Client
Sydney Trains
Sector
Transport Infrastructure
Location
Sydney CBD
Gadigal Country
State
NSW
Town Hall Station
Escalator Upgrades
Across two major upgrade projects, Degnan replaced Escalators 1, 2, 3 and 4 at Sydney’s Town Hall Station, renewing critical vertical transport infrastructure within one of the city’s busiest and most constrained underground rail environments.
The works included the replacement of the station’s heritage timber escalators and two escalators reaching the end of their service life servicing the lower-level platforms. Careful staging, detailed operational planning and close stakeholder coordination enabled the upgrades to be delivered while maintaining station operations, passenger access and train services.
Renewing Critical Station Infrastructure
Degnan was initially engaged to plan, design and deliver the replacement of heritage Escalators 1 and 2. Installed during the 1950s, the timber escalators had operated for approximately 60 years before reaching the end of their functional life. Degnan subsequently returned to Town Hall Station to replace Escalators 3 and 4, which service the lower-level platforms.
Together, the projects replaced four ageing escalators with modern systems designed to improve reliability, accessibility and passenger movement through the station.
Maintaining Station Operations
All four escalators were replaced within a live public transport environment where train services and customer movements needed to continue throughout construction.
Work areas were enclosed and protected, temporary services were introduced where required, and construction activities were carefully planned around limited station access and nightly work windows. Maintaining safe pedestrian circulation was particularly important due to the high volume of passengers moving through Town Hall Station.
Degnan’s approach focused on:
Maintaining station functionality and passenger access
Planning works around restricted rail access windows
Managing interfaces with passengers, staff and station operations
Coordinating equipment movements through constrained underground areas
Protecting the safety of passengers, station staff and project personnel
Complex Underground Delivery
Town Hall Station’s underground location created significant access, demolition and logistics constraints. Escalators 3 and 4 were replaced with extra heavy-duty models, each approximately 30 metres long, requiring specialised demolition sequencing and construction techniques within the restricted station environment.
For Escalators 3 and 4, Degnan managed the removal of the existing assets and the supply, delivery, installation, testing and commissioning of the new escalators. Associated works included modifications to landings and finishes, tiling, stainless steel trims, plate extensions, painting and the removal of redundant infrastructure.
Nearly 100 tonnes of equipment were moved into and out of the station during restricted nightly closures, requiring detailed planning and careful coordination of labour, access and construction activities.
Integrated Station Works
The Escalators 3 and 4 project extended beyond the vertical transport replacements. Degnan also delivered associated structural, mechanical, fire safety and building fit-out works, together with upgrades and integration works involving ticketing equipment, passenger information displays, CCTV and other essential station services.
This integrated approach ensured the new escalators and supporting infrastructure were successfully incorporated into the existing station environment while meeting contemporary operational and safety requirements.
Preserving Rail Heritage
The replacement of Escalators 1 and 2 required Degnan to carefully balance infrastructure renewal with the heritage significance of the original timber escalators.
Following their removal, elements of the heritage escalators were retained for restoration and future display at the Sydney Tramway Museum in Loftus, helping preserve an important part of Sydney’s transport and engineering history.
Key Outcomes
- Replacement of four escalators reaching the end of their service life
- Renewal of heritage Escalators 1 and 2
- Replacement of lower-platform Escalators 3 and 4
- Installation of approximately 30-metre extra heavy-duty escalators
- Station operations and passenger access maintained during delivery
- Successful management of restricted underground access and logistics
- Associated structural, mechanical, electrical, fire safety and fit-out works
- Integration of ticketing, CCTV and passenger information services
- Heritage elements retained for restoration and museum display
History
Town Hall railway station is a heritage-listed underground commuter rail station located in the centre of Sydney’s CBD. The station opened on 28 February 1932 and was named after the Sydney Town Hall, which is located directly above the station.
The station opened on 28 February 1932 and was built with six platforms, split over two levels with three platforms on each level. Only four platforms were in use until the Eastern Suburbs line opened in June 1979.
The station’s original timber escalators were installed during the 1950s and operated for approximately 60 years before being replaced.
Escalators 1 and 2 were among the last operating wooden railway escalators in Australia.
