Make way for Metro: End of the line for Bankstown as trains cease
Make way for the Metro: No less than Queen Elizabeth II happily travelled it, but it’s the end of an era as Bankstown rail line with the last heavy rail passenger trains to run between Campsie and Birrong early Saturday.
NSW
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This weekend marks the end of an era for Sydney’s Bankstown rail line, as the final heavy rail passenger trains run between Campsie and Birrong in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Rail enthusiasts are expected to pack these final trains, eager to experience the last trips along the full T3 line before its transformation.
From then on, services at Birrong, Yagoona, Bankstown, Punchbowl, Wiley Park, Lakemba and Belmore will cease, as a large part of the line is transformed to accommodate the Sydney Metro.
The last full-length heavy rail service from Liverpool to the city via the T3 line will depart Liverpool at 12.24am Saturday, and pass through Bankstown at 12.52am, according to Transport for NSW.
The final service from the city to Liverpool will leave Central at 1.30am Saturday.
From Saturday, passengers will be transferred to buses for travel between Lidcombe, Bankstown and Campsie until Sunday, September 29.
During this period, trains will continue to run between Liverpool and the city via Regents Park, and between Campsie and the city, though some services will follow a revised timetable.
RICH HISTORY
The Bankstown rail line has a rich history, first opening in stages. The section between Marrickville and Burwood Road — now known as Belmore — was approved in 1890 and began service on February 1, 1895.
Belmore was the terminus until 1909, when the line was extended to Bankstown on April 14. Built as a double track, the line was electrified on October 24, 1926, with Punchbowl hosting an electric train depot until its closure in 1995.
The line has long served both the local population and as a crucial link to relieve congestion on the south coast, southern and western rail routes.
THE DAY THE QUEEN DROPPED IN
The original extension to Bankstown cost £36,559, a project delayed two years by adverse weather and other issues. A further extension to Sefton Park Junction in 1928 connected Bankstown to the western and southern lines.
One of the line’s most memorable moments occurred in May 1980, when Queen Elizabeth II visited Bankstown, bestowing it the status of a ‘city’. She travelled from Bankstown to Martin Place by double-deck suburban train, covering the route in just 35 minutes — ten minutes faster than today’s services.
Beyond passenger services, the Australian Railway Historical Society says the Bankstown line has been key to Sydney’s rail freight operations, with goods lines running parallel to suburban tracks since 1916, connecting with Chullora, Enfield’s marshalling yards and locomotive depot near Campsie.
The T3 Bankstown Line will close between Sydenham and Bankstown on Monday, September 30, to allow work to begin on converting the line for Sydney Metro. In its place, a new T6 Lidcombe & Bankstown Line shuttle will operate between Lidcombe and Bankstown, while the T3 Liverpool & Inner West Line will run from Liverpool to the city via Lidcombe. The T8 South Line will service St Peters and Erskineville stations.
The Rail, Tram and Bus Union however is now threatening to shut down all trains along the whole T3 Liverpool & Inner West line preventing people travelling from Cabramatta and Regents Park.
This weekend’s final journeys signal the end of a chapter in Sydney’s rail history as the city looks toward a Metro future.
Originally published as Make way for Metro: End of the line for Bankstown as trains cease
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