Redfern railway station is a major railway station in Redfern which is to the south of the Sydney city centre. It is a major connecting station for the Cityrail network, as well as being the closest railway station to the University of Sydney.
In the early history of the New South Wales Railways, "Redfern" was the name of the principal Sydney terminus. It was located to the south of Devonshire St and opened on 26 September1855 in an area known as "Cleveland Fields." This original "Redfern" station comprised one wooden platform in a corrugated iron shed. As traffic increased the original station was replaced in 1874 by a brick building containing two platforms. This second station, which grew to 14 platforms, was designed for through traffic if the lines were extended in the city direction. This second station was found to be too far from the city centre, so a new station (the present Sydney Central Station) was built to the north of Devonshire Street and opened on 4 August1906. The 1874 station was soon demolished.
A station was opened in 1876 1.3 km on the Parramatta side of the "original Redfern" and called Eveleigh. In 1885 Eveleigh's platforms were reconstructed at the present Redfern site, and on 21 October1906 this station was renamed Redfern.
Platforms 11 and 12, as well as the area containing the unfinished platforms (see below), were constructed in the late 1970s as part of the Eastern Suburbs Railway construction, which opened in 1979.
Until the early 1990s Redfern had an overhead footbridge at the Eveleigh end of the platforms, connecting all platforms 1-10 by stairs. This was demolished to allow an extension of platform 1.
An single track underground tunnel for trains going to Eveleigh Maintenance Centre, known as the Engine Dive runs under the above ground platforms. Various chimneys on the platforms (especially on platform 1) are evidence of this. The tunnel surfaces near the Eveleigh end of platform 10 and on the non-station side of the Lawson St bridge.
The present Redfern station was damaged by fire in the 2004 Redfern riots. The ticketing area and station master's office were significantly damaged - and the windows in the front of the station were bricked up for almost a year afterwards to prevent further attacks. They have since been replaced with glass windows.
Station Configuration
The incomplete platforms at Redfern Station.
Redfern has 12 platforms - 10 above ground (linked by stairs to the concourse at Lawson St), and 2 underground (linked by stairs and escalators to the concourse at Gibbons St). The two concourses are linked. Station offices and facilities such as toilets and the main indicator boards are located next to the Lawson St entry.
As part of the construction of the Eastern Suburbs Railway (now platforms 11 and 12), it was proposed to build up to four platforms for the underground route (similar to Central.) Two of these platforms were built and now are Platforms 11 and 12, however, the two platforms above were half constructed above Platforms 11 and 12. These are visible through a small gap in the wall opposite Platform 11, as well as by a boarded up entry portal under the Lawson St Bridge (which was to be the down track), and a now filled-in dive tunnel under the Wells St Sectioning Hut on the Central side of Lawson St (which was to be the up track). The area in which the platforms were to be situated is visible from the station concourse at the entrance to Platform 10.
Platforms/Service
The station serves all Cityrail suburban lines except the airport branch of the Airport & East Hills Line, the Carlingford line, and the Cumberland Line. In peak hours, to serve connecting passengers and students at the University of Sydney, intercity services to the Blue Mountains, Newcastle & the Central Coast, and the South Coast also stop at the station to pick up or set down.
Despite an extension of the platform in the late 1990s, Platform 1 is considered a short platform, and passengers are asked to travel in the front six carriages of Intercity trains using the platform.
Platform 1
South Coast Line - setting down peak hour intercity services to Central.
Olympic Park Line - setting down services to Central (during special events only).
Platform 2
South Coast Line - picking up peak hour intercity services to Thirroul, Wollongong, Port Kembla, Dapto and Kiama.
Blue Mountains Line - picking up peak hour intercity services to Springwood, Katoomba, Mt Victoria and Lithgow.
Newcastle & Central Coast Line - picking up peak hour intercity services to Gosford, Wyong and Newcastle via Strathfield.
Olympic Park Line - services to Olympic Park (during special events only).
Platform 3:
Western Line - all stations services to Central; then all stations and limited stops services to North Sydney, Lindfield, Gordon, Hornsby and Berowra, and peak hour intercity services to Gosford and Wyong via the North Shore Line.
Northern Line - all stations services to North Sydney; then services to Lindfield, Gordon and Hornsby via the North Shore Line.
Bankstown Line - all stations services to Bankstown, Lidcombe and Liverpool via Sydenham.
Airport & East Hills Line - peak hour express services to Campbelltown and Macarthur via Sydenham & East Hills.
Platform 9:
Eastern Suburbs & Illawarra Line - very rare trains from the Ilawarra line that travel via the City circle. These moves are being phased out under the Clearways project. The platform was used for Illawarra line trains before the Eastern Suburbs railway was built in 1979.
The platform is mostly used for stabling trains, for trains coming from the Eveleigh Maintenance Centre, or for trains coming from the Macdonaldtown Turnback returning to the Inner West Line or Southern Line via the City Circle (anticlockwise).
Platform 10:
Eastern Suburbs & Illawarra Line - very rare trains from the Ilawarra line that travel via the City circle. These moves are being phased out under the Clearways project. The platform was used for Illawarra line trains before the Eastern Suburbs railway was built in 1979.
The platform is mostly used for stabling trains, for trains returning to the Eveleigh Maintenance Centre, or for trains going to the Macdonaldtown Turnback from the Inner West Line or Southern Line.
South Coast Line - peak hour intercity services to Thirroul, Wollongong and Port Kembla.
Platforms 13-14 (unfinished)
These were not fully constructed; are situated above Platforms 11 & 12 and next to Platform 10.
Accessibility/Exits
The station has three main exits - the main entrance and exit on Lawson St next to the ticketing area (Exit A on the diagram below), a second entrance on Gibbons St (especially for passengers using platforms 11 and 12) (Exit B on the diagram below), and a third exit to the Australian Technology Park, which is accessed by walking along platform 10 (Exit C on the diagram). During peak hours, the entrance to platform 10 is blocked by fare gates to prevent fare evasion by those travelling to the Technology Park area; these are opened during off-peak times or on the rare occasion when a train needs to stop at the platform. The other two entrances have their fare gates operating at all times.
At present, Redfern does not have Easy Access for wheelchairs. All above-ground platforms are accessible by stairs, so this would hinder most wheelchair access to the station. Platforms 11 and 12 are accessible by either stairs or escalators from a separate concourse near the Gibbons St exit.
In April 2006, Transport Minister John Watkins announced plans for a $2 million inquiry into concept designs for upgrading the station, including Easy Access facilities. The station requires upgrading due to an influx of new residents and workers set to result from the Redfern-Waterloo urban renewal project."$2 million concept: New designs on stations", Matt Sun, MX, April 6, 2006, p. 4
Station Map
Diagram of Redfern Railway Station layout
Legend:
Station Concourse
Platforms
Offices/Other Facilities
Ticket Barriers
Stairs/Escalators
Bus Services
Redfern does not have a connecting bus interchange; however, there is a stop next to the entrance to Platforms 11 and 12 on Gibbons St. This serves the following routes:
305 - Railway Square (inbound); Qantas Centre, Mascot via Alexandria (outbound).
308 - Millers Point (Argyle St) (inbound) via City; Marrickville Metro (Smidmore St) (outbound) via Alexandria.
309/310 - Circular Quay via City (inbound) (outbound does not pass by Redfern Station). There are also peak hour express service equivalents X09 & X10.
LO9 - Peak hour limited stops service to Port Botany Bus Depot (Bumborah Pt Rd).
