That's a really good explanation. There's a case for saying it's the most important station on the Sydney network. My mother never learned to drive and was like a 'human Google' about using public transport. Ask her how to get between any two points in Sydney and she could tell you (without looking anything up) which lines or routes or ferry you needed to use, where tram and bus stops were located, train stopping patterns, the lighting codes on the front of electric trains indicating which route they were taking, even their fares, and how often different services ran. During World War 2, Strathfield would be around where the western suburbs ended. From there west it was just little villages and centres around stations, with open ground in between. She recalled how Strathfield was regarded as THE most strategic station on the Sydney rail system, even more so than Central. To emphasise that she said it seemed to have more anti-aircraft guns and other defences around it than any other station.
Loved this. Please do more junction explainers around stations like Redfern, Glenfield, Sydenham, Tempe, Sydney Terminal (I think Taitset has done the flyovers near Central's suburban platforms), etc
Ah you missed our on a few things. Platforms 1 & 2 do act as reversing tracks meaning they are technically bi directional. For example if there is trackwork at central, most Newcastle and Northern line trains will terminate at platforms 1&2 and then begin going back. This also happens during major disruptions to the network as well. Furthermore the concourse was much smaller and only isthe way it is after they removed the small shops that used to be at the concourse level. They were temporarily removed for the Olympics in 2000 then put back in afterwards to then have them permanently removed I think in 2006 or 2007. Can't remember exactly. Just an fyi
I'm aware that platforms 1 and 2 are bidirectional, but I chose to focus on how trains normally use the station, rather than what the signalling allows.
3:17 there would be an even bigger disadvantage with this arrangement: trains coming from the West and North would no longer have their own platform to enter the station. If one train is slightly late, one would have to wait before the station. Right now they can enter the station at the same time and board passengers at the same time.
Yeah I agree, allowing a train to wait at a platform for the merging-line train to arrive and leave first is important. The opposite doesn’t matter. The trains coming from Sydney going north and west can’t arrive out of order, so they can just go to platform 6 and then split. If you were going to merge platform 4&5 like you suggested anyway, you could keep them on platform 5 instead of 4, which would still allow passengers from the north to swap to platform 6 and go west. But you’d still have to stop trains 500m from Strathfield and wait a few minutes for the late train before continuing.
Have you considered comparing the metro experience to the train experience? Lots of T3 passengers wondering what’s coming. Do you have footage of North Ryde station before and after the conversion?
I didn't visit any of the Epping-Chatswood Rail Link stations before their Metro conversion unfortunately, but I do have footage from a few Bankstown Line stations which will eventually be useful for comparison. I do plan to eventually make a video about my thoughts on the Sydney Metro project in general.
I did that cross-platform change every day, on my way home from school in the 1980s. It normally worked really well*, and it frustrates me when systems in other cities aren't designed to make changing trains that easy. ___ * Including on the day an old lady thought she needed to run to make the connection, and she pushed me so I fell into the gap and grazed my whole shin, and she pretended that nothing had happened. I consoled myself knowing that she'd probably die before me, and she most likely has by now, so my inner 14-year-old is saying 'sucked in!' 😏
That's a really good explanation. There's a case for saying it's the most important station on the Sydney network.
My mother never learned to drive and was like a 'human Google' about using public transport. Ask her how to get between any two points in Sydney and she could tell you (without looking anything up) which lines or routes or ferry you needed to use, where tram and bus stops were located, train stopping patterns, the lighting codes on the front of electric trains indicating which route they were taking, even their fares, and how often different services ran.
During World War 2, Strathfield would be around where the western suburbs ended. From there west it was just little villages and centres around stations, with open ground in between. She recalled how Strathfield was regarded as THE most strategic station on the Sydney rail system, even more so than Central. To emphasise that she said it seemed to have more anti-aircraft guns and other defences around it than any other station.
Very informative and well explained yet concise and to the point. Great video mate! 👍
Loved this. Please do more junction explainers around stations like Redfern, Glenfield, Sydenham, Tempe, Sydney Terminal (I think Taitset has done the flyovers near Central's suburban platforms), etc
I probably won't do another video like this, though I have thought of an idea for a video around the Sydenham-Tempe junction.
Loved it. Please make more videos featuring track layouts!
The diagram is pretty good, assuming it’s based off Taitsets diagram. If it is probably the best decision you could’ve made for showing it.
I remember when city-bound trains on platform 7 used to stay for about 10 mins before departing. (This was in the late 90s-early 00s.)
0:07 I’m seven seconds I to this video but I’ve already liked and subscribed from seeing that beautiful track layout diagram. This is gonna be good!
Great video explaining this confusing junction, New subscriber too!
Good work - keep it up!
I'm on the other side of the world, and have never been there, but it was well explained.
Nice vid like this type of content
Ah you missed our on a few things.
Platforms 1 & 2 do act as reversing tracks meaning they are technically bi directional.
For example if there is trackwork at central, most Newcastle and Northern line trains will terminate at platforms 1&2 and then begin going back. This also happens during major disruptions to the network as well.
Furthermore the concourse was much smaller and only isthe way it is after they removed the small shops that used to be at the concourse level. They were temporarily removed for the Olympics in 2000 then put back in afterwards to then have them permanently removed I think in 2006 or 2007. Can't remember exactly.
Just an fyi
I'm aware that platforms 1 and 2 are bidirectional, but I chose to focus on how trains normally use the station, rather than what the signalling allows.
3:17 there would be an even bigger disadvantage with this arrangement:
trains coming from the West and North would no longer have their own platform to enter the station.
If one train is slightly late, one would have to wait before the station.
Right now they can enter the station at the same time and board passengers at the same time.
I thought that might have been an issue too, but I wasn't sure which is why I didn't mention it. Good to know that it is an actual reason.
Yeah I agree, allowing a train to wait at a platform for the merging-line train to arrive and leave first is important.
The opposite doesn’t matter. The trains coming from Sydney going north and west can’t arrive out of order, so they can just go to platform 6 and then split.
If you were going to merge platform 4&5 like you suggested anyway, you could keep them on platform 5 instead of 4, which would still allow passengers from the north to swap to platform 6 and go west. But you’d still have to stop trains 500m from Strathfield and wait a few minutes for the late train before continuing.
I wonder how would a stratty station rebuild happens if is ever does, will it’s be a bigger variant of Ashfield?
Can you do exploring wentworthville soon? Just asking.
Have you considered comparing the metro experience to the train experience? Lots of T3 passengers wondering what’s coming. Do you have footage of North Ryde station before and after the conversion?
I didn't visit any of the Epping-Chatswood Rail Link stations before their Metro conversion unfortunately, but I do have footage from a few Bankstown Line stations which will eventually be useful for comparison. I do plan to eventually make a video about my thoughts on the Sydney Metro project in general.
I did that cross-platform change every day, on my way home from school in the 1980s. It normally worked really well*, and it frustrates me when systems in other cities aren't designed to make changing trains that easy.
___
* Including on the day an old lady thought she needed to run to make the connection, and she pushed me so I fell into the gap and grazed my whole shin, and she pretended that nothing had happened. I consoled myself knowing that she'd probably die before me, and she most likely has by now, so my inner 14-year-old is saying 'sucked in!' 😏
after Strathfield, towards west, which pair disappear? local? suburban or main
They continue onto Homebush Station and that’s where the Local tracks disappear, from 6 tracks to 4, leaving you with the Main and Suburban lines.