Central Coast & Newcastle Line


The Central Coast & Newcastle Line is a NSW TrainLink passenger train service that runs along the Main North railway line in New South Wales, connecting the state's two largest cities, Sydney and Newcastle. The service runs from through to on the Main North railway line to Newcastle Interchange on the Newcastle railway line, and services the Hawkesbury River region, the Central Coast and the city of Newcastle.

Description of route

The route traverse the Main West and Main South railway line routes until Strathfield, where it diverts north and follows the route of the Main North line until Broadmeadow, before diverting east along the route of the Newcastle branch line. To Newcastle Interchange The line is electrified at 1500 V DC throughout, and is primarily double track, although there are refuge loops at Hawkesbury River, Gosford, Wyong, Awaba, and Sulphide Junction. Some services terminate at Gosford and Wyong.
Sometimes when there is trackwork between Strathfield and Hornsby, trains will operate via the North Shore line to Hornsby, then follow the Main North railway line as normal.

Partial closure of Newcastle Line

The section of the Newcastle railway line between Hamilton and Newcastle was closed on 25 December 2014. Until the opening of Newcastle Interchange in 2017, Hamilton formed a temporary terminus. The closed section between Wickham and Newcastle was replaced with the Newcastle Light Rail that opened in February 2019.

Services

Prior to electrification of the route, steam hauled passenger trains were varied and interesting. From November 1929 until April 1988, the Newcastle Flyer operated on the route. After electrification, services were taken over by U and V sets. Later the U sets were replaced by K and G sets which in turn were replaced by H sets.
From the time the line was electrified, services to Gosford were hauled by 46 class locomotives, their sphere of operation increasing as the wires were extended.
The last electric locomotives were withdrawn in March 1998 with all services since hauled by diesel locomotives. Today Aurizon, Pacific National and Southern Shorthaul Railroad all regularly operate freight trains on the line.
Most all-stations trains have four carriages, with the first and last car being quiet carriages. Peak-hour and most express services usually have eight cars, with quiet carriages on the first, last, and the two middle carriages.

Upgrades

Completed

The line was electrified to Gosford in January 1960, Wyong in April 1982 and Newcastle in June 1984.
As part of the Northern Sydney Freight Corridor project the following projects were completed: The projects were:
ProjectDescriptionStart dateCompletion date
North Strathfield underpassGrade separation for southbound freight trains heading to Flemington2013June 2015
Epping to Pennant Hills third trackThird track for northbound trains climbing 1 in 40 grades2013Mid-2016
Gosford passing loopsOne passing loop in each direction to allow fast trains to overtake slower trains2013April 2015

Proposed

Glendale station

A railway station is proposed to be constructed in Glendale as part of the Lake Macquarie Transport Interchange project. The station will be located between Cockle Creek and Cardiff railway station and will have connections to buses. An extension of Glendale Drive leading to the proposed station has been built and completed in June 2017. The station, however, has not commenced construction.
. H sets, along with V sets, service the line.

New Warnervale station

A new station is proposed for Warnervale. The draft Central Coast Transportation Strategy stated that construction of the new railway station was to be completed by 2016. In October 2014 there were some differences between Wyong Council and the State Government over how a strategic piece of land should be developed at Warnervale.

Stations

This table does not include the services which run via the North Shore line and extend to Gosford and Wyong via Gordon.
NameRailway lineServing town/suburbsNotes
CentralMain SuburbanHaymarket, Chippendale, Ultimo, Surry HillsTransport hub featuring Sydney Trains, other Intercity trains,
Regional trains, buses and light rail
Redfern
Main SuburbanRedfern, Waterloo, DarlingtonInterchange with most Sydney Trains lines
StrathfieldMain SuburbanStrathfield, BurwoodInterchange with the Blue Mountains Line, Sydney Trains and Regional trains
EppingMain NorthernEpping, North Epping, Carlingford,Interchange with Sydney Trains and Sydney Metro
HornsbyMain NorthernHornsby, WaitaraInterchange with Sydney Trains and Regional trains
Asquith
Main NorthernAsquithUsually served by Sydney Trains
Mount Colah
Main NorthernMount ColahUsually served by Sydney Trains
Mount Kuring-Gai
Main NorthernMount Kuring-GaiUsually served by Sydney Trains
BerowraMain NorthernBerowra, Berowra HeightsEnd of the Sydney Trains network
CowanMain NorthernCowan-
Hawkesbury RiverMain NorthernBrooklyn-
WondabyneMain NorthernWondabyne-
Woy WoyMain NorthernWoy Woy-
KoolewongMain NorthernKoolewong-
TascottMain NorthernTascott-
Point ClareMain NorthernPoint Clare-
GosfordMain NorthernGosfordIntermediate terminus, primarily during peak hours. Interchange with Regional trains
NararaMain NorthernNarara-
Niagara ParkMain NorthernNiagara Park-
LisarowMain NorthernLisarow-
OurimbahMain NorthernOurimbah-
TuggerahMain NorthernTuggerah, Mardi, Chittaway Point, Kangy Angy-
WyongMain NorthernWyong, WattanobiIntermediate terminus, primarily during peak hours and on weekends. Interchange with Regional trains
WarnervaleMain NorthernWarnervale, Woongarrah, Hamlyn Terrace-
WyeeMain NorthernWyee-
MorissetMain NorthernMorisset-
Dora CreekMain NorthernDora Creek, Myuna Bay, Eraring-
AwabaMain NorthernAwaba-
FassifernMain NorthernFassifern, Blackalls Park, Fennell BayInterchange with Regional trains
BooragulMain NorthernBooragul, Marmong Point-
TeralbaMain NorthernTeralba-
Cockle CreekMain NorthernCockle Creek, Boolaroo, Argenton-
CardiffMain NorthernCardiff, Cardiff Heights, Glendale-
KotaraMain NorthernKotara, Kotara South-
AdamstownMain NorthernAdamstown, New Lambton-
BroadmeadowMain NorthernBroadmeadowInterchange with Regional trains
HamiltonNewcastleHamilton, IslingtonInterchange with the Hunter Line
Newcastle InterchangeNewcastleWickham, NewcastleInterchange with the buses, Hunter Line trains and Newcastle Light Rail

Patronage