Rockdale railway station

Rockdale railway station is located along the Illawarra railway line of the Sydney Trains network and is 10.41km from Central station. It serves the suburbs of Rockdale and Bexley. The station consists of 2 island platforms and 1 side platform. The station has an overhead concourse, with exits to Railway Street and Geeves Avenue. Rockdale is serviced by T4 Eastern Suburbs and Illawarra line trains in both directions.

Located within walking distance from the station on the nearby Princes Highway, is Rockdale Library, the head offices of Bayside Council (which was formed in 2016 after the amalgamation of Rockdale and Botany Bay councils), and Rockdale Plaza shopping centre.

Rockdale is staffed from 6:00am to 10:00pm everyday.

History
Rockdale station opened on 15 October 1884 on the same date as the Illawarra line from Redfern to Hurstville with two side platforms. At the opening of Rockdale Railway Station, a goods shed and siding was provided on the eastern side.

Rockdale station is unusual in that it initially provided a rail connection for coal transfer and passengers for Saywell's Private Tramway. This was originally a steam powered tramway operation, which began running from Rockdale to Brighton on Botany Bay from 1885. In 1887 another tramway service from Rockdale to Sans Souci began operation. In 1899 Thomas Saywell converted his steam trams to electricity. In 1937 the tram service from Rockdale to Sans Souci was replaced by a trolley bus service, and the tramway to Brighton closed in 1938. In the latter years of the tramway's operation, the rail connection was also used for the transfer of Departmental rolling stock to the tramways in the area.

In 1907, the northbound platform was converted to an island with a new southbound track. The former southbound track (current Platform 4) became the northbound track, with the former southbound platform (current Platform 3) becoming a refuge siding.

In 1908, Platform 3 was converted to an island platform and an additional track laid along its western face. Rockdale now had four platform numbers. In 1923, a terminus platform (current Platform 1) was erected, when the Illawarra line was quadruplicated from Wolli Creek and the level crossing at Frederick Street was replaced by a bridge.

In 1920 a steel footbridge from the Maitland District was re-erected, followed in 1922 by the timber overhead booking office. The original signal box was built on the north end of Platform 2-3 but in 1923 was replaced by the present (disused) brick elevated box on the western side of the line, east of the T junction of Railway Street and Oakura Street. Also in 1923 a new Platform No. 1 with brick waiting shed was built along with another siding, both having "dead-end" sidings for carriage storage. In 1926 the lines were electrified (with the exception of the sidings), and the tramway link was disconnected in 1938.

During the 1920s a siding for the State Meat Depot was added to Rockdale Railway Station, as was the Municipal Council's siding in 1923. In 1928 a siding was added for the small companies of Carroll Lynn and finally the Warne Family Company.

There were only relatively minor changes until abolition of the goods yard in 1979.

Rockdale Signal Box closed in February 1993 and has since been demolished. Its frame consisted of a combination of pistol grip and large mechanical levers, the last example in New South Wales.

In 2005, the station was upgraded to provide easy access for wheelchairs. Lifts to the platforms 2-5 and to the Geeves Ave exit were installed and a ramp was installed at the Railway St exit. At the same time, additional canopies were installed to provide more shelter for passengers during wet weather.

In November 2013 construction began on a commuter car park extension at Rockdale as part of the Transport Access Program. The extension added 24 car spaces and 3 accessible car spaces. Construction finished in September 2014.

Configuration
The station has five platforms, with two island platforms (2-5) facing the Illawara Main and Illawara Local tracks, and a single side turnback platform (1). An overhead concourse connects all platforms, with exits to Railway St and Geeves Av. The station is fully wheelchair accessible, with the exception of the disused platform 1, which only has stairs. Rockdale is also a large bus interchange/terminus, with bus stops on both sides of the station. Buses to the south depart from Geeves Av, while buses to the north/west depart from Railway St. Three take-away kiosks are also located on the concourse area. There is free, unlimited, on-street commuter parking on both sides of the station.

Platforms and Services
Rockdale is served by services. Some express services skip Rockdale, however the station has a fairly high service frequency of 6tph at most times. Trains usually stop on the Illawara Main platforms (4-5), but trains also use the Illawara Local platforms (2-3) during peak times. Platform 1, the turnback platform, is mostly disused, but ocasionally used for track machine storage. Historically, selected trains have also stopped at the station.