Wednesday, December 31, 2008

New Avondale Railway Station earthworks


More photos today, this time of the southern end of the works at hand.

The view above is from the Chalmers Street crossing. The old clay bank is cut into (and this, folks, is the same seam of clay William Hunt used to kick-off his brickyard and potter works just to the south in 1882), likely for the second track to go in.

Compare with a shot from roughly the same position on 6 February this year. (below)


Then, I walked back up Chalmers street, and stepped onto the unformed part of Layard Street for the first time, and took a shot looking down at the St Judes crossing. (photo of this part of the road reserve from November this year at the link). Ontrack's contractors had used the old paper road as an accessway to the St Judes part of the construction -- to the chagrin of local residents who live alongside the once verdantly green reserve according to one who spoke to me today down in Avondale township). Deep vehicle tracks have been left, turning more than half the area into a bog. The residents there take enough pride in the reserve that they keep one strip mowed more often than the Council's mowing crews come out, so there's at least one manicured lawn section to the reserve.



Below, a close-up from distance of what's happening between St Judes Street and Crayford Street -- a general levelling and cutting into the clay bank to widen the line for the double track.


And what we have today as the crossing over the railway lines at Crayford Street -- but it is no longer a crossing (for the moment) while work continues. Bit of a pain in the rear having to detour either via Rosebank Road or St Judes Street to get to the central township area and the buses, but -- it has to be done.


And this, folks, is where the new station will ultimately be located. The "before" shot from late September this year is at the bottom.



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