distance=~31
access=n/a (Station closed)
HFS=n/a
peakfreq=n/a
wdfreq=n/a
wefreq=n/a
nightfreq=n/a
rrtd=No
rrts=No
platforms=2 (Not in use)
platform_arch=Side Platform
toilets=No
parking=No
bike=No
lounge=No
kiosk=No
disability=No
facilities=Private Hotel
opened=1883
rebuilt=unknown
closed=1987
trainconnect=None
busconnect=None
previous=Upper Sturt "(Closed)"
next=Heathfield "(Closed)"

Mount Lofty railway station is a railway station in South Australia, on the former Adelaide-Bridgewater railway line which is located in the Adelaide Hills suburb of Stirling. The station opened in 1883 and it is located 31.0 km (19m41c) by rail from the Adelaide Railway Station. It is the highest railway station between Adelaide and Melbourne.

Two platforms were provided. The north or 'Down' platform is 125.0 metres long and the south or 'Up' platform is 103.6 metres long. Both platforms are still in place, although no longer in use. The wooden steps leading down to the station building is still in place, but has been fenced off and is very fragile. The station signs on both platforms, which were mainly used at stations in the hills and near the beach (eg Belair and Semaphore respectively) from early in the 1900's to the 1980's, are also still in place, and reflects on our railway heritage in some point of view.

Until 1987, Adelaide suburban trains serviced the station and went further east to Bridgewater. The trains were withdrawn in that year because of high cost of operating the trains and low passenger numbers. Mount Lofty railway station was closed to suburban trains and stations beyond closed as well.

In 1995, the main railway line from Adelaide to Melbourne was converted from Broad Gauge (1600mm) to Standard Gauge (1435mm), thus preventing any restoration of local trains to Mount Lofty and beyond, as the Adelaide suburban system remained as broad gauge. At the station, there are three railway tracks, two for interstate freight. The southern track is the main line and the northern track is the crossing loop. The middle track is used to stable track machines. As the length of the crossing loop is 629 metres, the crossing of trains at Mount Lofty is rare.

Today, Mount Lofty railway station is a private hotel. Bookings can be made during most of the year. A substantial number of interstate freight trains pass through the station each day.

References

South Australian Railways Working Timetable Book No. 265 effective 10:00am, Sunday, 30 June 1974.

Australian National Working Timetable Book No. 286 effective 0001 hrs Sunday, 25 October 1987.

External links

* [http://www.mlrs.com.au/home.html The railway station's homepage]