History
The original Milsons Point station was not in its present location, but on the edge of Sydney Harbour approximately on the site of the present northern pylon of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the North Sydney Olympic Pool. This location enabled passengers from the North Shore to transfer directly from steam trains to ferries to reach Circular Quay. It opened as the southern terminus of the North Shore line on 1 May 1893 . when extended from its previous terminus at St Leonards (opened from Hornsby 1 January 1890). The site, squeezed between the rock cliffs and the edge of Sydney Harbour was cramped, with two side platforms, one of which was built on piles partly over the water's edge, and three tracks between, including a centre road. Immediately adjoining it to the east was the colonnaded Milsons Point Ferry Wharf for the ferry service to Circular Quay in central Sydney and tram terminus for the North Sydney cable tramway (opened 22 May 1886) and subsequently electrified from 11 February 1900.
In 1915, to enable a start on the construction of a bridge between Milsons Point and Dawes Point, the Government instructed the Railway Commissioners to vacate the above station and a new, 4-platform, station was constructed at the site of the boundary fence between the present-day Luna Park and Lavender Bay Sidings. This station was in operation for just seven weeks, from 30 May 1915 to 18 July 1915, as the inconvenience to passengers transferring between ferries and trains was unacceptable.
Due to later overcrowding, a third platform was added on 12 December 1920 by removing the centre road track and laying a new track on "inland" side of the new platform 2. This station remained in use until the site was requisitioned to allow construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
From 27 April 1924, a new temporary station was brought into use, approximately 300 metres back along the line on the site of the present Lavender Bay car sidings, just beyond the present Luna Park amusement park. It was linked to the street by stairs and three escalators, and to a new adjacent ferry wharf. The escalators at Milsons Point were the first installed in Australia, one of which was transferred to Town Hall Station when the temporary station closed. The tram line was also relocated to terminate adjacent to the entrance to the new station in Glen Street.
The line from Hornsby to Milsons Point was electrified from 2 August 1927.
Read more about this topic: Milsons Point Railway Station
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