Perth railway station

Perth Railway Station is the largest station on the Transperth network, serving the central business district of Perth, Western Australia. It serves as an interchange between the Armadale, Fremantle, Joondalup, Mandurah and Midland lines as well as Transwa's Australind service.

This article is about the railway station in Western Australia. For the railway station in Scotland, see Perth railway station (Scotland).

Perth
Wellington Street entrance in March 2005
Location	Wellington Street, Roe Street Perth, Western Australia Australia
Coordinates	31.951493°S 115.860448°E / -31.951493; 115.860448
Owned by	Transperth
Operated by	Transperth
Line(s)	Armadale/Thornlie lines      Fremantle line      Joondalup line      Mandurah line      Midland line      Australind
Platforms	9 (3 side above ground, 2 islands above ground, 1 island below ground)
Tracks	9
Bus routes	15
Connections	Bus transfer at Perth Busport, Wellington Street, and William Street
Construction
Structure type	Ground & underground
Platform levels	2
Parking	No
Bicycle facilities	Yes
Disabled access	Yes
Architectural style	Neoclassical
Other information
Status	Staffed
Station code	MPH
Fare zone	1 /
History
Opened	1 March 1881
Electrified	Yes
Traffic
Passengers (2017)	38,159 daily[1]
Services Preceding station Transperth Following station Terminus Armadale line McIver towards Armadale Thornlie line McIver towards Thornlie through to Fremantle line Midland line McIver towards Midland through to Midland line Fremantle line All, D City West towards Shenton Park or Fremantle through to Joondalup line Mandurah line All, K, W Elizabeth Quay towards Cockburn Central, Rockingham or Mandurah Elizabeth Quay Terminus Joondalup line All, K, W Leederville towards Whitfords, Clarkson or Butler Under development through to Fremantle line Airport line McIver towards High Wycombe Future development Terminus Morley–Ellenbrook line McIver towards Ellenbrook Preceding station Transwa Following station Terminus Australind Armadale towards Bunbury
Western Australia Heritage Register
Official name	Perth Railway Precinct
Type	State Registered Place
Designated	28 August 2001
Reference no.	2133

History

View of old Platform 2, now Platform 5

Perth Underground Murray Street entrance

Establishment

The foundation stone for the George Temple-Poole designed Perth station was laid on 10 May 1880, with the station opening on 1 March 1881 part of the Eastern Railway from Fremantle to Guildford.[2][3][4] It had one through platform with terminating bay platforms at either end. The Neoclassical style building had a second storey added in 1894 that became the headquarters of the Western Australian Government Railways until 1976.[5] A planned third storey and clocktower were never built.[6][7] The building has been renovated and expanded numerous times since being built, as well as the forecourt entrance area.

The station was the centre of the Western Australian Government Railways system with most regional trains originating from the station. A collection of freight and administrative offices and tearooms were part of the railway station complex.

The railway building has at times housed various commercial operations as well as police offices. The WA Craft Council was a tenant in the 1980s.[8]

For a considerable length of time the forecourt area was used for car parking. This is now very limited except for official vehicles. The building had the Barrack Street and William Street bridges as limiting factors to its development; patrons were able to gain direct access to the station by escalators and walkways, though with the introduction of SmartRider gates the William Street entrance was fenced off and its walkway and exit eventually removed.

Changes

As early as the 1950s, there were moves and suggestions for the redevelopment of the station area.[9]

Following the cessation of most regional services, the completion of standard gauge tracks to East Perth station, and the relocation of most administrative offices to the Westrail Centre alongside, by the late 1970s Perth station remained as a terminus for The Australind service to Bunbury, as well as Transperth suburban services.

In connection with the electrification of the Armadale line, a ninth platform was added in 1992.[10]

As part of the New MetroRail project, the station was refurbished with new underground platforms built at a 90-degree angle to the existing platforms beneath Gordon Stephenson House to the east of William Street, between Wellington and Murray Streets.[11] The new platforms opened on 15 October 2007.[12][13] The underground platforms, numbered 1 and 2, are known as Perth Underground, but are considered part of the overall Perth station. The existing platforms were refurbished with the above ground platforms reduced from nine to seven.[11]

The underground platforms were linked to the original Perth station via a walkway under Wellington Street, and also via an entrance from the west end of the Murray Street pedestrian mall that opened on 19 December 2013.[14][15]

In September 2013, a new Platform 9 on the Roe Street side of the station opened.[16] This new platform was temporarily used for special event services until mid-December 2013, before becoming part of the Midland line.[17]

Plaques formerly in entrance area to station

The railway station entrance area had plaques to commemorate the following events:

• 1 March 1981 – centenary of Fremantle to Guildford railway
• 14 November 1989 – Perth to Joondalup railway first spike driven
• 28 September 1991 – introduction of electric trains
• 11 April 1992 – commissioning of electric train services
• 25 March 1994 – centenary of railway station

Platforms & services

See also: List of old Perth railway station platform arrangements

Perth station
Track layout and surrounding railyard
3 4 8 6 9 7 5 1 2

Platforms currently in use are as follows:

[2776] Perth Underground station platforms

Stop	Platform	Line	Stopping pattern	Destination	Notes
99601	1	Joondalup	All stations	Butler
			K	Clarkson	Pattern K only operates on weekdays.[18]
			W	Whitfords	Pattern W only operates on weekdays.[18]
99602	2	Mandurah	All stations	Mandurah
			K	Rockingham	Pattern K only operates on weekdays.[18]
			W	Cockburn Central	Pattern W only operates on weekdays.[18]

[2776] Main platforms

Stop	Platform	Line	Stopping pattern	Destination	Notes
95499	3	Australind	All stations	Bunbury	Transwa service[19]
99004	4	Thornlie	T	Thornlie	[20]
99005	5	Armadale	All stations, B, C	Armadale	[20]
99006	6	Armadale	C#	Armadale	Peak hours on weekdays only.[20]
99007	7	Fremantle	All stations, A, B, S	Fremantle	[21]
			D	Shenton Park	Pattern D only operates on weekdays.[21]
			S+	Showgrounds	Pattern deviations to All, A, and B patterns to stop at Showgrounds.
99008	8	Midland	All stations, A, B, P	Midland	Services coming from Fremantle tunnel arrive at this platform, proceeding to Midland[22][23] Joondalup Line pattern P terminates at this platform[18]
99009	9	Midland		Midland	Special service platform

Transport links

Several Transperth bus routes stop adjacent to Perth station. Buses also operate from the nearby Perth Busport, and rail replacement services also depart from the nearby Perth Busport.

Stop	Route	Destination / description	Notes
[12129] Beaufort Street	1 Blue CAT	to Elizabeth Quay Bus Station → Northbridge → Elizabeth Quay Busport[24]	Circular service[24]
[26788] Wellington Street Eastbound, west of Barrack Street	16	to Dianella via Wellington Street, Beaufort Street, North Street, Wood Street, Crawford Road, Browning Street & Alexander Drive[25]
	220	to Armadale Station via Albany Highway[26]
	960	to Curtin University bus station via Wellington Street, Albany Highway & Kent Street[27]	High frequency[27]
[12901] Wellington Street Eastbound Red/Yellow CAT[28][29][30]	2 Red CAT	to East Perth → West Perth → East Perth[24]	Circular service[24]
	3 Yellow CAT	to East Perth via Wellington Street[24]
[12902] Wellington Street Eastbound, east of Horseshoe Bridge[28][29][30]	41	to Bayswater via Lord Street, Eight Avenue, Maylands, Caledonian Street, Stone Street & Frington Street[31]
	42	to Maylands via Lord Street & Peninsula Road[32]
	48	to Morley Bus Station via Lord Street, Guildford Road & Bayswater Station[33]
	55	to Bassendean via Lord Street, Guildford Road, Ashfield, Hardy Road & West Road[34]
	60	to Morley Bus Station via William Street, North Street, Dundas Road & Walter Road West[35]
	66	to Morley Bus Station via Beaufort Street & Russell Street[36]	Limited stops[36]
	950	Morley Bus Station via Beaufort Street[37]	High frequency[37]
[12924] Wellington Street Westbound Red/Yellow CAT[28][29][30]	2 Red CAT	to East Perth → West Perth → East Perth[24]	Circular service[24]
	3 Yellow CAT	to West Perth via Wellington Street[24]
[26201] Wellington Street Westbound	16, 220	to Perth Busport[25][26]
	41, 42, 48, 55, 60, 66, 67, 68	to Elizabeth Quay Bus Station[31][32][33][34][35][36][38][39]
	950	to QEII Medical Centre via Mounts Bay Road, University of Western Australia & Hampden Road[37]	High frequency[37]
	960	to Mirrabooka bus station via Perth Busport, Fitzgerald Street, Alexander Drive & Yirrigan Drive[27]	High frequency[27]
[10221] William Street on Horseshoe Bridge	1 Blue CAT	to Elizabeth Quay Busport → Northbridge → Elizabeth Quay Busport[24]	Circular service[24]

References

1. "Welcome to Seaforth — the loneliest train station on the Perth rail network". ABC. 13 March 2018. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
2. Newland, Andrew; Quinlan, Howard (2000). Australian Railway Routes 1854 - 2000. Redfern: Australian Railway Historical Society. p. 64. ISBN 0-909650-49-7.
3. Higham, Geoffrey (2007). Marble Bar to Mandurah: A history of passenger rail services in Western Australia. Bassendean: Rail Heritage WA. pp. 10, 77. ISBN 978 0 9803922 0 3.
4. History of Perth Only Perth
5. Affleck, Fred (1978). On Track: The making of Westrail 1950 - 1976. Western Australian Railways Commission. p. 171. ISBN 0 7244 7560 5.
6. Nock, Ossie (1971). Railways of Australia. London: Charles & Black. p. 226. ISBN 0 7136 1190 1.
7. Perth Railway Precinct Stage Heritage Office
8. O'Connor, Porter and Salmon (1987). Challenges : fine Western Australian crafts : Crafts Council of Western Australia, Crafts Council Centre, Perth City Railway Station. Perth, W.A: Crafts Council of W.A.
9. New Heart for Perth Society (1953–1974). New Heart for Perth Society records, 1953-1974 (manuscript). Retrieved 19 February 2016. See specifically the section 'Biography'.
10. Lifting of northern pedestrian overpass at Perth station Government of Western Australia 12 June 1992
11. Perth City Link Public Transport Authority
12. Perth CBD's first underground train station in operation ABC News 15 October 2007
13. Annual Report for year ended 30 June 2008 Public Transport Authority
14. Pedestrian underpass Public Transport Authority March 2012
15. Annual Report for year ended 30 June 2014 Public Transport Authority
16. September 2013 works update Public Transport Authority
17. Midland Line permanent platform change Transperth 11 December 2013
18. Joondalup Line timetable Transperth 31 January 2016
19. Timetables Transwa
20. Armadale/Thornlie Line timetable Transperth 31 January 2016
21. Fremantle Line timetable Transperth 31 January 2016
22. Midland Line Timetable Transperth 31 January 2016
23. Midland Line - Platform Change Transperth 25 August 2014
24. Perth CAT Timetable 203 (PDF). Transperth. n.d. [effective from 10 March 2019].
25. Bus Route 16 Timetable. Transperth.
26. "Route 220". Bus Timetable 3 (PDF). Transperth. n.d. [effective from 7 October 2018].
27. "Route 960". Bus Timetable 210 (PDF). Transperth. n.d. [effective from 10 March 2019].
28. Routes 28, 81, 84, 85, 91, 92, 95, 213, 220, 401, School Specials, Blue, Red and Yellow CAT services - Forrest Place disruptions, Transperth website, accessed 10 March 2010
29. Routes 28, 81, 84, 91, 92, 213, 220, 401, Red and Yellow CATs – Forrest Place bus stops reintroduction, Transperth website, accessed 1 September 2011
30. Routes 23, 28, 30, 31, 34, 78, 79, 81, 92, 102, 107, 213, 220, 401, 881, 940, school specials, Red and Yellow CAT - service disruptions, Transperth website, accessed 20 May 2012
31. "Route 41". Bus Timetable 103 (PDF). Transperth. n.d. [effective from 25 August 2019].
32. "Route 42". Bus Timetable 103 (PDF). Transperth. n.d. [effective from 25 August 2019].
33. "Route 48". Bus Timetable 103 (PDF). Transperth. n.d. [effective from 25 August 2019].
34. "Route 55". Bus Timetable 103 (PDF). Transperth. n.d. [effective from 25 August 2019].
35. "Route 60". Bus Timetable 102 (PDF). Transperth. n.d. [effective from 25 August 2019].
36. "Route 66". Bus Timetable 106 (PDF). Transperth. n.d. [effective from 4 November 2018].
37. "Route 950". Bus Timetable 202 (PDF). Transperth. n.d. [effective from 5 August 2018].
38. "Route 67". Bus Timetable 106 (PDF). Transperth. n.d. [effective from 4 November 2018].
39. "Route 68". Bus Timetable 106 (PDF). Transperth. n.d. [effective from 4 November 2018].

Further reading

• Finlayson, Don (1986) Steam around Perth ARHS WA - has photos of the earlier forms of the station - page 55 for example

External links

• Station front in November 1936 Curtin University
• Vintage aerial photograph by Frank Hurley at the National Library of Australia