Sydney Underground Railways - Disused Tunnels

Disused Tunnels

Sydney has several disused tunnels. The best known of these are those leading out of St James station. There are also two instances of disused tunnels and platforms on the Eastern Suburbs line at Redfern and Central (see below). These stations have these disused platforms adjacent (but walled off from) the platforms currently in use. There are also stub tunnels at North Sydney railway station for a never constructed Manly to Mona Vale line.

From the top of the northern stair to platform 10 at Redfern Station it is possible to view the unfinished structure for the low-level "up" (toward Central) Southern Suburbs platform. The associated never-used tunnels are quite complex. Immediately to your left is the (surface level) stub tunnel for the "down" Southern Suburbs track. This short tunnel exits on the northern side of Lawson Street road bridge. As a matter of interest, there are at least nine railway tunnels under the suburb of Redfern: some in use, some never used.

The never-used platforms at Central, numbered 26 and 27, lie above the Eastern Suburbs Railway platforms and have never been used for trains. Like St. James station, these stations have stub tunnels, although they are much shorter.

There are three tunnels formerly part of the Metropolitan Goods Lines. One runs underneath Railway Square, between the Central station railway yards and the Powerhouse Museum, the others underneath Pyrmont and Glebe. The first tunnel is now only used to service the Powerhouse Museum. The former railway from the Powerhouse Museum to Lilyfield, including Pyrmont and Glebe tunnels, has been converted to form part of the Metro Light Rail line from Central station.

Also of interest is a tunnel connecting the Eveleigh rail yards, on the southern side of the main line, to the northern side of the main line, running beneath Redfern station. This tunnel remains in use for the transfer of empty trains from Central (terminal) station to the service centre.