The East Hills line timetables, part 1- 1985

The East Hills line has perhaps seen the most changes over the last 30 years of any Sydney suburban railway line. As a humble backwater between its opening in 1931 until its first major extension in 1987, the line is now a fairly major trunk route and the quickest of the 4 ways to get from Campbelltown to the city.

In 1985, the line was double track between Tempe and Riverwood, and single track to the terminus at East Hills, with a passing loop at Revesby. It was electrified throughout, although initially so only to Kingsgrove on opening, extending to East Hills in 1939.

In 1985, the line was served mostly by local all stations services generally on a 15 minute headway.  A perusal of the timetable reflects this, with a mostly 15 minutely service between 530am and 9pm, dropping to half hourly thereafter. The last outbound departure was 1241am from Town Hall to East Hills and 1246am from East Hills to the city, 7 days a week. There were, however,  also early morning departures from Town Hall at 221am (except Sundays) and 331am from East Hills.  These were the days before NightRide.

During the weekday morning peak, there were 4 'express ' type services each with slightly different stopping patterns, the first stopped at all the stations between East Hills and Kingsgrove then express to Sydenham, the second ran all stations from East Hills to Narwee then express to Sydenham; the other two ran all from East Hills to Riverwood, then Kingsgrove, then express to Sydenham. These were supplemented by 3 services starting from Riverwood (where the double track needed) and 3 from Padstow.

Of note also is that all trains except a few of the peak hours services stopped at Erskineville and St Peters, now the domain of the Bankstown Line only.

The evening peak also saw a mixed bunch of limited stopping services generally skipping the more lightly patronised stations between Tempe and Kingsgrove, supplemented by Padstow and Riverwood terminators in a similar manner to the morning peak, and one that terminated at Kingsgrove.

Saturdays and Sundays were a generally a clock face 1/2 hourly service, except for a couple of bonus services thrown in on Saturdays at what perhaps were thought to be busier times (e.g. an extra departure at 747am from Kingsgrove and extra departures from Riverwood at 940am and 451pm giving 15 minutely intervals at these times). All weekend services stopped at all stations.

Stylistically, the timetable was branded as a product of "State Rail" (CityRail was yet to come into being), and the timetable was the last to feature the rather groovy angular 'The Sydney System' map. Timetables were also numbered, the East Hills line was 'Pocket train timetable no. 3"

The only information provided, apart from the actual train times themselves, was what is shown on the rear cover (below): an explanation of (2) symbols, a list of commuter car parks, some basic fare information and some phone numbers. Note the 5 digit rail enquires number.

How does it compare to today? Well obviously service patterns are now completely different with the Glenfield extension and connection to the Airport line. The only useful running time comparison that can be made is for all-stations services between Revesby and Turrella, and its exactly the same- 19 minutes in 1995 and 19 minutes in 2011. 

Next.... the 1987 timetables.