Ropes Creek Line: Lost Sydney

[@BuildingBeautifully]

Hey there! Hope you all enjoyed this one :)) It was a long time in the making, but it's finally done! One rather peculiar fact about the Ropes Creek Line that didn’t make it into the video is that part of its former corridor through Dunheved was to be preserved for the Outer Sydney Orbital Freight Line Corridor, planned to be built in the far future, as a spur loop off the main line, to allow for access to the Dunheved Industrial Area. But...this loop was later removed from plans. I wanted to reinforce my gratitude to tressteleg1 for allowing me to use his old video of the line! I am very grateful, and this video wouldn't have been the same without it. If you have any other nagging curiosities about the Ropes Creek Line, read the description; I left a lot of info and links there. Finally, a fun fact; I filmed this video the same day I filmed my Denistone video. I somehow managed to film both videos before even eating lunch that day! I stalled on editing this video simply because I just felt like making other videos first. Anyways, have a good week everyone! Follow me on Insta and Twitter to hear from me daily, instead of just every few weeks in my videos. I'm a lot more casual on those platforms than I am in my videos, so you'll get to see a different side to me maybe :))

[@davidrayner9832]

Excellent video. Back around 1983 as a young trainee driver, I spent a day on the Blacktown shunter and we took a wagon into the munitions factory. They opened the gate, we pushed the wagon in and stopped, they closed the gate, we pushed the wagon to where they wanted it, we uncoupled and went back to the gate, they opened it, we left and and they closed the gate. Myself, the driver and the shunter were the only three people not carring machine guns. A few years later as a driver on the suburbans, I drove the afternoon train to Rope's Creek one Thursday, knowing full well the line was closing the following day and silly me didn't think to take a picture, much less a movie. I visted Rope's Creek Station a couple of years ago to see if anything remained of it and took several pics but too little too late. I'd love to have a pic of myself standing next to my train there. Same goes for other lines in Sydney now closed. Would you please do a video of Royal National Park, Homebush Saleyards, Elcar and Sigway (in the Chullora Workshops complex) and Darling Harbour and Island, and Sandown?

[@BuildingBeautifully]

Shame you didn't get a photo...times were different back then, I'm sure you would have now. Thank God for tressteleg1 filming it for us to view all these years later. I certainly will add those lines to my planned videos list!

[@richardpiva3892]

Tressteleg 1 has a video of abbaitoirs to sandown.

[@larry92adventure65]

The semi retired foamer made a video about the sandown line

[@lachyder.3090]

May this year (2022) I was doing road works at the Forester Road and Links Road roundabout in St Mary's parallel to the entrance to Ropes Crossing. We dug roughly around 500-700mm (70cm) deep into the road to take out all the old asphalt and soil underneath to replace it. Directly through our marked out job we uncovered 2x sets of the railway tracks, along with the usual rocks that go underneath and around it (Ballast its called). Its hard to explain over typing; But the railway track was directly heading straight heading into Ropes Crossing. Judging by our find, we guess all the infrastructure, buildings, road and everything else was built directly above the old railway tracks, not even bothering to take the railway tracks and the ballast out before commencing St Mary's and surrounding suburbs as a whole many years ago. We had to saw cut the railway tracks in order to take them out, and to load them onto a truck which conveniently I do not know where they went after that. I'm guessing into High Quality (A recycling plant in St Mary's). It was a pretty cool find that night and this video was my perfect opportunity to tell everyone about my little find in correlation to this video. Great video as always mate. Feel free to pin this comment if need be.

[@vanessajones9455]

Wow. Thanks for sharing that story. Much appreciated.

[@BuildingBeautifully]

Wow...um, I can't believe they just covered the line in some areas. Thanks for sharing!

[@BlokeWithTheWRX]

10:02 That spot right you can see new bits of asphalt that I done in May. And right there was where we uncovered the railway tracks…awesome. Same account different name mate^.

[@DownUnderWoodWorks]

Thanks for the memories. I think it was about 1982 that I used to travel this line everyday to Cochrane as a young first year apprentice electrician. I think the munitions factory was still operating and there was a skills centre onsite for apprentices which I attended. The commonwealth land that was the area at the time basically went from Forrester Road all the way to the Northern Road where Jordan springs is now

[@andieslandies]

My Grandmother worked at the munitions factory during WWII and, almost certainly, travelled this line to and from work. Thanks for your informative videos!

[@theaussiebackflipboy]

I was lucky enough to be able to access Ropes Creek station in 2009, about a year before it was burnt out by "vandals" and managed to get a lot of photos of it as it would have looked when it closed (albeit not nice, clean and tidy). It is a shame that no thought was given to retaining the line when Ropes Crossing was planned. From Ropes Creek, the most logical extension would have been out to Windsor on the Richmond line which would have opened up tourism out that way. Also, in the early 1990s, the viaducts between St. Marys and Werrington were renewed/replaced and, as a result, the trains normally stabled (housed) at Penrith were put over at Dunheved for a while so part of the line was in use way after its official closure.

[@NateJamin]

For a kiwi who moved over to Sydney after finishing school, Ive done a lot of construction work in and around st Mary's and ropes crossing. Times where I'd glance over the Ropes Creek station and not bat an eye. Just awesome to know the historical brilliance of the area. Love the video love my home

[@mattknappick799]

Great video. When I was a teenager we "wondered" onto the ADI site. Explored the old rail corridor and hid for our safety in the abandoned booking office of Cochrane station.....from the Emus and kangaroos lol.

[@vanessajones9455]

thanks for sharing - how funny "emu's"! I still see kangaroos and white deer on my acreage here in Schofields, but havent seen any emus! 😆

[@UltimaSpark50]

@@vanessajones9455 There were definitely emus there when I was a kid! (So around early-mid 2000s.) Haven't seen them there in ages though…probably vanished with Ropes Crossing development, though I'd like to be proven wrong.

[@Elainerulesutube]

@@UltimaSpark50 They are still around the place

[@mitchellrichards9479]

@@UltimaSpark50 plenty of emus and kangaroos still. I live in the area and see them almost daily

[@Aussiebirds2024]

@@UltimaSpark50as a former resident of ropes crossing last Emu I saw was back in 2018 haven’t seen any since

[@Jimbob-JBC]

Great videos, there is a lot of history at Sutherland station . There was tram lines that went to Cronulla and also a train line that went to the cemetery

[@StephenJohnson-jb7xe]

A few years ago I went for a walk in the Wianamatta Regional Park which still has many signs of being used for munitions storage and is close to Ropes Crossing. I stumbled across the Ropes Crossing station park that day and it was really pleasing to see a part of the areas history being preserved. I wish more newly developed area did this, for example Oran Park could have tried to preserve some of it's former life as a race track.

[@sigmaoctantis1892]

There was also a munitions storage area along the east side of Mamre Rd in what is now St Clair.

[@marksearle6222]

Hi Sharath, I'm loving the quirky nature of your insights into "Hidden Sydney"!! You have a unique way of presenting historical info combined with the current reality. Keep up the good work - it is much appreciated.

[@BuildingBeautifully]

Thank you so much!!

[@GreatAussieDrives]

This was extremely entertaining and educational. Definitely one of the most interesting railway lines to have existed in the Greater Sydney area. Great stuff!

[@AustralianRailwayVideos]

It is really interesting about how much of the line remains, especially how ropes creek station has been mostly preserved! The fact that the line was just forgotten about for like 25 years is also quite interesting. Very nice video and thank you for covering this strange little line!

[@hart-of-gold]

I'm enjoying your videos. It's good to have a city planning channel covering Sydney, and even better, a well made one.

[@aussiejohn5835]

This is an excellent presentation and a return to this long forgotten line of my childhood. I have ridden this line as a child and can confirm that it was at times a lonely journey but exciting especially when military trains would pass by carrying tanks and other equipment. I am happy that you have confirmed that 2 carriages were abandoned on this line for some time as they appeared in this video. The extension of the Metro line between St Mary's and Tallawong is inevitable as shown here. Thanks again for this amazing presentation.

[@rolfeb]

The 2 carriages were transported there and used for rescue training by the NSW Fire Brigade.

[@aussiejohn5835]

@@rolfeb Thank you for that information and I had no idea that they were used for that purpose.

[@BuildingBeautifully]

Thank you so much!! Happy to have reminded you of your childhood :))

[@arokh72]

Wow I didn't even know this line existed. Great research and presentation. As another lost Sydney line, I hope you cover the Campbelltown to Camden line. I was last in Camden in 2016 and you could see the old dairy and where the trains were filled with milk, I'm not sure if that's all still there now. The line ran from 1882 till 1963.

[@Axaul]

I totally second the Camden line ❤

[@Axaul]

The dairy is still there, despite all the recent floods

[@BuildingBeautifully]

Thank you!! I'll definitely look into that as a future video

[@ReubenFarrelly]

Yes. The Camden line is another line that was ripped up to give way to a big wide road, that gets jammed packed in rush hour. The population of that LGA has almost tripled in the last 20 years (population density is about the same as Campbelltown now). If there was a station in Mt. Annan and Narellan there would likely be quite a bit of patronage and a lot of people who would no longer need to travel by car and bus to Campbelltown to get to the city. But alas I don't think there's anything much of the right-of-way left now.

[@patricktongs9766]

Thanks for the memories,I was a guard on the trains in the eighties and remember servicing the munitions factory line among others that have since disappeared(Homebush abattoir)and it was a good break to get away from the crowds around on the main lines that and the Richmond line which was then serviced by rail motors.Thanks again.

[@luke-nz5du]

You definitely have to do a vid on the old tram network

[@vanessajones9455]

Sharath, I think you have proposed some great stations along the Tallawong to St Marys line. Numerous studies overseas apparently show that stations should be around a maximum of 1km apart, as the general population will walk 500m in either direction to the closest station and not much further - AND that being the whole point of public transport (in lieu of taking the car). Thank you for your informative video - much appreciated.

[@BuildingBeautifully]

Thank you! Unfortunately, I'll bet the government will space the stations further apart than my proposal; they love doing that. Wait and see, though.

[@bretth3224]

The reason ropes creek station had to be fully restored was some one burned it down about 10 years ago. I worked in the area in the week it happened

[@RaindancerAU]

I actually smiled when I heard you say Riverstone in this video 🙂 thanks for doing what you do, I find it fascinating.

[@BuildingBeautifully]

You're gonna love my next video then 🤣 thanks for enjoying!

[@PineappleSkip]

Great video, Sharath, you’ve covered a lot of the detail of the Ropes Creek line really well. Just a couple of additions to your story. 1. The commonwealth defence land was vast and Jordan Springs is another suburb on that former site. My trusty old Gregorys street directories show a much longer leg of the network to the north west along the rough line now followed by links road, wianamatta parkway, and terminating south of Jordan Springs shopping centre. This is considerably longer than Ropes Creek branch and was truncated to one of the Dunheved sidings you note. What purpose did it serve? Gregorys doesn’t say! 2. May have been the case during or after the War, but there was no restriction on riding the line for much of its life. The few trains were all publicly tabled and the one time I rode it I just bought a return ticket to Ropes Creek and got the train. It was also ok, I was told, to photograph the stations, but not the munitions factories. Like the guards and drivers, passengers couldn’t leave the platform at Cochrane or Ropes Creek unless they were Commonwealth staff that had clearance. There were other similar stations, Clyburn between Clyde and Auburn springs to mind - it was an NSWGR employees only station, and didn’t appear in the passenger timetable, although some trains stopped there regularly.

[@BuildingBeautifully]

Ah yes, it got lost in translation when I made my script that civilians WERE allowed on the trains but couldn't get off at Cochrane or Ropes Creek. Whoops; I didn't catch that mistake. Thanks for clearing that up!

[@johnlatham7092]

Excellent video. I can see that's lots of work went into not only the research but also the production and editing. Well done young man !!

[@jadeswormfarm]

I thoroughly enjoy watching this lovely documentary. Thank you for your work 🙏

[@scottietheshark]

I've been to the new Ropes Creek. It's amazing that it used to be a station. It's amazing that an area 10-15km from my house was once barred for civilians!

[@chiranjiviupreti]

I moved to Ropes Crossing just last year (not very far from the Ropes Creek station). I was curious about why this station was there. Now I know. Thanks for the video.

[@johncunningham4820]

Really well researched . During my Military Service I went to that Site for Technical Training . Wild Emus and Kangaroos on site .

[@albert3801]

Great video Sharath. Just a bit more history. The origin proposal for Ropes Creek Station following the redevelopment was to restore and keep the original weatherboard building intact and preserved as a historical site. However around 2005 vandals set fire to it and destroyed it. That’s why the current metal skeletal memorial in the rough shape of the original station had to be built. The lever frame present there is the original lever frame. The levers are all bent and twisted as a result of the fire that destroyed the station. Dunheved was used as a site for emergency services training following the line’s closure. Some of the photos on your video show some burnt out Tangara carriages that were used for evacuation training. If you drive along Links Road and some of it’s side streets you will find remnants of tracks and freight loading platforms attached to present day warehouses that were once part of the sidings branching out from Dunheved.

[@BuildingBeautifully]

Thank you! I learnt about the remnants on Links Road only after filming; such a shame! All that history is very valuable, thank you for sharing it :))

[@RGC198]

Hi Sharath, thanks for an excellent video. I remember seeing this train line on an old railway map, but I never managed to visit the area, while living in Sydney prior to 1981. It must have been a real adventure riding a train along this line. It is interesting how they have preserved Ropes Creek station. Well done including the old footage of the line before it was closed. Anyway, take care. Rob in Melbourne Australia.

[@peterzabilka3664]

Great insight into our lost Sydney heritage rail corridors.

[@dagwould]

I knew this area well as a teenager. Dunheved was one of the 'country' golf courses my parents played at. I recall the level crossing at Links road and was fascinated by the mysterious munitions storage bunkers surrounded by 5m high earth berms dotted all about the place.

[@fknows1]

One too check out is the Warwick Farm race course station and lost railway that was still operational up into the 1980,s

[@geoffreymoore1510]

Thanks for this. I still want to visit the Rope's Crossing area and see the Rope's Creek Station memorial. I found our friend's old video of the former Rope's Crossing line.

[@Pedro1760]

Thank you for the memories. I actually worked at Ropes Creek back in the early 80s . I remember having to get a Federal clearance to be able to work at the station. I was based at St Marys in the parcel office and rode the parcel train out twice a day to operate the signals and checking tickets of passengers on the 2 ( i think ) trips .

[@davidmason7765]

Thanks for this. FYI the photo featuring NSWGR steam locomotive 2705 is from a NSW Rail Transport Museum tour on 3 June 1973; the photos featuring NSWGR steam locomotive 5274 are from a tour by the same organisation on 22 November 1965. (Their journal The Roundhouse has an index to that point in the November 1973 edition confirming this; unfortunately it isnt on line and my scan from the bound volume in the State Library of NSW isnt good enough to post)

[@jackmagee6688]

I know a bloke who, back in the 60’s was doing electrical work at the ADI site, he said they saw a dozen tipper trucks drive by, they turned into the back of the munitions site, they dumped Bernal’s in the ground. About 30 mins later a gas was seen, and smelt, over the ADI building, people were evacuated. Made them very sick. These barrels were just buried.

[@AshutoshSharma21]

I attended St Mary's Senior High School. We always used to cross the fence and visit the sidings off the mwl. Great Video

[@BuildingBeautifully]

Wow, that's bold of you! Thanks for watching

[@tippo5341]

Always a great watch Sharath, always well researched...and presented...love watching any of your content, and always looking out for new vid's. Also, am hoping the exams went well...I think that was the last update you gave us??...sorry, old so memory is a bit how'd ya be these days 😂😂😂😂😂😂 but keep on making these quality video's, they give a good insight to what Sydney might have been, what it did look like, and what it may look like moving into the future, keep up the great work young man, every video is a credit to you!!!! Cheers from Jordan Springs!!!! (so yes, I live on some of the land that once formed the ADF site, and know of the Rope Creek line...and now thanks to you...so much better!!!!)

[@BuildingBeautifully]

Exams went well, thanks for asking :)) Happy to hear you enjoyed the video!! I'm sure there'll be plenty more like this soon enough.

[@au009044]

Great videos! I'd love to see a video on the old Sefton Park station.

[@s.crambling3795]

New to your channel. Thoroughly enjoying it. You're channelling your Inner Sheldon Cooper. Sure you would have been firm friends. Keep on discovering!

[@crazyauspal527]

Hey Man I love your railway/train videos. Everyday I go to your channel to see whether you have posted a video or not. Love the content man. Keep up the good work!

[@BuildingBeautifully]

Wow, thank you so much!! It's special to hear that, I used to be the exact same with the website Ozroads, checking it ALL the time for updates. Good news is I'm nearly done with my next video, aiming for release over the long weekend!

[@johnshort4405]

Great video. There were actually two level crossings. One on Links Road (as mentioned) and another about 300 metres south which connected Forrester Road directly to Dunheved Circuit. When the authorities installed boom gates and lights on the Links Road level crossing, they closed the other crossing. My Dad told me that a driver was killed in an accident with a train on this other crossing. Regards, John.

[@m3andchip5]

What a mistake to close this line! Would've definitely helped with public transport in the West and help with residential development in my opinion! And even if it did close to higher costs, I would've left the land where the rails and station were until development caught up with the area! I did visit abandoned Dunheved a few years ago after watching that one and only train video; such an eerie, yet interesting place to visit! I definitely didn't know that the line was a restricted area; I knew it was for the munitions plant but still an interesting piece of info! Excellent video as always dude! Keep it up!

[@BuildingBeautifully]

Thank you!! Yeah, it's very interesting thinking about what could have been had the line remained open. Dunheved really is quite eerie these days...

[@antiwalk]

As always, Sydney never plans for the long term or big picture. Now it is impossible to reclaim that land as roads and houses have been built over it. Sydney never considers the infrastructure requirement before selling out to developers and then that infrastructure starts bursting at the seams, but they can't upgrade it they can only apply band-aid solutions to squeeze a silver of public transport capacity and increasing congestion or close off streets entirely for pedestrians to take over adding more inconvenience.

[@pierremainstone-mitchell8290]

Nice one indeed! Here in Melbourne we have several such lines with the most prominent being the Whittlesea line which, using their typical foresight in these matters, was closed past Lalor and the track pulled up by the Victorian Railways. It is now being relaid and will eventually get back to Whittlesea but at considerably more expense than keeping and maintaining the original would've cost. Fortunately the right of way is still in State Govt ownership!

[@mitchellrichards9479]

Great video. My pop worked at the munitions factory back then, always said there were many ‘things’ buried in unmarked spots. I now live in the central part of the ADI site development, and let’s just say he never wanted to visit 😂. Back in the early 90’s I was about 10, lived in North St Mary’s we used to muck about on the closed Dunheved station. Lots of debris and crap everywhere.

[@samueljonis434]

When I lived in Sydney in 1998/1999 I travelled everywhere to spot old train and tram lines. I was gobsmacked by this one!

[@melglobus]

This is a seriously well researched and presented video. I can recall this line being on train maps in my childhood, learnt a lot from you today! I recall dragging my then girlfriend (now wife) to explore the line in 2007-you could still get down onto the platform at dunheved, but I couldn’t find anything much beyond 😅! Well done.

[@BuildingBeautifully]

Thank you so much!

[@damienberry7679]

It’s great to see one of your new videos in my feed, an excellent insight into a line (as a Victorian) I certainly hadn’t heard about.

[@nonamerooster5413]

I live in the Blacktown area and sometimes I go past that siding. Never new about its history!

[@owenchasee]

i live just up the road from this line and if it was there today it would be very popular today

[@WoollyMittens]

The Great West Walk follows this railway line partway to the old munitions factory, which is now a national park. Maybe you would also enjoy looking at the abandoned Picton line between Thirlmere and Colo Vale.

[@tressteleg1]

Nicely done, Sharath!

[@vanessajones9455]

I have viewed your channel too Tressteleg1 & you answered my questions previously - so as Sharath said; thank you for sharing.

[@tressteleg1]

@@vanessajones9455 Thanks. I’m glad you liked it 😊

[@BuildingBeautifully]

Thank you so much!!

[@ClamTram96]

Good video, However some details and context givers that aren't present here. -The reason for the overly elaborate nature of the railway line (complicated signalling, double tracked, massive rebuild and electrifacation in 1957) was mainly due to the line being commissioned and owned by the Federal goverment (not owned by the NSWGR or Commonwealth railways but the actual goverment themselves), meaning the NSWGR just went all out in blowing money into the line, knowing it was all covered no questions asked (this also turned out to be the reason the line was such a money pit in later years) -The station styles are an extremely rare variation on the Interwar Stripped Functionalist (only other stations that had thise style are Leightonfield and Menidee and even so are so far more different) and were the last Weatherboard construction on the NSWGR network -Cochrane station was built to transport department figures without the need of getting off at Ropes Creek, alongside transporting the influx of workers whom worked in that designated area of the complex (also was built next to a former steam locomotive turntable and coaling facility but was damaged in 1957, which led to Cochrane station coming into play) -The line itself was the last NSWGR railway built entirely (last steam railway also), no new lines would be built until the early 1970s with the North Shore line, which by then the NSWGR had ceased to be a decade prior - Proposals to extend the line to Riverstone in making it a secondary crossing to Richmond were proposed in the 1950s, however politicians didn't budge to the idea and were against it. This mentality of not wanting the line proceeded to when proposals of the site's development came about, council members sided with having a bus route do the work and only briefly mentioned the heavy rail in passing (the light rail proposal was a thrown about idea that didn't stick on at all) -the sidings that spurred out are an interesting lot too (from most of them being horse drawn initially to the first usage of diesel motive in the whole state) but were gradually closed off, first being the sidings branching off Dunheved station to go towards the explosive factories (closed in the late 1940s), the secondary line (aka the long branch from directly St Marys station, bypassing Dunheved to Ropes Creek) was truncated and trimmed in the 1960s and led to AE Goodwin's facility (which this even closed when they moved out in the 1980s), lastly the highly secretive branch to what is now Jordan Springs closed alongside the branchline (just before the line crossed over South Creek, an 1810s era homestead called "Dunheved" was present, used as a temporary housing for the line builders as it had been abandoned for years and was purchased by the government, it was then demolished in the 1940s) Its a very interesting line not talked about enough

[@pauly4007]

There's still intact train line that is the official end of the line for the old ropes creek line situated in the national park

[@dmbennell1799]

A lot of interesting history here. The old ADI admin building is still there and turned into apartments now. Any chance of making a video on the history of the munitions factory?

[@BuildingBeautifully]

Probably not, it's out of the scope for this channel. I've watched your exploration of the abandoned factory and it was quite interesting. Thanks for watching!

[@StephenFabulous-mq4fj]

Dunhevad Station... the sight of my greatest prank. In the years after the line was closed my friends and I used to walk near it to an old indoor go-karting track in the area. At the time the NSW Fire Department had City Rail keep two old train cars on the track at the station to practice emergency drills. One bright sunny day I lured one of my friends onto the old railway track and kept him distracted in conversation. As we turned the bend towards Dunhevad station my mate looked up and saw the old trains. Then almost shit his pants as he realized he was standing on railway tracks. As soon as his brain figured that he wasn't going to be run over by a train he cussed like a drunken sailor. A brilliant prank.

[@CYC_JP]

Hey BB, great video! Found your channel today and watched all your videos in one go. Your video production and research is top notch and they are only getting better. Could you do a video in the future in relation to the planning of Northern Beaches? Would like to see your analysis and opinions on the cause of terrible traffic and congestion in the Northern Beaches, as well as the controversial beaches link tunnel project opposed by so many residents from Balgowlah, Northbridge, Naremburn and Cammeray.

[@DavidGigg]

@Greg C Yes, there are tunnels from the Harbour Bridge to Wynyard, part of the tram line that has since been replaced by the Cahill Expressway. This was going to be the Northern Beaches Railway line eventually. There are no tunnels from the Harbour Bridge to St James though

[@cwang6951]

Great video, I checked out an existing controls somethingorother on the line 15 years ago. I wish I'd investigated further...but the area is kinda scary!

[@patrolmaverick]

It's nice that they preserved the station site for use as a park. It's a shame they didn't also preserve the rest of the line for a walkway/cycleway.

[@Christopher8827]

Hmm, I'm pretty sure they should have kept the corridor at the very least and then rebuilt the line once the population was high enough. Rail lines do have induced demand effects so its what people will use if its available.

[@albert3801]

Having it as a rail trail at least would have been great.

[@BuildingBeautifully]

To be fair, a lot of the corridor is still somewhat intact; it really is just the section at Cochrane that isn't.

[@antiwalk]

They built straight over the corridor in the new development - completely ignored it. Now the residents are paying the price with the congestion. Sydney never plans for the long term or big picture. Now it is impossible to reclaim that land as roads and houses have been built over it. Sydney never considers the infrastructure requirement before selling out to developers and then that infrastructure starts bursting at the seams, but they can't upgrade it they can only apply band-aid solutions to squeeze a silver of public transport capacity and increasing congestion or close off streets entirely for pedestrians to take over adding more inconvenience.

[@kurtg5405]

if the extention ever happens to link the current metro to the st marys one, it would be cool if they built it underneath the old ropes creek station site.

[@mandardeodhar400]

Well done mate! Very interesting. Loved it

[@RichardFelstead1949]

Thanks for sharing. I enjoy watching " then and now" videos especially railway ones. Greetings from Albury NSW.I've also subscribed.

[@doubledee9675]

Thank you for this. I knew of the line, but never travelled on it - or used St Mary's station for that matter

[@ForTheBirbs]

Congratulations on another fantastic video! I'd previously watched the rare video. Wow.

[@BuildingBeautifully]

Thank you!!

[@theforbessoaringbus]

love your channel man, please dont stop!

[@martyn6792]

Really interesting video and history of the line

[@phil6506]

Back in the late 70's I worked as a mechanic for Leyland factory at Zetland NSW. Some mokes were gifted to an African country by the federal government but their shipment was delayed for some time due to political circumstances. Eventually I was tasked to go to a federal government facility at St Marys where the mokes had been stored and make sure they started etc. The facility was huge and had air craft type hangers used to store government surplus, there was so much stuff there, everything from sinks and toilets to large diesel motors all seemingly new. I think this may have been the old ammunition's factory, but not sure. at the time there were federal police manning the gates. Does any one have any information on this?

[@marionsway]

Very interesting!! Thanks for creating this video.

[@hmaccas738]

Great video, I'd love to see a video on the Sirus building in Sydney.

[@t.bfisher5855]

Hey Sharath Massive fan of what you are doing and absolutely love the ropes creek line video. Could you do something about The Camden Tramway or 'The Pansy'

[@BuildingBeautifully]

Thank you! Yes, I'll add The Pansy to the list

[@infotechplus1950]

Some interesting history. Well done.

[@mattellings]

The munitions factory still exists! It’s been converted into apartments. I did all the fibre optic install for them :)

[@alexskribins8560]

You should do a video on the former Royal National Park line which is now used by the Sydney Tramway museum

[@BuildingBeautifully]

Sure! That's a good idea

[@jasonmartin3685]

this is great content,super interesting subject,well edited and put together,well done for spying huts in real life then finding them in the footage.all round very professional job.i wish you all the best.

[@michaelhayden725]

One of my school colleagues used this branch line. He would get on at Dunhevet and change at St Mary’s for the journey to Blacktown. Never really understood why he did not go to St Mary’s High.

[@shanecarter3154]

Thank you for your videos. I wonder if you would be interested in making one on Condell Park railway station. It was to be part of a Bankstown to Liverpool line, going via the Warwick Farm Racecourse station (now gone), l think. Condell Park has a Railway Parade but no railway! Keep filming!

[@gregessex1851]

7:20 $5,000 is the revenue, not profit. There wouldn’t be any passenger railway in Australia that has a profit.

[@jasonwhiteley3612]

I think the Bondi line might be that Is the central to Bondi jnt

[@BuildingBeautifully]

Oops...you're right! Apologies for that, completely slipped past me.

[@gardnep]

Passenger services across the world are rarely “profitable”. Most other countries subsidise their railways (and car industries). Only in Oz will pollies worry more about their mates getting big contracts rather than providing services for the people.

[@gregessex1851]

@@gardnep Which mates getting which big contracts?

[@chuckbeggles8858]

@gregessex1851 - the mates of the politicians get the big contracts.

[@jameswalley134]

Awesome video mate.

[@wayneparker4708]

Thanks for sharing.

[@paulrichardson5892]

hi there , just wondering , have you done any work on the newnes branch line to .... er.. newnes. this line branches of the lithgow line somewhere near lawrence. it required 3 imported shay steam locos to handle the steep grades. the old station can be discerned at newnes and the old tunnels are still there ,i have walked newnes to the tunnels on the old track bed the rails are no longer there . well worth a doco. regards .

[@PeterArnold1969]

This was a very interesting presentation. If you linked tallawong to ropes creek, it would close the loop.

[@DougAskin]

My 1st job was in Dunheved, that was in 1972. I lived in Kingswood and had to change trains at St Marys to Dunheved. I never went to Ropes Creek station.

[@astapic]

Thanks for this informative video.

[@OneIdeaTooMany]

wow to think that this stuff still exists so many years later... that's amazing! Are you planning on doing another video on the James Hardy line as well?

[@darylcheshire1618]

You said the line was over provisioned, as it was double tracked and electrified unlike the single track Carlingford line. The construction of the line was probably paid for by the commonwealth govt, especially during wartime. So it was double tracked with all the trimmings. Be interesting to learn who paid for the later electrification. The NSW Govt Railways around 1980 was interested in cost cutting and closed a lot of lines.

[@ZNimar]

i was looking around on google after your insta post this videos nice to accompany my research

[@andrewboros8388]

I grew up in Tregear. We used to walk down to Dunheved and watch the trains cross the level crossing. My brothers were fortunate enough to ride into the forbidden area coming home from school one day. I used to do cadets in the industrial area too. The trains would run behind the cadet building. Perhaps they should have preserved the rail corridor for future use. No government has the forsight to plan such things. Bradfield had vision, many today lack it.

[@eddieseymour9948]

So has the area of the munitions factory and surrounding area now populated by new housing? If yes one would think that a rail line could be utilised as a commuter service?

[@samanthacameron-king5469]

I used to live in shalvey from 1999 till 2005 and in bidwell before that and never knew that there was a ropes creek train station

[@lhallora1]

Dude! I commute into the city from St Marys. It is not small ... During peak hour it is packed! Still love your channel though!

[@DragonPhlegm]

All I’m thinking of is the poor tourists who will get on a sleek metro from the airport, then be forced to switch at St Mary’s of all places to get on a standard train to the CBD

[@duncanpadgett]

Hi There. I only discovered you today but I'm already a fan. I am probably best described as a 'casual' enthusiast when it comes to the sort of content you cover on your channel but I have a long held curiosity related to the existence of East Richmond station given that it is located barely a single train-length from Richmond Station itself (where the line terminates, as I'm sure you're aware). I have sought enlightenment via Google on and off over the years and yet I remain as clueless as the day the question first occurred to me. I don't suppose you can tell me why it's there can you?

[@BuildingBeautifully]

My newest video can :)) thanks for watching!!

[@duncanpadgett]

@@BuildingBeautifully Exxxxcellent! Cheers 🙏

[@ascendanthunter]

Please do Brisbane next!

[@BuildingBeautifully]

You really want me to do Brisbane don't you 🤣

[@BuildingBeautifully]

Unfortunately, Sydney will be my focus for the foreseeable future given I'm from Sydney. But hopefully one day I'll be able to go Australia-wide!

[@chuckselvage3157]

I remember seeing this on the old Sydney system map from the 80s then it disappeared on future maps

[@stephenarbon2227]

on the map, there was a direct line out of St Mary's, there wasn't much comment on its purpose/history or demise.

[@stevecritchley2506]

When I was an apprentice fitter & machinist, a couple of the guys at TAFE worked at "the bomb factory" (yes, I'm that old! 😆)

[@FogartyAvenue]

Incredible

[@r1learner178]

Another smart move by the idiots in charge, build a huge housing estate and remove a public transport option. Wow. Anyway, we used to catch that train home from work sometimes (had to get up too early to catch it in the morning). They probably built Cochrane Station because that was where the Administration offices and one production area were whereas Ropes Creek Station went to Production work areas.

[@shane2547]

Used to have fun as kids runing through there .