Semaphore Railway Line
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Semaphore railway line was a railway line in the Australian state of
South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a States and territories of Australia, state in the southern central part of Australia. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories by area, which in ...
located in the north-west of
Adelaide Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...
servicing the suburbs of
Semaphore Semaphore (; ) is the use of an apparatus to create a visual signal transmitted over distance. A semaphore can be performed with devices including: fire, lights, flags, sunlight, and moving arms. Semaphores can be used for telegraphy when arra ...
and
Exeter Exeter ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and the county town of Devon in South West England. It is situated on the River Exe, approximately northeast of Plymouth and southwest of Bristol. In Roman Britain, Exeter w ...
. It had two stations: Semaphore and Exeter. The line opened in 1878 and closed in 1978.


History

The Semaphore line was extended from
Port Adelaide Port Adelaide is a port-side region of Adelaide, approximately northwest of the Adelaide city centre, Adelaide CBD. It is also the namesake of the City of Port Adelaide Enfield council, a suburb, a federal and state electoral division and is t ...
by
South Australian Railways South Australian Railways (SAR) was the organisation through which the Government of South Australia built and operated railways in South Australia from 1854 until March 1978, when its non-urban railways were incorporated into Australian Natio ...
on 7 January 1878 with no intermediate stations. It was to serve both the new overseas shipping jetty at Semaphore, and for defence logistics along Military Road (in support of nearby Fort Largs and Fort Glanville). It remained the main line until 1908, when the Outer Harbor line was extended north from a junction created at Glanville station. In 1917, when the
Semaphore Semaphore (; ) is the use of an apparatus to create a visual signal transmitted over distance. A semaphore can be performed with devices including: fire, lights, flags, sunlight, and moving arms. Semaphores can be used for telegraphy when arra ...
to
Rosewater Rose water, or rosewater, is a flavoured water created by steeping rose petals in water. It is typically made as a by-product during the distillation of rose petals to create rose oil for perfumes. Rose water is widely utilized to flavour cul ...
and Albert Park tram line was opened, there was a dispute over the tramline crossing the railway line near Exeter station. The Railway Commissioner vetoed trams crossing over the railway line. Trams continued to operate an isolated service between the crossing and
Largs Largs () is a town on the Firth of Clyde in North Ayrshire, Scotland, about from Glasgow. The original name means "the slopes" (''An Leargaidh'') in Scottish Gaelic. A popular seaside resort with a pier, the town markets itself on its histor ...
, with passengers having to walk across the railway line to use the adjoining tramline. After a short period of time, the Municipal Tramways Trust instituted a service along the whole tramline, despite not having the Railway Commissioner's consent. In response, rail workers threatened to cut the tramline by dumping a load of sleepers on the tram tracks. An agreement was eventually reached to allow trams to cross the line, on the condition that a signal cabin was installed, with the signaller cutting-off power to trams when a train approached, thereby preventing trams from crossing the railway tracks in the face of trains. That system nearly caused a disaster when power was cut off while a tram was on the crossing . The tram was stranded on the railway line and an accident was barely avoided. The switches for cutting of power was then removed and replaced by a system of traffic lights. The line closed on 29 October 1978, partly because traders on the north side of Semaphore road claimed they were losing business. The original stations have been demolished and practically no evidence of them remains. The original rail track has been dismantled, with only the wide median strip along Semaphore Road indicating the existence of the former railway


Route

The original line continued from the terminus at
Port Adelaide Port Adelaide is a port-side region of Adelaide, approximately northwest of the Adelaide city centre, Adelaide CBD. It is also the namesake of the City of Port Adelaide Enfield council, a suburb, a federal and state electoral division and is t ...
west along St Vincent Street, then over the new bridge and north then west along Semaphore Road. The midpoint of the line was Exeter station, which was located to the east side of where Swan Terrace and Woolnough Road intersect. The line terminated right next to the Esplanade at Semaphore station, which was located east of Esplanade Road (14.9 kilometres from Adelaide station). Its station platform was level with the northern part of the road. It later became a branch from Glanville station, and the route was altered in 1916 to avoid St Vincent Street.


Line guide


See also

* Semaphore (disambiguation)


References

*Thomas Wilson, ''The Relationship Between a Transport Link and Land Use Development between Adelaide and Port Adelaide South Australia'', Adelaide, 1965 *J.C. Radcliff. C.J.M. Steele, ''Adelaide Road Passenger Transport 1836 - 1958'', Libraries Board of South Australia, Adelaide, 1974 {{Closed Railway lines of Adelaide Closed railway lines in South Australia Railway lines opened in 1882 Railway lines closed in 1978 Lefevre Peninsula