A wet day was forecast, so after attending to some business in the city, I thought I would try to the new North West Metro. So I caught a train to Chatswood and then boarded the metro.
The vehicle is quite different to the trains we have been used to or those on the Inner West Light Rail. It is composed of six carriages with no doors between them – so you look down one long passage. Chairs are only on the sides – so if it was full of people, then many would have to stand. It is a driverless train – there is no driver’s cabin, so you can stand at the front and look out at the rails. This is what I did.
About to leave Chatswood Station
By coincidence, on the train, I bumped into Roger, and old bushwalking friend, who was travelling with his grandson, to the second last stop.
The first tunnel portal
This service has doors on the platforms as well as in the vehicle. The doors automatically open when the vehicle is at rest.
It was interesting being at the front and watching the progress along the rails. The train first travels through the old tunnels to Epping, then along a long new tunnel to Bella Vista, with a brief surface break at Cherrybrook. In this new tunnel, the power is provided by an overhead metal busbar which the pantographs make contact with rather than an overhead wire. Perhaps this is need since the tunnel is of a narrower bore?
The old tunnel to Epping
Just past Epping – The T9 connection is on the right and the new tunnel is on the left.
The new tunnel – power provided by a busbar
Past Bella Vista, the line is supported by concrete pillars, so its a sort of skytrain.
Just past Rouse Hill, the second last stop, there is an impressive cable-stayed bridge. Then you reach the terminal at Tallawong.
I could stay on the same train for the return journey. I didn’t have to change platforms or leave the station precinct and get back on. Wanting to travel at the front again – I had to do a long walk down to the other end.
The train travels quite rapidly, and was quite smooth. I had a good journey, and will have to see what interesting places there are along the length of the new line.
