Overview
Brisbanites, if catching a train is on your agenda this Christmas period, then you might want to rethink your travel plans. TransLink has announced that signal work will be undertaken on the Ipswich, Springfield and Inner City lines between Saturday, December 22 and Saturday, December 29, with a long list of stations closing as a result. Buses will replace rail services in the affected areas.
Specifically, trains won't run between Darra and Roma Street for the entire eight-day period, with the ten stations between the two spots completely closed while the works are in progress. And, for three specific days — on Tuesday, December 25 and Wednesday, December 26, and again on Saturday, December 29 — trains won't run in the inner city either, shutting down the Roma Street, Central, Fortitude Valley and Bowen Hills stations.
Stations at South Brisbane, South Bank and Park Road will also close on December 25, 26 and 29, while Albion will be closed to trains on the Ipswich, Springfield, Caboolture, Cleveland, Doomben and Shorncliffe and lines on the same dates.
For those in the city's west, trains will still run from Darra towards Ipswich and Springfield during the shutdown. The same applies from Park Road and Albion — that is, services heading away from the city will still be operational.
The closures are part of Queensland Rail's Roma Street to Corinda Signals Upgrade Project, which, as the name makes plain, involves upgrading signals along that stretch of track. Sixteen signalling gantries will be replaced with signal portals, signal huts and equipment, as well as trackside cabling and equipment, while two new track crossovers will be constructed near Milton station. The crossovers will let trains turn back, and then be stored along the corridor between Milton and Sherwood stations, which QR says will help during the morning peak period.
If you're thinking that this'll add some time to your journey, you're absolutely right. Travellers have been advised to factor an extra hour into their trip each way.
For more information, and to check train and bus timetables between Saturday, December 22 and Saturday, December 29, visit the TransLink website.
Image: Denisbin via Flickr.