|
Sydney has at present three main subway lines; a fourth is currently under construction. The oldest is the main city loop, which runs between Central, Town Hall, Wynyard, Circular Quay, St. James and Museum stations. Central and Circular Quay are above-ground stations (Circular Quay is in fact elevated, directly underneath the Cahill Expressway), while the remainder are below-ground. This line was originally openned in the 1920s, though Circular Quay station was not completed until the 1950s. (Until then, the tunnel leading from St. James to Circular Quay was used for a number of purposes, including as a mushroom farm and as a bunker for US General Douglas Macarthur during World War II, before he moved from Sydney to Townsville: see discussion of disused tunnels below.) |
|
Sydney has at present three main subway lines; a fourth is currently under construction. The oldest is the main city loop, which runs between Central, Town Hall, Wynyard, Circular Quay, St. James and Museum stations. Central and Circular Quay are above-ground stations (Circular Quay is in fact elevated, directly underneath the Cahill Expressway), while the remainder are below-ground. This line was originally opened in the 1920s, though Circular Quay station was not completed until the 1950s. (Until then, the tunnel leading from St. James to Circular Quay was used for a number of purposes, including as a mushroom farm and as a bunker for US General Douglas Macarthur during World War II, before he moved from Sydney to Townsville: see discussion of disused tunnels below.) |
|
The third line is the Airport Line, which openned in the year 2000, just in time for the Sydney Olympics. This runs between Central, Green Square, International (underneath International terminal at Sydney Airport), Domestic (underneath the Domestic terminal), and Wolli Creek. After Wolli Creek it joins the above-ground East Hills line. |
|
The third line is the Airport Line, which opened in the year 2000, just in time for the Sydney Olympics. This runs between Central, Green Square, International (underneath International terminal at Sydney Airport), Domestic (underneath the Domestic terminal), and Wolli Creek. After Wolli Creek it joins the above-ground East Hills line. |
|
Currently in the initial stages of construction is the Parramatta-Chatswood line, which will travel mostly underground. This will link Parramatta to Chatswood to Epping, partially via the pre-existing Carlingford line, incorporating six new stations (new underground platforms at Parramatta, Epping and Chatswood, underground stations at Macquarie University, UWS Kuringai and Delhi Road, plus new surface platforms on the Carlingford line.) The line was originally expected to open in 2006; delays and budget overruns have meant that now only the Epping to Chatswood section will be open by then, with the Parramatta to Chatswood section possibly not openning until after 2010. |
|
Currently in the initial stages of construction is the Parramatta-Chatswood line, which will travel mostly underground. This will link Parramatta to Chatswood to Epping, partially via the pre-existing Carlingford line, incorporating six new stations (new underground platforms at Parramatta, Epping and Chatswood, underground stations at Macquarie University, UWS Kuringai and Delhi Road, plus new surface platforms on the Carlingford line.) The line was originally expected to open in 2006; delays and budget overruns have meant that now only the Epping to Chatswood section will be open by then, with the Parramatta to Chatswood section possibly not opening until after 2010. |
|
At the southern end the tunnels grow progressively narrower, and begin to rise above the two tunnels currently in use, at one point passing directly underneath the Bondi Junction line, until they finally reach a dead end. In the northern direction, the tunnels open up into a chamber, roughly underneath NSW State Parliament and the NSW State Library, that ends in a large rockface; this however is not the end of the tunnel. Two smaller passages lead into the rockface; one at floor level which extends only a few meters before ending, the several meters above the tunnel floor which passes through the rockface before openning at another chamber at the other side. |
|
At the southern end the tunnels grow progressively narrower, and begin to rise above the two tunnels currently in use, at one point passing directly underneath the Bondi Junction line, until they finally reach a dead end. In the northern direction, the tunnels open up into a chamber, roughly underneath NSW State Parliament and the NSW State Library, that ends in a large rockface; this however is not the end of the tunnel. Two smaller passages lead into the rockface; one at floor level which extends only a few meters before ending, the several meters above the tunnel floor which passes through the rockface before opening at another chamber at the other side. |
|
The chamber ends in a lake, which has been nicknamed "Lake St. James". This lake has been formed by water seeping down from the Botanic Gardens irrigation system, the Botanic Gardens being directly above it. Eels are reported to live in the lake, though no one knows how eels found their way into a disused subway tunnel. The lake is quite large, disappearing out of sight around a bend in the chamber. At the opposite end of the chamber, the roof lowers until it is at water level. It is unknown how far the tunnel continues underwater. As well as the lake, a lot of the other chambers of the tunnels at both ends are flooded. |
|
The chamber ends in a lake, which has been nicknamed "Lake St. James". This lake has been formed by water seeping down from the Botanic Gardens irrigation system, the Botanic Gardens being directly above it. Eels are reported to live in the lake, though no one knows how eels found their way into a disused subway tunnel. The lake is quite large, disappearing out of sight around a bend in the chamber. It continues past the bend for about 50 metres then ends in abruptly in a rocky, half-completed face. The end section of the tunnel is interesting - the lower half of the face looks more finished and is flooded quite deeply - hard to tell how deep, perhaps several metres. There is a ladder leading out of the flooded section into the small, uncompleted rocky alcove at the top, which you can climb into if you want to be covered in some really filthy, old mud. It extends for about 3 metres. From here you can shine your torch back into the tunnel and create some interesting light effects from the distortion effect of the tunnel and the clear, light bluish water. As well as the lake, a lot of the other chambers of the tunnels at both ends are flooded, but only shallowly - maximum 2 foot deep. When you are at the start of the tunnel, note the narrow rail tracks running into the water. They go all the way to the end. It would be worthwhile diving to the bottom of this tunnel at the end and investigating whether the end of this tunnel does indeed end abruptly, as there are some interesting sections vaguely discernible from the water surface. I don't know about the water quality or the eels, but it looks pretty clear. |
![[Home]](wikipedia.png)