The section of the Eastern Railway between Fremantle, Perth and Guildford was the first suburban railway line in Perth, opening on 1 March 1881.[1][2]
The line was extended from Guildford to Chidlow's Well, opening in March 1884.[3]
Throughout the 1880s, the Eastern Railway line was extended beyond Guildford and Midland Junction along its first route to Chidlow and Northam. The second route varied after Bellevue proceeding to Chidlow via the Swan View Tunnel, Parkerville and Stoneville.
The third route saw the removal of the Bellevue Railway station in its construction, with the new Midland railway terminus replacing the older Midland Junction railway station.
An anomaly of the Midland line timetables in the 1950s and 1960s was that Bellevue was nominally the terminus of the line until 1962. Koongamia, which was a new station prior to Greenmount on the original first route, was the terminus from 1962 to 1966.
In 1966, the stations on the first two Eastern Railway routes as well as the old Midland Junction railway station were closed and the new Midland was constructed 200 metres (660 ft) to the west and became the new terminus.
Generally, changes from the 1970s saw a significant number of stations on the line moved or turned into island platform stations (to be compatible with the double track, dual-gauge track configuration between East Perth and Midland).
On 24 July 2004, Bassendean became the first station to be upgraded under the "Building Better Stations" project.
In the early decades of the twentieth century, a significant number of rail-crossing accidents between motor vehicles and trains occurred. Unattended crossings were provided with boom gates, flashing lights and bells to counter inattention or risk taking from drivers. Also, crossings were reduced, and in a number of locations, bridges were constructed.[citation needed]
The Ellenbrook line, which functions as a branch northward from the Midland line east of Bayswater station, was opened on 8 December 2024.[11][12][13]
Description
During hot weather, the tracks can distort. As a result, train speeds are reduced by approximately 20 kilometres per hour (12 mph) when the air temperature is above 37 °C (99 °F), and by an additional 10 kilometres per hour (6.2 mph) when the air temperature is above 41 °C (106 °F).[14][15]
Transperth system map, with the Midland line in maroon. The Ellenbrook line (red) and the Airport line (turquoise) branch from the Midland line at Bayswater.
Stations
Since 21 July 2019, all regular services stop at all stations on this line.[17]
Below is the annual patronage of Midland line from 2010 to 2024 financial year. Figures are provided as total boardings, which includes all fare-paying boardings and free travel on stations within the free transit zones as well as transfers between stations. The figures for rail replacement and special events services are not included in the total.[22]
Midland
line annual patronage
Year
Patronage
±%
2010–11
6,319,788
—
2011–12
6,626,464
+4.85%
2012–13
6,688,843
+0.94%
2013–14
6,646,213
−0.64%
2014–15
6,661,434
+0.23%
2015–16
6,437,107
−3.37%
2016–17
6,143,986
−4.55%
2017–18
5,784,146
−5.86%
2018–19
5,994,370
+3.63%
2019–20
5,025,933
−16.16%
2020–21
4,407,653
−12.30%
2021–22
4,243,760
−3.72%
2022–23
3,889,196
−8.35%
2023–24
4,289,206
+10.29%
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. Updates on reimplementing the Graph extension, which will be known as the Chart extension, can be found on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.
^Minchin, R. S; Higham, Geoffrey (Geoffrey J.); Australian Railway Historical Society. Western Australian Division (1981), Robb's railway : Fremantle to Guildford railway centenary 1881-1981, Australian Railway Historical Society, West Australian Division, ISBN978-0-9599690-2-3
^ abc"HCS SWTR Book 1 - Scope of Works DRAFT 01-09-21_Redacted". Tenders WA. 30 September 2021. Archived from the original on 20 January 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2022. Click Download Now, then Download for Information Only. Make sure HCS SWTR Book 1 - Scope of Works DRAFT 01-09-21_Redacted.pdf is selected, then click Download Documents.
^"Midland Line". Midland Line Timetable(PDF) (Midland Line). Transperth. 6 November 2024 [effective from 9 December 2024].
^"Manual – Rail Access"(PDF). Public Transport Authority. 30 August 2021. p. 10. Archived(PDF) from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
Watson, Lindsay The Railway History of Midland Junction: Commemorating The Centenary of Midland Junction, 1895-1995 Swan View, W.A: L & S Drafting in association with the Shire of Swan and the Western Australian Light Railway Preservation Association, 1995
