Milsons Point railway station, Sydney

Cityrail Station alt|code=MPT|
station_name=Milsons_Point
servicearea=North Shore Line|servicearea_color=#North Shore line colour|servicearea_textcolor=black|servicearea2=Northern Line|servicearea_color2=#Northern line colour|servicearea_textcolor2=white|suburb=Milsons Point
Kiribilli|street=Alfred St|distance=4.44|altitude=?|traintype=Suburban all stops
Suburban limited stops|platforms=2|tracks=2|platform_arr=1 Island|stationtype=Ground|gates=Yes|connect=Bus
Ferry|disabled=Yes|facilities= [http://www.cityrail.info/facilities/facilities.jsp?n=181&giveOutput=true&facility= Link]

Milsons Point Railway Station is a station on the North Shore and Northern lines of the CityRail network in Sydney, New South Wales. Situated on the northern approaches to the Sydney Harbour Bridge, it serves the adjoining suburbs of Milsons Point and Kirribilli.

History

The original Milsons Point station was not in its present location, but on the edge of Sydney Harbour approximately on the site of the present northern pylon of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the North Sydney Olympic Pool. This location enabled passengers from the North Shore to transfer directly from steam trains to ferries to reach Circular Quay. It opened as the southern terminus of the North Shore line on 1 May 1893 when extended from its previous terminus at St Leonards (opened from Hornsby 1 January 1890). The site, squeezed between the rock cliffs and the edge of Sydney Harbour was cramped, with two side platforms, one of which was built on piles partly over the water's edge, and three tracks between, including a centre road. Immediately adjoining it to the east was the colonnaded Milson's Point Ferry Wharf for the ferry service to Circular Quay in central Sydney and tram terminus for the North Sydney cable tramway (opened 22 May 1886) and subsequently electrified from 11 February 1900.

In 1914, to enable a start on the construction of a bridge between Milsons Point and Dawes Point, the Government instructed the Railway Commissioners to vacate the above station and a new, 4-platform, station was constructed at the site of the boundary fence between the present-day Luna Park and Lavender Bay Sidings. This station was in operation for just seven weeks, from 30 May, 1914 to 18 July, 1914, as the inconvenience to passengers transferring between ferries and trains was unacceptable. ["The Seven Weeks Ferry Service" Johnson, Geoff Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, May, 2001 pp178-184]

Due to later overcrowding, a third platform was added on 12 December 1920 by removing the centre road track and laying a new track on "inland" side of the new platform 2. This station remained in use until the site was requisitioned to allow construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

From 27 April 1924, a new temporary station was brought into use, approximately 300 metres back along the line on the site of the present Lavender Bay car sidings, just beyond the present Luna Park amusement park. It was linked to the street by stairs and escalators (still in operation at the York Street entrance to Wynyard station) and to a new adjacent ferry wharf. The tram line was also relocated to terminate adjacent to the entrance to the new station in Glen Street.

This second station had actually originally been brought into use between 30 May 1915 and 18 July 1915 until it was realised that the site would not be needed for the Bridge construction work for some time, whereupon the original 1893 station was brought back into use for a further nine years. The line was electrified from 15 August 1927.

As part of the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and relocation of the North Shore Line to extend across the bridge into the City, a new Milsons Point station was built on the northern approach to the bridge and opened in 1932. This station was in two parts: two platforms each side of the roadway. The western platforms were connected to the North Shore line whereas the Eastern pair were used for a tramway service between Wynyard in central Sydney and the northern suburbs. The tramway and the associated platforms at Milsons Point were removed in 1958 and a roadway constructed (now lanes 7 & 8 of the Harbour Bridge).

The western pair of platforms have continued in use to the present day as Milsons Point Station, and is the only "Milsons Point" known to most Sydneysiders. The line through this station has been electrified since its inception.

Platforms/Service

The station is fitted with elevators, and is wheelchair accessible. Trains usually run every 5-10 minutes on weekdays, with more services in peak hours.

Platform 1:
*North Shore line colour>North Shore Line - all stations and limited stops services, and peak hour intercity services to Central; then to Blacktown, Penrith, Emu Plains, Riverstone, or Richmond via the Western line colour>Western Line, or to Eastwood or Hornsby via the Northern line colour>Northern Line
*Northern line colour>Northern Line - all stations and limited stops services to Eastwood and Hornsby.

Platform 2
*North Shore line colour>North Shore Line - all stations and limited stops services to Lindfield, Gordon, Hornsby & Berowra; peak hour intercity services to Gosford and Wyong.
*Northern line colour>Northern Line - services to North Sydney; some proceeding then to Lindfield, Gordon, or Hornsby via the North Shore line colour>North Shore Line.

Transport Links

Sydney Buses runs a number of routes to and from Milsons Point railway station:

*E50 - Weekdays(Monday to Friday) express services - to Manly - (West Promenade).
*168 - Weekdays(Monday to Friday) peak hour services - to Warringah Mall - (Pittwater Road).
*173 - Weekdays(Monday to Friday) peak hiur services - to Cromer Heights - (Truman Avenue).
*183 - Weekdays(Monday to Friday) peak hour limited stops services - to Narrabeen - (Waterloo Street).
*L84 - to Mona Vale - (Barranjoey Road).
*187 - Weekdays(Monday to Friday) peak hour services - to Newport - (Coles Pde).
*L87 - Weekdays(Monday to Friday) peak hour services - to Newport - (Coles Pde).
*209 - Weekdays(Monday to Friday) peak hour services - to East Lindfield - (Crana Avenue).
*227 - to Mosman - (Military Road &Raglan Street).
*228 - Weekdays(Monday to Friday) daytime services - to Cilfton Gardens - (Morella Road).
*229 - Weekdays(Monday to Friday) off peak hour services - to Beauty Point - (Pearl Bay Avenue).
*230 - to Mosman Wharf - (Avenue Road).
*265 - Weekdays(Monday to Friday) full time and Saturday daytime services - to Lane Cove - (Longueville Road).
*269 - Weekdays(Monday to Friday) daytime services - to McMahons Point - (Ferry Wharf).
*286 - Weekdays(Monday to Friday) peak hour daytime services - to Denistone East - (Lovell Road &Colvin Cr).
*287 - Weekdays(Monday to Friday) peak hour services - to Ryde - (Ryde Depot).
*290 - to Epping - (Langston Pl).
*294 - Weekdays(Monday to Friday) peak hour services - to Epping - (Langston Pl).

Neighbouring stations

References

* Clark, L.A. (1976) "North of the Harbour : a brief history of transport to and on the North Shore ", Sydney : Newey & Beath, Australian Railway Historical Society, ISBN 0-909650-05-5
* Oakes, W.J. (2003) "Sydney's forgotten city railways", 2nd rev. ed., Sydney : Australian Railway Historical Society, ISBN 0-909650-60-8

Notes

External links

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