Whiteman Park railway station

Whiteman Park
A road in the foreground and an elevated train station in the background with scaffolding indicating it is under construction.
Whiteman Park station in March 2024, with Drumpellier Drive in the foreground
General information
LocationCorner of Whiteman Drive East & Drumpellier Drive
Whiteman, Western Australia
Australia
Coordinates31°50′14″S 115°57′53″E / 31.837316°S 115.964613°E / -31.837316; 115.964613
Owned byPublic Transport Authority
Line(s)     Ellenbrook line
Platforms1 island platform with 2 platform edges
Tracks2
Train operatorsPublic Transport Authority
Tram operatorsPerth Electric Tramway Society
Bus stands10
ConnectionsBus, heritage tram
Construction
Structure typeElevated
Parking900 bays
Bicycle facilitiesYes
AccessibleYes
ArchitectWoods Bagot
Other information
StatusCompleted and unopened
Fare zone2
History
Opening8 December 2024 (8 December 2024)
Services
Preceding station Transperth Transperth Following station
Opening in 2024
Ballajura
towards Perth
 Ellenbrook line Ellenbrook
Terminus
Location
Map
Location of Whiteman Park station

Whiteman Park railway station is an unopened suburban railway station on the Ellenbrook line in Perth, Western Australia. The station is located on the western side of Drumpellier Drive in Whiteman, and will serve the surrounding suburbs of Brabham, Dayton, Henley Brook and West Swan, as well as the nature reserve and tourism destination of Whiteman Park.

Whiteman Park station consists of an island platform located on a viaduct. The contract for the construction of the Ellenbrook line was awarded to Laing O'Rourke in October 2020 and construction began in 2022. Throughout 2023, viaduct bridge beams were being installed, and during 2024, cladding and fit out occurred. The station reached completion in August 2024 and is planned to open alongside the rest of the Ellenbrook line on 8 December 2024.

There are planned to be five trains per hour stopping at Whiteman Park station during peak, reducing to four trains per hour outside peak. A journey to Perth station is expected to take 25 minutes. Feeder bus routes will serve the surrounding area, and a heritage tramway operated by the Perth Electric Tramway Society will run from the station into the core of Whiteman Park.

Description

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Concrete viaduct on a construction site
Ellenbrook line viaduct and Whiteman Park station in the background
A road elevated on an embankment with a pedestrian underpass under construction at ground level. The station's shelter can be seen behind the road in the background.
Underpass below Drumpellier Drive

Whiteman Park station is in Whiteman, a north-western suburb of Perth, Western Australia. The station is located on the western side of Drumpellier Drive, just south of Whiteman Drive East, one of the main entrance roads to Whiteman Park.[1] The station is on the Ellenbrook line, which is owned by the Public Transport Authority, a state government agency. It will be part of the Transperth system when the line opens in 2024. The adjacent stations are Ellenbrook station to the north and Ballajura station to the south. The station is within fare zone two.[2]

Whiteman Park station is located on a viaduct so that the Ellenbrook line can bridge over Whiteman Drive East. The station has a 150-metre long (490 ft) elevated island platform, long enough for a six-car B-series or C-series train.[3] The platform is connected to ground level by lifts, escalators and stairs. The station was designed to architecturally fit in with the other four stations on the Ellenbrook branch, using the same design language, particularly with the roof geometry and materials used.[3] West of the platforms is a ten-stand bus interchange, car park with approximately 900 bays, and tram platform for the heritage tramway to Whiteman Park.[1][4] The car park's footprint was designed to reduce the number of trees cut down.[5] East of the station is a pedestrian underpass passing under Drumpellier Drive which leads to a shared path in Brabham. Facilities at the station include toilets, a kiosk and a bike shelter. The station is fully wheelchair accessible.[1]

Whiteman Park station will serve the nearby residential areas of Brabham, Dayton, Henley Brook, West Swan, and the nature reserve and tourism destination of Whiteman Park, which includes the Caversham Wildlife Park and various transport-related museums.[4] The land directly east of the station on the other side of Drumpellier Drive is the former Caversham Airfield, which is intended to become a transit-oriented development. The land surrounding the station west of the railway line, which is part of Whiteman Park, is also planned to be developed for "cultural and tourism uses".[6]

At Whiteman Park station will be three pieces of public art. The walls around the station's entrance will have a mural by Jack Bromell featuring three wedge-tailed eagles in flight and "abstract swamp and stout paperbark leaves and flowers". The walls of the Drumpellier Drive underpass will have a mural by Rohin Kickett and Haylee Fieldes representing the Bennett Brook and Whiteman Park's native flora and fauna. Surrounding the station will be two clusters of sculptures of freshwater mussels, referencing Whiteman Park's Mussell Pool and the Carter's freshwater mussel living within nearby wetlands.[7]

History

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Constructing the Ellenbrook line by 2023 as part of the Metronet project was committed to by the Labor Party before it won the 2017 state election.[8][9][10] During planning and construction, the line was known as the Morley–Ellenbrook line.[11] The route of the Ellenbrook line was officially confirmed in August 2019. It had the line running along the eastern side of Whiteman Park along Drumpellier Drive, with Whiteman Park station located at the eastern entrance to Whiteman Park.[12][13][14] The A$753 million main construction contract for the Morley–Ellenbrook line was awarded to the MELconnx Consortium, consisting of Laing O'Rourke, in October 2020.[15][16][17]

The first concept designs for Whiteman Park station were released in October 2021. By that stage, clearing of vegetation for the station was underway.[18][19] The station was designed by lead architecture firm Woods Bagot.[20] The first stage was the construction of the foundations for the viaduct.[21] Piling was underway by July 2022[5] and complete by October 2022.[22] From 19 July 2022 to February 2024, Drumpellier Drive was diverted via Isoodon Street to allow for the elevation of the road for the pedestrian underpass and the lifting of viaduct bridge beams.[5][23] By June 2023, twelve out of forty viaduct beams had been lifted into place,[24][25] and as of October 2023, three spans were yet to be completed.[26] By March 2024, structural steel and concrete works were complete and cladding and fit out had commenced.[23] The station reached completion in August 2024, making it the third out of the five stations to finish construction.[27]

A 1.3-kilometre (0.81 mi) extension of the Perth Electric Tramway Society's heritage tramway to Whiteman Park station was announced in February 2024. It was funded by a $1 million contribution by the state government and constructed using 85 percent recycled materials from other Metronet projects and by North Metropolitan TAFE students. To celebrate the opening of the extension, the tram will be free until the end of 2025.[28][29][30][31]

The Ellenbrook line and Whiteman Park station are planned to open on 8 December 2024.[11][32][33]

Services

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Whiteman Park station will be served by Ellenbrook line services, which will run between Ellenbrook station and Perth station.[4] These services will be part of the Transperth network and will be operated by the Public Transport Authority. It is planned for there to be five trains per hour in each direction stopping at Whiteman Park station during peak, reducing to four trains per hour outside of peak.[3] A journey to Perth station is expected to take 25 minutes.[1] It is projected that Whiteman Park station will have 3,795 daily boardings by 2031.[4][34]

Connecting services will include feeder bus routes[1] and the heritage tram to Whiteman Park.[31]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Whiteman Park Fact Sheet" (PDF). Metronet. August 2023. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 November 2019. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  2. ^ "Transperth Zone Map" (PDF). Transperth. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  3. ^ a b c MELconnx (1 October 2021). "Whiteman Park Station Development Approval Report" (PDF). WA.gov.au. Government of Western Australia. pp. 10, 20, 25–26. Archived (PDF) from the original on 6 July 2022. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d "Morley-Ellenbrook Line Project Definition Plan" (PDF). Metronet. June 2020. pp. 3, 36–38. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  5. ^ a b c "Whiteman Park Station CRG 5 – Minutes" (PDF). Metronet. 20 July 2022. p. 2. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 May 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  6. ^ "Whiteman Park Station Precinct Concept Master Plan Fact Sheet" (PDF). Metronet. March 2022. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 March 2023. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  7. ^ "Morley-Ellenbrook Line Public Art" (PDF). Metronet. December 2023. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 May 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  8. ^ Kagi, Jacob (29 July 2016). "Analysis: Battlelines drawn on Perth transport ahead of WA election". ABC News. Archived from the original on 7 September 2022. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  9. ^ Young, Emma (15 December 2016). "WA in for 'congestion election': details emerge on Metronet transport plan". WAtoday. Archived from the original on 1 May 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  10. ^ O'Connor, Andrew (6 February 2017). "WA Election: $2.5bn cost of Metronet will not increase net debt, says Labor". ABC News. Archived from the original on 19 July 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  11. ^ a b Cook, Roger; Saffioti, Rita (7 October 2024). "All aboard: opening date set for METRONET Ellenbrook Line" (Press release). Government of Western Australia. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  12. ^ "Full steam ahead for the METRONET rail line to Ellenbrook". Media Statements. 4 August 2019. Archived from the original on 1 May 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  13. ^ "Ellenbrook rail line in sight for residents, as WA Government unveils route". ABC News. 4 August 2019. Archived from the original on 7 September 2022. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  14. ^ "Morley-Ellenbrook Line alignment confirmed" (PDF). Metronet. August 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 September 2022. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  15. ^ "Joint media statement – Main construction contract awarded for highly anticipated METRONET Morley-Ellenbrook Line". Media Statements. 18 October 2020. Archived from the original on 26 January 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  16. ^ Beyer, Mark (19 October 2020). "Ellenbrook rail budget hits $1.3bn". Business News. Archived from the original on 1 May 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  17. ^ Traill, Michael (19 October 2020). "State Government inks $700m deal for Metronet's Morley-Ellenbrook rail line with Laing O'Rourke". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 26 January 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  18. ^ "Joint media statement – First images of METRONET Whiteman Park Station unveiled". Media Statements. 13 October 2021. Archived from the original on 1 May 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  19. ^ Gameng, Monica (16 October 2021). "New milestone reached on WA METRONET Whiteman Park Station project". Felix Vendor Marketplace. Archived from the original on 1 May 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  20. ^ Miletic, Branko (6 November 2023). "Work on Woods Bagot-designed METRONET stations in Perth makes progress". Architecture and Design. Archived from the original on 3 May 2024. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  21. ^ "METRONET train station on track for Ellenbrook". Media Statements. 30 January 2022. Archived from the original on 26 January 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  22. ^ "Whiteman Park Station CRG 6 – Minutes" (PDF). Metronet. 19 October 2022. p. 2. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 May 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  23. ^ a b "Morley-Ellenbrook Line construction update". Metronet. 1 March 2024. Archived from the original on 1 May 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  24. ^ "Work ramps up on new METRONET Whiteman Park Station". Media Statements. 20 June 2023. Archived from the original on 26 January 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  25. ^ "Full steam ahead at Whiteman Park". Metronet. 20 June 2023. Archived from the original on 16 March 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  26. ^ "Ellenbrook-Whiteman Park CRG 8 – Minutes" (PDF). Metronet. 10 October 2023. p. 2. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 May 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  27. ^ "Joint media statement – First test train on track on the Morley–Ellenbrook line". Media Statements. 26 August 2024. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  28. ^ Le May, Rebecca (11 February 2024). "Heritage tram line at Whiteman Park to be extended to new nearby Metronet train station". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 1 May 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  29. ^ Hastie, Hamish (11 February 2024). "Whiteman Park tramway to link up with Morley to Ellenbrook train line". WAtoday. Archived from the original on 1 May 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  30. ^ "Historic tramway to connect the METRONET Whiteman Park Station". Media Statements. 11 February 2024. Archived from the original on 13 February 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  31. ^ a b "Whiteman Park Tram Extension Project" (PDF). Metronet. February 2024. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 March 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  32. ^ McNeill, Heather (7 October 2024). "After 16 years and never-ending promises, we finally know when the Ellenbrook train line will open". WAtoday. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  33. ^ Page, Jessica (7 October 2024). "Transport Minister Rita Saffioti confirms date for opening of $1.6 billion Morley–Ellenbrook rail line". The West Australian. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  34. ^ "Joint media statement – Perth's newest METRONET train station designs unveiled". Media Statements. 21 June 2020. Archived from the original on 1 May 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.

Further reading

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