Crowds flock to celebrate the opening of the newly electrified Gawler train line

After years of delays, the Gawler train line finally opened to the public on Sunday. Trainspotters flocked to the first service at 5.25am, and the rest got on later.

It was a day of celebration as the newly renovated Gawler line opened its doors to passengers on Sunday, after years of delays.

The electrification of the Adelaide to Gawler line was first announced by former Labor premier Mike Rann in 2008 and began construction in 2019, but faced serious setbacks caused by the installation of overhead towers and the Covid pandemic.

Project director Gareth Hose, 40, worked on the project for the past 18 months and said that this is a dream more than three years in the making.

“This is exciting for everyone, it’s exciting for my team, and more importantly it’s exciting for the people in the north,” he said.

“It is a great reward for those who have stuck through this project right from the get go.”

People board for the free train ride on the newly opened Gawler Line at Gawler station, SA. Picture Emma Brasier

Mr Hose was grateful to see the crowd of people ready to jump on board and hopes that the train line will encourage people to get back into the CBD.

“The train gives them a cleaner and easier way of getting back to the city,” he said.

“I think this will give everyone confidence that public transport is back and it’s there to be used.”

Hundreds of locals flocked to the Gawler station to partake of the festivities, grabbing some face paint and a sausage sizzle before climbing on board for a ride to the CBD.

The most dedicated of railway enthusiasts were among the crowd including 18-year-old Tom McGuire who said the electric train experience was far more “refined” compared with the “shrill bumpiness of the old 3000 class diesel multiple units”.

The new trains reached speeds of 110km/h, Mr McGuire said, yet the journey was smoother and quieter than the previous units which travelled up to 90km/h.

“There was a general excited buzz from the people aboard the no. 4009 (Gawler Central bound) train,” he said.

Twin brothers Alex and Thomas Wittmann, 8, enjoyed the party. Picture Emma Brasier

The Baker Boy Band Members Emile Ryjoch and Luke White play on either side of Teresa Hollinshead from Dept of Transport and Bring me Magic’s Greg Brusic entertain the crowd. Picture Emma Brasier

No one was more excited to witness the new improved train line than identical twins Thomas and Alex, who have loved trains since birth.

“These guys have always loved trains, they build these elaborate sets at home and have been able to recite all the stations since they were about three years old,” said mum Rachael Wittmann, 39.

The eight-year-olds have already planned all the extravagant journeys they will make on the Gawler train but first on the list was a trip to the museum to see the giant squid.

Ms Wittmann – a Gawler resident – was anticipating how the train will improve her family’s everyday life.

“My husband works in the city and it has been very difficult having him take the bus,” she said.

“The bus is just so slow, so he is getting home quite late and sometimes it has gone the wrong way or has gotten lost.

“Now we just have more options and it will be so easy for us to get anywhere around Adelaide”

However, the state opposition said the future of train operator Keolis Downer and hundreds of jobs are still “hanging in the balance”.

Prior to the election, Labor vowed to rip up the operator’s contract and “return public transport into public hands”.

Shadow transport spokesman Vincent Tarzia said new information provided to the opposition suggests the exit fee could be $70m if the Keolis Downer contract was terminated before June 2023.

“The Labor Party assured South Australians that cancelling the Keolis Downer contract won’t cost a cent, but all other evidence suggests otherwise,” he said.

“Labor has the power right now to review the contract. They could find out in a matter of seconds if it will cost millions to break the Keolis Downer deal.”

This month’s state budget allocated $1m for an inquiry that will investigate the most efficient way to end the the contract. The government has rejected the $70m figure.