Morley–Ellenbrook line

Morley–Ellenbrook line
Morley–Ellenbrook line exiting the Tonkin Highway median in Bayswater, January 2024
Overview
Status	Under construction
Owner	Public Transport Authority
Locale	Perth, Western Australia
Termini	Perth (south-west) Ellenbrook (north-east)
Stations	5 (branch) 13 (total)
Service
Type	Suburban rail
System	Transperth
Operator(s)	Public Transport Authority
Depot(s)	Claisebrook railcar depot
Rolling stock	Transperth B-series trains
History
Commenced	2021
Planned opening	2024
Technical
Line length	21 km (13 mi) (branch)
Number of tracks	2
Character	At-grade and elevated
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) narrow gauge
Electrification	25 kV 50 Hz AC from overhead catenary
Operating speed	130 km/h (81 mph)
Signalling	Fixed block signalling
Train protection system	Automatic train protection

The Morley–Ellenbrook line is a planned suburban rail service between the Perth central business district and Ellenbrook in Western Australia. Construction began in 2021 as part of Metronet.

History

A passenger railway through Morley, branching from the Midland line at Bayswater, was included in the 1955 Stephenson-Hepburn Report. However, the government did not incorporate it into the Metropolitan Region Scheme derived from the report when it was adopted in 1963.

A rail line to Ellenbrook was first proposed by the Carpenter Government as an election commitment in the lead up to the 2008 election. The then-opposition Liberal Party matched the commitment, and while they continued to express support for some time after winning the election, a feasibility study was cancelled in 2009 and ultimately nothing eventuated. Premier Colin Barnett later declared that there was not yet the demand.

Instead, in 2011, a bus rapid transit system to Ellenbrook was proposed as part of a transport plan to 2031. Before the 2013 election, the opposition Labor Party instead promised a rail line branching from the existing Midland line at Bayswater as part of their Metronet scheme. While the bus system had already undergone design work in 2012, it was ultimately cancelled days before the 2013 election on the basis that its cost was unjustifiable given that rail was still intended to be the long-term plan.

In July 2016, the [email protected] million plan was published. It said a rail line to Ellenbrook would not be needed until after 2050. Instead, a tunnel from Perth to Morley would be built as the first stage of a rail line to East Wanneroo and that the Ellenbrook line would later be built as a spur off that line. A week later, Barnett backtracked, saying that a rail line to Ellenbrook would be constructed "well before" 2050. The final version of the [email protected] million report, published in February 2017, said that a rail line to Ellenbrook would be needed before 2050.

In 2016, ahead of the 2017 election, the Barnett Government proposed a new, modified version of their BRT system to Ellenbrook. Also in 2016, they proposed in the longer term a rail tunnel from Perth to Morley, with a possible later extension to Ellenbrook. The opposition Labor Party instead renewed their commitment to build an above-ground line to Ellenbrook and Morley via Bayswater as part of their modified Metronet scheme. After winning the election, the incoming McGowan Government cancelled the BRT plans, but were criticised for delays in planning and funding the rail line.

The finalised route for the Morley–Ellenbrook line was revealed in August 2019, with the state government saying that it considered 100 possible routes. It said the main engineering challenges of the decided alignment were making the line enter and exit Tonkin Highway. The number and location of stations was also finalised, with there being five stations: Morley, Noranda, Malaga, Whiteman Park, and Ellenbrook. It was also announced that the scope of upgrades to Bayswater station would be increased to add extra platforms for the Morley–Ellenbrook line. The expected opening date at the time was 2022–23.

Infrastructure Australia assessed the Morley–Ellenbrook line as a priority project in May 2020, enabling the project to receive $500 million of federal funding. In June 2020, the project definition plan was released.

In September 2020, the MELconnx Consortium, consisting of Laing O'Rourke, was shortlisted as the preferred proponent to build the Morley–Ellenbrook line, and in October 2020, the contract with the MELconnx Consortium was signed, at a cost of $700 million.

By January 2022, work was underway on building Ellenbrook station. By March 2023, the first 1.5 kilometres (0.9 mi) of track had been laid, between Whiteman Park station and Gnangara Road. By June 2023, the installation of beams for the Whiteman Park station viaduct had begun.

The May 2023 state budget revealed the project's cost had increased by $528.1 million, bringing the total cost to $1.651 billion. The original approved budget was $1.123 billion, and the current budget is $1.651 billion. The cost increase was blamed on issues with the supply of labour, equipment, and materials.

Description

Route

The Morley–Ellenbrook line will branch off the Midland line at Bayswater and run for 21 kilometres (13 mi) to Ellenbrook. South-west of Bayswater station, Morley–Ellenbrook line services are planned to run along the Midland line to Perth station, where they will terminate and run empty to the siding west of Daglish station, where they will turn around to head back to Ellenbrook.

The Morley–Ellenbrook line will split from the Midland line just west of Bayswater station; the Morley–Ellenbrook line will use the two inner tracks at Bayswater station and the Midland line will use the two outer tracks, allowing Morley–Ellenbrook line services to either terminate at there or continue to Perth station. Bayswater station will also be a transfer point with Airport line services, which run along the Midland line tracks. East of Bayswater station, the Morley–Ellenbrook line will enter a viaduct, passing over the eastbound Midland line track and running parallel to the Midland line before curving north to pass over Railway Parade and Clavering Road, enter a tunnel under the Tonkin Highway northbound carriageway, and emerge within the Tonkin Highway median strip.

From Bayswater, the Morley–Ellenbrook line will head north along Tonkin Highway until it reaches Malaga. There will be two stations along this section: Morley station, which is located at Broun Avenue, and Noranda station, which is located at Benara Road. North of Marshall Road, the Morley–Ellenbrook line will enter a tunnel under the southbound Tonkin Highway carriageway and bend east. Within an undeveloped area of land bounded by Tonkin Highway, Beechboro Road North and Marshall Road will be Malaga station, which will be at ground-level. Heading east from Malaga station, the Morley–Ellenbrook line will pass under Beechboro Road North, which will be bridged, and then travel through land between Marshall Road and Whiteman Park. The line will bridge over Bennett Brook and enter a rural area of Bennett Springs, where there will be a road-over-rail bridge at Dulwich Street. Between Dulwich Street and Cheltenham Street will be provisions for a future Bennett Springs station.

In Bennett Springs, the Morley–Ellenbrook line will bend north to travel along the western side of Drumpellier Drive, avoiding Horse Swamp, which is classed as a conservation category wetland. At Whiteman Drive East, one of the main entrance roads to Whiteman Park, will be Whiteman Park station. The station will be on a viaduct which will bridge over Whiteman Drive East. North of Whiteman Park station, the Morley–Ellenbrook line will continue parallel to Drumpellier Drive. It will enter a tunnel to pass under the intersection between Gnangara Road and Drumpellier Drive, emerging on the east side of Drumpellier Drive. The railway will then diverge from Drumpellier Drive to enter Ellenbrook, passing through the Ellenbrook Christian College school grounds on an embankment to reach the Ellenbrook town centre, where the line will terminate at Ellenbrook station, a ground-level station.

Stations

Morley–Ellenbrook line services will stop at 13 stations: eight from Perth to Bayswater and five on the Morley–Ellenbrook line branch. The stations from Perth to Bayswater are all in fare zone one, Morley, Noranda, Malaga and Whiteman Park stations will be in fare zone two and Ellenbrook station will be in fare zone three. All stations on the Morley–Ellenbrook line branch will be fully accessible and will have 150-metre-long (490 ft) island platforms, long enough for a six-car train. Most stations between Perth and Bayswater only have platforms long enough for four-car trains, limiting the length of trains that can run on the Morley–Ellenbrook line. The exceptions are Bayswater, East Perth and Perth stations. The remaining station's platforms are planned to be lengthened in the future. Several stations between Perth and Bayswater are also not fully accessible. Factors limiting accessibility include non-compliant ramps, a lack of tactile paving, large platform gaps, and pedestrian level crossings.

Services

Morley–Ellenbrook line frequencies are planned to be five trains per hour during peak and four trains per hour at other times. By 2031, it is planned that peak frequencies will increase to six trains per hour. As the tracks between Bayswater and Daglish are limited to 15 trains per hour (five trains per hour for the Airport, Midland and Morley–Ellenbrook lines each), an upgrade of signalling will be required to increase frequencies. An additional siding at Daglish will be needed as well.

Rolling stock

Nine three-car Transperth B-series trains will operate Morley–Ellenbrook line services upon the line's opening. Trains will be stabled and maintained at Claisebrook railcar depot near the Perth CBD and the future Bellevue railcar depot at the end of the Midland line. Provisions have been made for a future depot along the Morley–Ellenbrook line in Henley Brook with capacity for twelve six-car trains.