Semaphore railway line

Semaphore railway line was a railway line in the Australian state of South Australia located in the north-west of Adelaide servicing the suburbs of Semaphore and Exeter. It had two stations: Semaphore and Exeter. The line opened in 1878 and closed in 1978.

The line branched off at Glanville station and ran along the centre of Semaphore Road, until it terminated right next to the Esplanade. Semaphore station was located east of Esplanade Road. Exeter station was located to the east side of where Swan Terrace and Woolnough Road intersect. The original stations have been demolished and practically no evidence of the stations remains. The original rail track has since been dismantled, with only some remnant evidence of the road bed remaining.

The large median strip along Semaphore Road remains as a result of the line. In 2006, the City of Port Adelaide Enfield council made a proposal for a light rail network to be constructed in the North West suburbs, which included a branch along the route of the former Semaphore Line.

The South Australian State Government in its 2008 State Budget announced that a light rail network would be constructed, and that a light rail branch was expected to be constructed to Semaphore in 2018.

The Semaphore line was extended from the port on 7 January 1882 by South Australian Railways to serve the new overseas shipping jetty at Semaphore. In 1917 when the Semaphore to Rosewater and Albert Park tram line was opened there was an unresolved dispute over the tramline crossing the railway line near Exeter station.

The Railway Commissioner disallowed trams to cross over the railway line. Trams continued to operate with one isolated tram service between the crossing and Largs, with passengers having to walk across the railway line to use the remaining tramline. After a short period of time, the Municipal Tramways Trust continued full service along the line regardless of not having the rail commissioner’s consent. In response to this rail workers threatened to cut the tramline off by dumping a load of sleepers on the tramway tracks.

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