@aheadmatthewawsome — 3x breakout

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Have you ever wondered why St James has such a WIDE platform?

@aheadmatthewawsome

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Why it worked

The video taps into a common curiosity about urban infrastructure, providing a historical explanation for a visually striking feature. By contrasting past plans with the present reality, it offers an engaging and informative narrative about the city's development.

Summary

The video explains the historical reason behind the wide platform at St. James station, detailing the original plans for an Eastern Suburbs Line that never came to fruition. It contrasts the past with the present, showing how the station's layout was influenced by these unfulfilled plans.

Structure

1Introduction to St. James station's wide platform
2Explanation of Dr. John Bradfield's original plans
3The unfulfilled Eastern Suburbs Line
4Comparison of past and present station usage
5Historical use of tunnels as shelters

On-screen text

ever St such wide When was Dr 1920s, the James four platforms two islands major between City Circle City Circle Eastern Suburbs Line The up platforms 1926 as of Circle. were stable during before extended Circular 1956. this, extremely obvious Suburbs gonna anymore, instead Martin it the tracks again. in this huge wide platform. But through are there. used shelters, cowbell and legend, General MacArthur's

Original caption

Have you ever wondered why St James has such a WIDE platform? When the City Circle was being built by Dr John “Job Crew”Bradfield (yes that was his middle names), his stragitic plan for the City’s new electric suburban network was for an Eastern Suburbs Line to interchange with the City Circle at St James before continuing under Oxford Street towards Bondi and then the South-East. However those plans didn’t come to fruition until 1979 which by that time the planners decided to run under the current corridor via Martin Place and Kings Cross, meaning that there would be no interchange at St James. There were delays in extending the City Circle to Circular Quay, so the middle tracks were used to stable trains during that time. However after the Circular Quay link opened in 1956, the tracks quickly became fully redundant, and have since been filled in. You can see exactly where the platform edge were from markings on the floor! Some of the abandoned tunnels on the line were used as air raid shelters during WWII which has lead to plenty of conspiracies! Look through the whole video for more! There’s plans for public tours into the tunnels soon, so make sure to keep an eye out!