Eastern Suburbs Railway turns 40

After nearly a century of debate, planning and construction, the line from Central to Bondi Junction was opened by Premier Neville Wran on 23 June 1979.

The Eastern Suburbs Railway (ESR) included new viaducts at Woolloomooloo and Rushcutters Bay, new underground platforms at Redfern, Central and Town Hall, and four new underground stations at Martin Place, Kings Cross, Edgecliff and Bondi Junction. The architectural vision was ambitious resulting in highly modern stations that broke the mould of traditional Australian railway design. Innovative magnetic strip ticketing and turnstile barriers were also introduced on the ESR - the first time used on the NSW rail network!

When it was finally opened, the ESR was the biggest addition to the rail network since Circular Quay closed the city loop in 1956. Today the ESR stations are heritage listed for their late modernist design and historic and engineering values. 

The ESR, now part of the T4 line, celebrates 40 years in June 2019. As part of celebrations, Sydney Trains and the National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA) digitised a 20 minute Public Transport Commission documentary prepared in 1979 showcasing the new line. 

Watch the documentary below.