Keperra to Ferny Grove Rail Upgrade

[mufreight]

The station location would be at the point where Lanita Rd curves, this incidentally was the old Dayboro line alignment.
As the "park" there is in fact a forestry reserve and as such government owned land there is no need for resumptions, the construction of a connecting road and bridge between Lanita Road and Rangeleigh Street wold pose no problems as there was a track used by motor vehicles there when the railway was there in the 1950's
A future extension of the line through to Samford would go straight ahead with a tunnel under the forest reserve with minimum disruption to the reserve.

[Golliwog]

I know most of the area is forestry reserve, I also think most locals would like to keep it that way and would be up in arms about a proposal to clear a massive car park there. Also, I know for fact that the corner where you propose the station going is also on top of a few houses (yes, on the Samford Rd side of Lanita Rd). I've delivered to them, and you can see them from nearmap.

[mufreight]

In the practical sense the choice has to be made in the interests of the greater good, the development of the area into the Samford Valley will require that transport infrastructure be provided, there is a transport corridor reserved through  the forestry reserve for a road that will see considerably more clearing than will be required to construct the extended rail line and car parking, doing it now minimises future disruption, will raise property values and take more cars off the roads by providing a higher standard of public transport.
It is inevitable and the NIMBY factor is once again being exhibited here, yes I want better public transport and will complain bitterly if it is not provided but don't inconvenience me by building the infrastructure needed to provide it.

[p858snake]

I wonder if the more detailed plans that are meant to be be released soon(?) do anything about platform access, since the last few have shown that you have to walk all the way to the end to access where the ticketing office is/will be (I can see why they are doing this, easy access to the office and will be accessible from all platforms) but that would be quiet a distance to walk from some of the parking up there, so hopefully they will inculde a subway/overpass access which a few people wrote in about on the planning forms.

[p858snake]

Report on community consultantation: http://www.queenslandrail.com.au/NetworkServices/SEQIP/CurrentProjects/KeperratoFernyGrove/Documents/KFG%20Consultation%20Report%20May%202010.pdf

Other available documents:
    * Community Consultation Report - May 2010 [156 kb]
    * Newsletter #3 – May 2010 [446 kb]
    * Community Consultation Report – December 2009 [1Mb]
    * Newsletter #2 – April 2010 [1Mb]
    * Newsletter #1 - November 2009 [303.29 kb]
    * Keperra to Ferny Grove Rail Upgrade Concept Plan [205.52 kb]
    * Keperra to Ferny Grove Rail Upgrade Fast Facts [101.86 kb]
    * Community information sessions schedule [106.29 kb]

Vision maps by the goverment: http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/fernygrovestationprecinct



I can't seem to find online the latter my parents got the other week(? i don't live in here, but it was in the lounge room still), gist of it says a site office will be install next weekend and some parking will be fenced off at the end of the archdale road end of the park.

[Golliwog]

Yeah I got one of those. They are taking some parking away down the end of the line where it goes to Archdale Rd, but as part of the deal with the tavern they are offering 43 more spots over there instead.

[Golliwog]

Ok, Newsletter 4 is listed online but is not actually available yet. I did however recieve one in a letter box drop. Not particularly enthused. No longer getting a 3rd platform (unless thats now another project), station building is still going at the end across the tracks, and they still insist on making it so that the outbound end of the station is the only spot you can access the platforms.

[Golliwog]

Further information sessions also announced:

Information Sessions

Information sessions will be held at the following times and venue to give local residents a chance to meet with the project team, view the design for the Ferny Grove Station precinct and ask any further questions before major construction begins in 2011.

Two consultation sessions will be held at:

Ferny Grove Bowls Club
20 Tramway Street
Ferny Grove

Saturday 27 November 2010 10 am-2 pm
Thursday 2 December 2010   4 pm-8 pm

I encourage all to attend.

[Stillwater]

Ahh, to catch the train to Esk, via Samford.  Get off at Mt Glorious for the bushwalk, then back on the next service for a journey across the face of the Wivenhoe Dam..... pinch me and I will wake up.

[Golliwog]

I went to the consultation that was held today. Asked and it was confirmed that the plan is to have a 10m wide island platofrm with both sides straight edged (currently one is curved) with access ONLY from the Samford end. When I asked about access it has been decided that pedestrian maze crossings are no longer safe, yet they are being retained at the Arbor St crossing (I asked if a walkway from the station side crossing could be put up to the platform, the answer was "Yes, but we don't want to").

As a plus the plan is to have go gates at the end of the platform (they aren't 100% sure but they are expecting roughly 6 gates). The bus interchange is now going to be split in 2, one on the southern side and one on the northern side. School buses and the 367 will be using hte southern side and the 397, 398, 399 will be using the northern side. This seems to be to avoid buses being caught up when hte gates close causing passengers to miss their train. When asked about some school runs (eg: the 397/398 are extended to FGSHS at the start/end of school) which would need to cross the line still if any measures had been put in place to make this easier they were unsure. I havn't seen this plan but apparently one of the original plans had the bus interchange located on the western edge of the station so that it went directly across teh end of the tracks meaning buses could easily travel through.

As for bus upgrades in the area, they know the 399 needs to be upgraded in terms of running hours, they were unsure when exactly any changes would occur although the TL lady attending thought that they should be able to make changes by the time the station opens, if not shortly after. Nothing specific was really given here as it didn't seem like they have looked into it in any great deal yet.

As for the precinct plan, Option 1 is the chosen one which involves the retention of the tavern, albeit at a new location. When asked about how this would be done (ie: is parkign being removed) they havn;t finished negotionans with hte tavern yet but they are sticking to their guns that any parking that is removed must be replaced. Where its basement parking or multistory is up to the tavern but it must be replaced. They said current plans they had seen had some ground level parking at the tavern with the majority being put underground. They havn't got any timeframes for the rest of the precinct but said the rules would be the same rea: parking. As for building heights they said it was currently restricted to 3 storeys, I said push for 5 and she agreed saying any developer who came along was likely to push council to allow for 5 storeys.

Some locals were complaining about the boom gates on Arbor St saying they spend most of hteir time down, QR man responded that the lastest count had the gates only down 40% of the time in peak hour. and some other locals were pushing for Archdale Rd to be put through to Samford Rd. General concensus from the staff at the meeting was this was a good idea (apparently it had been originally planned (hence why the it was built so wide in the first place) for this to go through but a local councilor blocked it) but that there was limited funding for this project and that that was a local council issue.

Anecdotally it was mentioned that planning approvals for this proejct were a bit of a hassle, any modifications for Samford Rd have to be approved by TMR as its a state owned Rd but any for Arbor or Conavalla streets have to go through the Council, add in that if the Archdale Rd plan was included that would cross council boundaries into Moreton Bay regional council then you get even more fun.

[Golliwog]

Newsletter No. 4 is now available online.

It contains the Construction timetable, changes to station access during the construction period, a map of the final design and the benefits of the upgrade.


I just wonder about the planned time for the completion of the track duplication, 2012. If the 2nd stage of the timetable changes occurs as planned in late 2011 then it won't be able to take advantage of the extra capacity and flexibility the upgrade will provide until the next timetable change. Just wondering if anyone knows how long it took for the ground preparation and track laying on the Richlands line? I just think that perhaps if they focus to begin with on the duplication (seeing as htye are no longer adding a 3rd platform, the station upgrade itself won't be providing any additional capacity) then they may be able to complete that in time for the new timetable. I just think it silly to put in a new timetable and then (possibly) a few months later finish an upgrade that would remove contrainst on that timetable. With this duplication the only restrictions to how many trains you can run is the turn around time for a 2 platform station and where these can be slotted in on the suburbans at Mayne.

[ozbob]

Richlands has taken 2 years effectively.

[aldonius]

Yeah, Newsletter #4 came in the paper a week or two ago.

[p858snake]

I'm surprised at how many trees they are removing in between Keperra and FG, most of them also seem to be siting directly along the gold course fence as well....

[Golliwog]

QR seem to enforce a large clearance zone. The tracks are being moved 3m closer to the Fig tree next to the city end of the platform but with the clearance zone they would have to remove 40% of its branches and most likely a similar amount of its roots. Which is why they are removing the whole tree.

[somebody]

If they aren't doing the 3rd platform now, is there any reason to mess with platform arrangements, other than parking, which we may not need if feeder buses were improved.

[Golliwog]

If they aren't doing the 3rd platform now, is there any reason to mess with platform arrangements, other than parking, which we may not need if feeder buses were improved.

Yes there is. They want to make it DDA compliant which is what requires the temporary platform to be constructed in the parking lot, while I assume they raise each platoform one at a time retaining access to 2 platforms at all times. They also prefer straight edge platforms which is how one platform currently is but the other has a curve, so if they're fiddling with that to make it a straight edge too (easier for the guard to check everyone is on board?). And 3rdly they want to make it 10m wide the whole way along. I'm not sure what it is now but having more room is good, and it also gives plenty of room for the planned go gates at the western end of the platforms.

In construction related news, they have taken down the roof the covered the pedestrian crossing at the eastern end of the station. Its now sitting on the ground where the taxi parking used to be. Taxis have now been designated part of one of the drop off/pick up bays, as has one disabled parking spot.

[colinw]

Ministerial statement: Start of construction for the Keperra to Ferny Grove Rail Upgrade

Minister for Transport
The Honourable Rachel Nolan

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Start of construction for the Keperra to Ferny Grove Rail Upgrade

Construction of the $100 million Keperra to Ferny Grove Rail Upgrade will begin next month.
Transport Minister Rachel Nolan today turned the ceremonial first sod to mark the start of the major
upgrade.

"The Bligh Government is proud to be delivering this project to the people in Brisbane's North West," Ms
Nolan said.

"The $100 million upgrade involves duplicating the rail line between Keperra and Ferny Grove, upgrading
Ferny Grove train station, providing more car parking and bicycle storage and ultimately providing better
transport options for the region."

Local Member Geoff Wilson said this was excellent news for the Ferny Grove electorate.

"This means better station facilities and greater rail infrastructure for our community," Mr Wilson said.

"The major upgrade will ensure that public transport within the Ferny Grove region meets our
requirements well into the future.

"The project will create 640 jobs and will start with building a temporary platform at Ferny Grove station,
adjacent to the existing platform on the Samford Road side of the car park.

"This temporary platform will ensure that rail operations are not disrupted by construction work, however
it does unfortunately mean a temporary loss of some car spaces.

"Rail operations will switch to the temporary platform in April 2011, to allow construction of the new
platform and new station building to progress."

Ms Nolan said a number of other changes would be necessary to make way for the major upgrade.

"Bike lockers will be relocated opposite the temporary platform and access within the car park will
change to provide new entry points in early January," she said.

"Unfortunately tree clearing is necessary and has begun with further shrubbery, a gum tree and old fig
tree in Conavalla Street to be removed in January, to make way for the new track, bus interchange and
new cabling works.

"According to the arborist's report, the fig tree is in poor condition and had a limited life span."

"As there is not a great deal of room to reinstate vegetation within the project footprint, the State
Government is keen to work with local environmental groups to sponsor and facilitate local landscaping ventures."

The State Government will also seek community input for landscaping the new station area.

The Keperra to Ferny Grove Rail Upgrade is part of the Queensland Government's South East

Queensland Infrastructure Plan and Program 2010-2031, to provide the necessary infrastructure to
manage growth and improve access to services and facilities throughout South East Queensland.

[somebody]

I find it weird that they are going to all this trouble to implement DDA compliant platforms here, but Corinda/Oxley/Darra were done with some or all of the platforms not DDA compliant.

Also, the mediocre efforts at Fortitude Valley don't exactly impress me either, with the small stretch of high level, sometimes completely missed by the open carriages when the back 3 cars are locked.  Not to mention the lack of a drinking fountain  or a toilet inside the paid area.  I think the one outside is locked at certain times too.

[#Metro]

  This is excellent news! Its great that it is finally being done!

I hear a lot of complaints about the current government, but stuff is happening...

[colinw]

Yeah, no particular complaints from me (although going for only 2 platforms is short sighted, as is the "station across the end of the tracks" design).

My major gripe is actually nothing to do with Ferny Grove at all, rather it is that we haven't had a similar announcement about Beerburrum to Landsborough - desperately needed IMHO.

[Golliwog]

I agree that all in all, this is a major plus. My only real gripes are reducing it back to only 2 platforms (didn't some report say that 3 platforms would be needed by 2016?) and the reduced access to the platform. I agree with QR that currently the planned single access will be central to the area, but there are a number of problems I can see. When the tavern is eventually reinstated, it will be at the opposite end from where you must get out of the station, not to mention the doctors+dentist+chemist and some other small shops that are just past the BP on the corner of Arbor St and Samford Rd. It also makes having the pedestrian bridge they built over the Kedron Brook less useful (http://www.nearmap.com/?q=@-27.401518,152.936833&ll=-27.401518,152.936833&z=17&t=h&nmd=20100912). I've never used it as I don't live over that way but it lets those who walk from Ferny Way cut the corner as it runs through parkland between Gordon Road and Arbor Street. Although looking at the pedestrian crossings at those lights they have to go the long way round as the direct crossing to the station side of Arbor st doesn't have a pedestrian phase, but with the massive traffic island I regularly see people crossing and waiting in the middle for another break in traffic.

[somebody]

Is the Tavern being re-instated now?  What has that done to the 1000 space car park?

[Golliwog]

I mentioned it in one of my longer posts above. I asked about it at the consultation session and the deal is yes it will be going in in the carpark on the corner of Arbor St and Samford Rd, but the deal they will be striking is that any carparking that is removed msut be reinstated, plus any extra that the tavern want for their patrons. They said currently it seemed the tavern was going to be on the surface and the taverns preferred option was for the tavern to build a basement carpark. She also said that this was going to be the same deal for any of the other residential/commercial buildings built as part of the station precinct plan.

[Golliwog]

Had a quick poke around today at the station to see what they were doing during this weekends closure. They have replaced all the sleepers on the northern platform with concrete ones (they were steel). I don't think they'll bother with the other side right now seeing as thats the track that is going to removed and straightened. There were also some guys doing some work in a pit next to the points, and they have put in a new overhead wire post which looks like its a cross between the fixed ones and a portal span so they can adjust the location of the wires as needed when they put in the temp platform.

[ozbob]

Thanks for the updates Golliwog.  Hope to get out there in a week or two to have a look.

[ozbob]

Ferny Grove  soon to be changed ..














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Photographs R Dow 30th December 2010

[mufreight]

Point of interest from submission to Department of Infrastructure and Planning, Draft South East Queensland Regional Plan 2009 - 2031 by the Rail, Tram and Bus Union, May 2009, page 19, map 1 Strategic Rail Infrastructure Links - north which shows a rail connection from Ferny Grove to Samford.
For such a line to be reinstated requires a new alignment from the northern end of Lanita Rd but will also require the demolition of most ot the new station presently being constructed at Ferny Grove, another short sighted waste of taxpayers money by our intransigent short sifghted and incompetent Transport Minister and the SEQIP circus.
It would be quite simple to provide for the extension of services to the north of Ferny Grove through the new Ferny Grove station with a view to the future.
That the RBTU should have included the reinstatement of commuter rail services to Samford is a clear indication from people with extensive experience in public transport makes this shortsighted approach by government even more questionable.

[#Metro]

Why not just use more frequent feeder bus from Samford? This could be done now if there was really support behind it.
+     

[Golliwog]

mufreight, its not going to happen. Samford has a population of 3287 (2006 Census) and yes I will give you that it would also serve the communities of Dayboro, etc (Pop:879, 2006 Census) but none of these are major population centers. I agree that the extension would be a great idea and popular with the locals, but there are much more beneficial places this money could be spent (CAMCOS, Duplication to Nambour/beyond, Trouts Rd, CRR, etc) which yes cost more but provide a benefit to many more people.

[somebody]

mufreight, its not going to happen. Samford has a population of 3287 (2006 Census) and yes I will give you that it would also serve the communities of Dayboro, etc (Pop:879, 2006 Census) but none of these are major population centers. I agree that the extension would be a great idea and popular with the locals, but there are much more beneficial places this money could be spent (CAMCOS, Duplication to Nambour/beyond, Trouts Rd, CRR, etc) which yes cost more but provide a benefit to many more people.

Exactly right.

[mufreight]

There is the potential for development through the Samford valley which would see a population growth in the area greater than that for both the Ripley Valley and Flagstone combined, a fact acknowledged by the submission by the RBTU.
This area could be serviced by rail public transport at a considerably lower cost than either Ripley or Flagstone as for the areas being of low population density at the present time the existing population in the Samford Valley is at the present time some five times greater than that of the Flagstone area or the Ripley Valley combined so arrgument on the basis of existing area populations is somewhat fallacious.
The costs of the provision of other services such as water, sewerage and electricity would also be a lower cost and there would be less loss of land currently used for the production of food.
Next argument please.
The point made here is that once again the short sighted decision makers are not making any provision for the future, the same experts who continue to build new infrastructure without provision for future development overbuilding to a grandiose degree as a monument to their existence rather than to build to cater for the future.
It seems that the days of people with vision like Bradfield are gone with their place having been taken by myoptic bean counters.   

[#Metro]

Do you have a link to this release?

I can see where you are coming from. Ripley has no people and no infrastructure of any sort at the moment.
And actually, I agree with you. The idea that Yarabilla and Ripley are going to be cities and nobody is going
to commute to Brisbane because they will be "self contained" is fallacious. It makes more sense to develop
around the existing network because that way you do not require expensive extensions.

On the other hand, because people live out at Samford and it is country, I would suggest that
you would get a lot of resistance and NIMBY from people who view it as "destroying the country lifestyle"
by putting developments and lots of people there.

Development at rail termini is not a bad idea because you can get counter peak commuting that way.
Unfortunately, a suggestion like that might run into NIMBY.

[mufreight]

Samford would then become a transport hub taking the otherwise needed bus services off the road between Samford and Ferny Grove and reducing the demand for commuter parking at Ferny Grove.

[somebody]

Samford would then become a transport hub taking the otherwise needed bus services off the road between Samford and Ferny Grove and reducing the demand for commuter parking at Ferny Grove.

A possibility which may be justified at some point in the future.  But I think an upgraded service on the 399 Ferny Grove-Samford bus is needed now.  You wouldn't want to rely on that service!

[#Metro]

Would it be worth having FlexiLink for that area?  

[p858snake]

Would it be worth having FlexiLink for that area?  

You mean a bus service that goes somewhat close to where people live? (if they don't live in the direction of showground drive) of course!

[mufreight]

Would it be worth having FlexiLink for that area?

not if it is structured anything like the circus currently "operating?" here in Ipswich, the drawbacks particularly for the elderley presently outweigh any positives by the pathetic substitution of bus services here.
Perhaps to introduce a form of public transport to an area without any public transport it has some merit otherwise it stinks.

[Derwan]

A possibility which may be justified at some point in the future.

That's exactly what mufreight is saying.  But at that "some point in the future", the new station building will have to be demolished.  If it was built with that "some point in the future" in mind, it would save taxpayers money as the building could remain.

[somebody]

A possibility which may be justified at some point in the future.

That's exactly what mufreight is saying.  But at that "some point in the future", the new station building will have to be demolished.  If it was built with that "some point in the future" in mind, it would save taxpayers money as the building could remain.

I not convinced that it is more likely than "unlikely" yet though.  Although it is a possibility.  First the population of Samford would need to increase well above current levels.

Little in the station upgrade makes sense to me.  Firstly, why bother?  If it was "acceptable" to not upgrade Corinda/Oxley/Darra platform heights, and also acceptable to do the mediocre effort at Fortitude Valley which results in trains with the rear 3 cars locked not having the raised platform section near an operating door, why do they need the platform heights here?  Does the left hand not know what the right hand is doing?

I can see that full duplication is likely to improve reliability, and also not require both platforms to be used just to run a 15 minute frequency as is currently required.

Little in the last upgrade made sense also.  While reliability may have improved, it would have been further improved if the timetable had been changed to allow crossing to occur nearer Mitchelton.  This wasn't done!