Part One: Level CrossingsSuburban railway "level crossings" don't exist in Sydney (maybe there are one or two?). There is always a road overpass or underpass. They remain very much part of the Melbourne suburban landscape. Bells and lights start, the boom gates come down, and the pedestrian gates across the tracks close automatically.
Apparently Melbourne stopped its program of replacing level crossings in the early 1970s, to divert money to construction of the Eastern Freeway.
there are quite a few level crossings still in use in the Sydney metro area. Most are in the outer suburbs though. There is at least 5 on the Richmond line although one is a private industrial one.
ReplyDeleteIt is strange, isn't it. Been here a couple of months and you regularly have to deal with them, where as growing up in Sydney they were non-existent.
ReplyDeleteJim (comment 1)
I'm surprised by that, I can recall a drive back in the 80s to get rid of the remaining level crossings in Sydney, thought they'd done so.
Ha ha! this drives me mad about Melbourne too. I grew up there (now in Sydney) and Mum always had to plan the driving to school run around the train timetable as we lived on the opposite side of the tracks to the train.
ReplyDeleteBtw, have recommended your blog to others on my vox blog site (see address below). I have set up a group on there called 'Love where you live' which is all about being a tourist in your own town (something exemplified in your blog).
Cheers
Emu
Blog site doesn't seem to have shown up but is www.catandv.vox.com if you are interested in having a look sometime.
ReplyDeleteSally, we have them in Adelaide too. Trouble is, people get killed there - too often in fact.
ReplyDelete