Caddies Creek - the dark side!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A shopping trolley in the creek, and a tastefully decorated toilet cubicle. It is Western Sydney after all. There's only so far upmarket a suburb can go.

Caddies Creek, Beaumont Hills

 
 

There's a nice little park, with walkways, a scenic lake, and appropriate wildlife in Beaumont Hills. It provides a nice alternative entry route to Rouse Hill Town Centre, we found.

Sydney Metro

The new Sydney Metro train line opened at the weekend. It runs from Chatswood to Epping via the existing tunnel, and on out to the north-west via Cherrybrook and Castle Hill through a new tunnel. It's then up onto a viaduct beside the Windsor Road, terminating at Tallawong, just beyond Rouse Hill.



There were bumper crowds on the first day, with free rides, and a with few teething troubles too. The trains are driverless, and that's quite a big deal for many.

I waited a few days before venturing aboard myself. There were no crowds mid-morning on Tuesday. No problems with doors not opening, or trains missing their stopping spots at stations. And no mysterious breakdowns. It all went spiffingly! It was a fast, comfortable, thoroughly excellent experience.

One advantage of having no driver is that you can wander right up to the front, take up the 'driver's position' yourself, and get a terrific view out the front.

I got out at Rouse Hill, where the cathedral-like station has stained-glass windows. I had my morning coffee in the Town Centre there, and headed back.

For the time being the trains have staff members riding shotgun on them, like the chap on the left here. They do seem to be needed from time to time. Just after my inspection trip another train 'lost contact' with the control system and came to a halt. The human had to spring into action and move it on. Then on the news this morning we heard of a power outage affecting a long stretch of the line for a while.

It might be a some time yet before our state government fulfills its dream of ridding the transport system entirely of human operatives.

On the trail of North West Rail (Part 2)

Your fearless correspondent continued his tour of inspection the other day of progress on the North West Rail link.

Here's where the marching column of  viaduct piers has got to so far, their progress guarded by a (friendly) security guard.

The Sydney Metro (otherwise known as the North West Rail Link) will burst out of its tunnels at Bella Vista, and become a 'skytrain',  running on a viaduct for the last few kilometres. The support piers are being churned out in front of our eyes, and there's a big gantry crane thing that puts the box girders in place on the piers.




I went out as far as Rouse Hill Town Centre, which will be served by the train one day. The Town Centre is an award-winning indoor-outdoor sort of shopping & community centre, which does have a fairly good feel to it.



 As good a place as any for my morning coffee.