North Sydney Station is situated 15km from Central Station in Sydney, Australia. It serves the Central Business District (CBD), the main commercial centre of North Sydney, popularly known as the City.
It is the fourth busiest railway station in New South Wales and caters to services on three routes – the North Shore Line, Northern Line and Western Line. Rail Corporation New South Wales (RailCorp) owns and operates it under the brand name CityRail.
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The station underwent a major upgrade in 2008 to accommodate the increasing passenger traffic.
History
North Sydney Station was opened in March 1932 to coincide with the opening of Sydney Harbour Bridge and the North Shore Line. It had not undergone any significant upgrade since its original construction. With more than 17,000 passengers using the station during peak hours, there were no adequate amenities to provide high service to the commuters.
It was estimated that about 75,000 passengers would use the station on a daily basis by 2021. In addition, the opening of the Epping to Chatswood Rail line (ECRL) in 2008 was expected to further increase passenger traffic at the North Sydney station.
In order to ease the passenger flow, the Transport Infrastructure Development Corporation (TIDC) decided to upgrade the station. The project was intended to transform the station into a larger, more open facility to provide easy access to all passengers while making the building a landmark of the North Sydney CBD.
The $88m project began in mid 2006 and was completed in 2008.
Design and construction
Australian-based engineering and consultant firm Bovis Lend Lease was the main contractor of the upgrade project. The construction was challenging as it had to be carried out whilst the station was still operational.
The upgrade included expansion of the upper concourse, installation of two escalators between the concourse and each platform, and creation of levelled platforms for passengers boarding and alighting from trains. It also included addition of new lighting and ventilation provisions, fire detection and protection systems, and enhanced safety and security systems.
Three wider staircase sets and a large ticket office with 16 additional gates were constructed to ease passenger navigation.
Nepean Engineering was subcontracted for the construction of the new roof, two new lift shafts, mezzanine floors and sunshades on Blue Street and Platform 4.
As part of the subcontract Nepean fabricated and installed 220t of steel structural roof. The roof structure was built over the existing concourse with four main portal frames of 37.5m in length. Each of the support beams measured 37.5m long and weighed about 8t. They were assembled on site at Blue Street and later lifted by cranes into position and erect on the building.
The north and south elevations with glass façade were raised by additional 10m.
Vertical windows were constructed on the north and south sides of the station building to facilitate natural lighting and ventilation.
The environmental management system was provided by Australian Quality Assurance & Superintendence (AQUAS). It involved reviewing, approving and monitoring of the site, endorsing contractor’s environmental management plan and control maps and providing relevant reports and recommendations to TIDC.
The safety staff and all the safe working equipment such as the radios, flags and motor vehicles were supplied by Swetha International.
Lift facilities and major works were completed in June and December 2008 respectively.
Platforms
North Sydney has four platforms that are aligned with the four railway tracks designed to cross the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
The outer platforms are used during non-peak hours. Terminating trains coming from Sydney CBD use the middle platforms.
Facilities
The station is wheelchair accessible. Some of the general facilities available are pay phone, passenger display screens and help point. Bus and taxi stand is situated close to the station.
