iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

A strange place in Sydney I recently visited: the foreshore path along the northern side of Botany Bay, close to Port Botany.

A shared pedestrian and cycling path, with bushes, fences, and trees on either side

Looking towards a body of water with plants and a fence in the foreground; on the other side of the body of water is a port with shipping containers

A lookout on a curved path elevated above plants

Looking over shrubs towards a beach, with a boat ramp and a port in the distance

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

I have made these diagrams of the Sydney suburban rail network that show each service pattern that runs every 30 minutes as a separate line. There are separate diagrams for weekday off-peak services and weekend services.

A diagram of the Sydney suburban rail network showing weekday off-peak service patterns. Each line represents a service pattern that runs every 30 minutes, except for thicker lines which represent more frequent service patterns, with the frequency for these lines noted. A dot on a line indicates that that service pattern stops at a station. Different stations have different combinations of dots on the lines that go through the station, showing how at some stations, certain service patterns stop at the station and certain service patterns skip it.

A diagram of the Sydney suburban rail network showing weekend service patterns. Each line represents a service pattern that runs every 30 minutes, except for thicker lines which represent more frequent service patterns, with the frequency for these lines noted. A dot on a line indicates that that service pattern stops at a station. Different stations have different combinations of dots on the lines that go through the station, showing how at some stations, certain service patterns stop at the station and certain service patterns skip it.

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Simplified cross-sectional diagrams of train stations with platforms on multiple levels in Sydney, showing the general layout of platforms, concourses, and stairs/escalators.

4 diagrams made of colored rectangles, with white rectangles representing concourses, thin grey rectangles representing stairs/escalators connecting concourses and platforms, and rectangles in other colors representing platforms, where the color represents the line that that platform serves. Each diagram is labeled with the name of the station it depicts.
The Epping diagram shows a concourse at the top, connected to 2 red platforms below it, that are each connected to a single concourse below them, which is connected to a single turquoise platform below it.
The Wolli Creek diagram shows a concourse which on the left is connected to a blue platform above it, and on the right is connected to 2 green platforms below it.
The Wynyard diagram shows a concourse which on the left is connected to a yellow platform above it, and on the right is connected to a green platform below it.
The Town Hall diagram shows a concourse at the top, and on the left it is connected to a yellow platform below it which is connected to a platform below it split between green and blue, and on the right the concourse is connected to a platform below it split between yellow and green which is connected to a blue platform below it.

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

Western Sydney Airport hasn't opened yet, but bus routes to it have recently started operating, so it's possible to go there by bus and see the outside of the unopened terminal.

A large building with a glass façade and a high awning in front of it supported by tall pillars, with the words "Western Sydney International Airport" displayed at the top of the building. The building has a large plaza in front of it with seating, trees, and vegetation.

A large building with a glass façade and a high awning in front of it supported by tall pillars, and a large plaza in front of the building with seating, trees, and vegetation.

Looking along the front of a large building with a glass façade, with a high awning supported by tall pillars in front of the building.

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

From 29 June 2026, the way distances between Sydney railway stations are calculated for the purpose of fare calculation is changing. I made a spreadsheet showing the distances between stations before and after this change and the difference between them. docs.google.com/spreadsheets...

docs.google.com

June 2026 station distance changes

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

The Woronora Bridge in southern Sydney has a very cool walkway underneath the level of the road, with great views over the Woronora River. This bridge opened in 2001, replacing a smaller bridge just above the level of the river, which still carries local traffic.

Looking along a walkway curving to the left, with a wooden floor, a concrete ceiling, a concrete wall on the left, and an open side with a fence on the right, with a view over a river with a tree-covered hill on the side.

Looking along a walkway curving to the right, with a wooden floor, a concrete ceiling, a concrete wall on the right, and an open side with a fence on the left, with a view over a river with a tree-covered hill on the side.

2 bridges crossing a river, viewed from the side of the river. The closer bridge is a few meters above the level of the water, while the bridge further away is much higher up and is supported by tall piers.

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 26/12/2025

On New Year's Eve 2024, Sydney Metro services didn't stop at Barangaroo between 17:00 and 23:45 due to large crowds. During this period, there were some changes to passenger information displays, since trains were skipping a station they'd normally stop at.

Close-up photograph of a passenger information display in a Sydney Metro train, showing a diagram of stations on the line. From left to right, Chatswood, Crows Nest, Victoria Cross, Barangaroo, Martin Place, and Gadigal stations are visible, each with a dot on a line and a label above the line. An arrow icon pointing to the left is between the dots for Barangaroo and Martin Place, showing the location of the train and the direction of travel. The dots for Chatswood, Crows Nest, and Victoria Cross are turquoise. The dot for Barangaroo is dark grey with an exclamation mark inside. The dots for Martin Place and Gadigal are light grey.

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 24/12/2025

In the past, I thought the idea of building a rail tunnel from Merrylands to Epping via Parramatta and Carlingford (an idea implied in the Future Transport Strategy 2056 document) wasn't a very good one. However, over the first half of this year, I changed my mind on this.

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 23/12/2025

New Exploring Sydney's Railways video! In this one I visit Como Station on the Illawarra Line, which has a beautiful station entrance. www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSpu...

youtube.com

Exploring Como

YouTube video by Exploring Sydney's Railways

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 24/10/2025

I'm back in Sydney now, after getting the train back from Canberra. The train might not be the fastest way to get between Sydney and Canberra, but it's a nice way to do it.

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 24/10/2025

City Hill, at one of the corners of Canberra's Parliamentary Triangle.

Looking up a hill towards a flagpole with the flag of the Australian Capital Territory, with rows of trees on either side of an area of grass and dirt leading towards the flagpole

A view to the south from City Hill, with rows of trees on either side of a grassy area leading down towards Commonwealth Avenue, which leads towards Parliament House in the distance

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 23/10/2025

The Butters Bridge, a pedestrian bridge over the Molonglo River which opened in 2016.

Looking along a pedestrian bridge with a concrete floor and metal barriers on either side; there is a bench on the bridge and the bridge is wider around this bench

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 23/10/2025

The under-construction Molonglo River Bridge.

A bridge over a valley, viewed from a long distance away. There are trees and grass in the valley, and cranes at the ends of the bridge.

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 22/10/2025

The Kingston Foreshore area, close to Canberra Station.

Mid-rise apartment buildings with shops at ground level on a pedestrian street next to a body of water

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 22/10/2025

I'm in Canberra now, after taking the train from Sydney. This was my first time on an Xplorer train.

The front of a NSW TrainLink Xplorer train at the platform at Canberra Station

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 21/10/2025

On the weekend, due to trackwork, trains on the Metro North West & Bankstown Line were running between Castle Hill and Sydenham. This is the view from the front of a train using the crossover east of Castle Hill to terminate there. This crossover isn't used by normal services.

An underground double crossover junction, viewed from the front of a train on one of the crossover tracks; another crossover track crosses this track at an angle in front, and the main tracks are on the left and right sides of the wide underground space

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 05/10/2025

The Oxford Street cycleway in Sydney opened recently. This cycleway on a major road links multiple other cycleways, making the cycling network more connected.

Looking along a wide road with a bidirectional cycleway on the left of the road, where the lane going towards the viewpoint splits into 2 lanes, 1 for going straight and 1 for turning right

A bidirectional cycleway next to a road, separated from the road by a kerb

A cycleway next to a road approaching an intersection with another road

A cycleway in between a footpath and a bus stop, with a zebra crossing across the cycleway to connect the footpath and the bus stop, and a fence between the bus stop and the cycleway

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

New Exploring Sydney's Railways video! In this one, filmed in June 2024 before the closure of the Bankstown Line, I visit Wiley Park. www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTzj...

youtube.com

Exploring Wiley Park

YouTube video by Exploring Sydney's Railways

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 18/09/2025

The Woolwich Dock in Woolwich, Sydney. It originally opened in 1901, and an expansion was completed in 1918. It was formerly a dry dock.

Looking along the side of a dock towards a rock wall in the distance, with disused railway tracks parallel to the dock and boats in the water on the left

Looking along the side of a dock towards a rock wall in the distance, with a path elevated just above the ground leading forward and a rock wall on the right with vegetation in front of it

Looking towards a rock wall at the end of a dock, which overhangs the far end of the dock and is otherwise a vertical wall curving around the walkway around the dock

Looking along a dock from its far end, with boats in the water on the right side and rock walls on the left and right sides of the dock

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 16/08/2025

A week ago I visited another Sydney Metro West open day at the site of the future Parramatta metro station. The main focus of this open day was seeing one of the tunnel boring machines, as it was in the station box on the day. bsky.app/profile/unsp...

Inside the under-construction station box at the Parramatta metro station, viewed from part of the way down; there are concrete walls on the left and right sides and horizontal metal beams supporting these walls

The front of a tunnel boring machine; a circular brown cutterhead

Side view of the front of a tunnel boring machine, with the cutterhead on the left and the shield to the right of it

A tunnel boring machine in the under-construction station box of the Parramatta metro station, with the shield on the left and various equipment behind it

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 11/08/2025

The reason why I haven't posted for several months before today is because I wanted my next post to be about the Riverstone video, but I kept on putting off finishing the video, so I didn't make other posts until the video was done.

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 11/08/2025

New Exploring Sydney's Railways video! In this one I visit Riverstone, an unusual station on the Sydney rail network as it has a level crossing next to it. www.youtube.com/watch?v=waQv...

youtube.com

Exploring Riverstone

YouTube video by Exploring Sydney's Railways

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 30/11/2024

What's next for Sydney Metro after Sydney Metro West? I think one of the next projects should be Sydney Metro Southeast – an extension of the line to Randwick via Green Square. (thread, 1/12)

Map of my unofficial proposal for the Sydney Metro Southeast extension. After the under-construction Sydney Metro West stations of The Bays, Pyrmont, and Hunter Street, it would stop at Darlinghurst, Surry Hills, Waterloo East, Green Square, Rosebery, UNSW, and Randwick.

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 25/11/2024

I've been visiting Dulwich Hill Station every few weeks since it closed to see how it's changing for the Sydney Metro conversion, as there are good views of the station from nearby streets. These photos are from the week before the closure and the 1st, 4th, and 6th week after.

A view of Dulwich Hill Station from the Wardell Road bridge in late September 2024. The station has an island platform and a brick building in the center.

A view of Dulwich Hill Station from the Wardell Road bridge in early October 2024. Construction work is taking place on the edge of the platform.

A view of Dulwich Hill Station from the Wardell Road bridge in late October 2024. Platform-screen doors have been installed on parts of the far side of the island platform, but not on the near side.

A view of Dulwich Hill Station from the Wardell Road bridge in early November 2024. Platform-screen doors have been installed on both sides of the island platform.

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 21/11/2024

My best photo from May 2023: Looking down an escalator at Kellyville Station, with light coming through the colored windows.

A view down an escalator towards ground level, with stripes of white, yellow, and green light caused by colored windows on the left

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 20/11/2024

Martin Place Station is impressive from a layout perspective. There are 3 entrance areas, and all 3 have connections to other entrance areas both in the unpaid area and the paid area. It's such an extensive underground passageway network.

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 18/11/2024

The demolition of buildings in the Hunter Street Station East site appears to be complete.

The Hunter Street Station East construction site viewed from the opposite corner of the Hunter Street and Bligh Street intersection

The Hunter Street Station East construction site viewed from across the road on Hunter Street

The Hunter Street Station East construction site viewed from the opposite corner of the Hunter Street and O'Connell Street intersection

The Hunter Street Station East construction site viewed from across the road on O'Connell Street

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 16/11/2024

It's impressive how Waterfall is able to act as a terminating station for both directions and also as a through station with just 2 platforms.

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 14/11/2024

Most of Sydney's buses don't have internal passenger information displays, but some of them do. The design of this display is simple and effective, showing the route, time, next stop, and 2 following stops.

A screen on a bus displaying the following text:
"430" and "Sydenham" at the top of the screen on a white background
"Next Stop" and "Time: 14:54" in a row with a black background
"Erskineville Rd" in large text in a row with a blue background
"Newtown Station" and "Enmore Theatre" in smaller text on separate rows with a white background, with a blue line on the left with short perpendicular lines pointing towards each row

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 11/11/2024

The remains of what used to be a staircase up the cliff near Barangaroo Station.

A wall of rock viewed from across a road. In the top left of the wall there is a large void about a meter deep, with a staircase at the bottom leading up to the left. Below and to the right of this there are bricks filling the space where the lower part of the staircase would have once been. In the top right of the wall there is a diagonal line of concrete that implies that there once would have been a second section of the staircase in front of the first, leading up from left to right.

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 19/10/2024

I never got to ride on the old T6 Carlingford Line before it closed, but today I rode the new T6 Lidcombe & Bankstown Line on its first day of operation.

Next-train indicator screens on Platform 1 of Bankstown Station, showing upcoming trains on the T6 line to Lidcombe, stopping at Yagoona, Birrong, Regents Park, Berala, and Lidcombe. A train about to run this service is visible in the bottom of the image.

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 23/09/2024

The new design of next-train indicators on the Sydney Metro line is a big improvement over the old design in my opinion. It's almost identical to the existing Sydney Trains design, so it looks great when they're placed together.

4 next-train indicators at Martin Place Station. The 2 on the left are for the Sydney Trains platforms (1 and 2), and the 2 on the right are for the Sydney Metro platforms (3 and 4). All 4 have the line number and destination at the top, a scrolling list of stations in the middle on the left, the platform number and minutes until departure on the right, and basic details of 2 upcoming services at the bottom.

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 20/09/2024

Dulwich Hill Station will look so different with platform-screen doors.

Looking along the platform of Dulwich Hill Station from the western end, towards the recently-built western footbridge

Part of Platform 2 at Dulwich Hill Station, looking towards the recently-built western footbridge and the stairs leading up to it

The western end of the platform at Dulwich Hill Station

Dulwich Hill Station viewed from the western footbridge, looking over Platform 2 with a train stopped at the platform

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 19/09/2024

The era of double-decker trains on the Bankstown Line will be ending soon

Interior of the lower level of a Sydney Trains Waratah Series 2 train carriage, with several rows of seats facing forwards. The platform of Dulwich Hill Station is visible through the windows.

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 25/08/2024

The new Sydney Metro stations are generally designed very well, but at the southern entrance of Martin Place, there's a dark spot on the ground which is there because the light above it is blocked by a sign.

The floor on the southern concourse level of Martin Place Station in front of the escalators that lead to the passage to the northern concourse. There is a round area of the floor that appears significantly darker than surrounding areas.

A light in the ceiling of Martin Place Station above the dark area on the floor, and a sign below it saying "Hunter Street" with a down arrow.

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 23/08/2024

One of my favorite parts of the new Sydney Metro stations is the lifts at Central. Most of the lift shaft doesn't have a barrier in front, so you can more clearly see the lift mechanism and the concrete wall behind it.

2 lift shafts at the northern end of Platforms 26 and 27 at Sydney's Central Station. The lift doors are at the bottom, and a glass barrier is above the doors, but that barrier ends after a few meters, leaving the rest of the lift shaft without a barrier in front, until near the top of the lift. A concrete wall is on the back and sides of the lift shafts, and there are black rails on the sides.

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 23/08/2024

The connection between the Eastern Suburbs Line platforms at Martin Place (opened in 1979) and the new Sydney Metro platforms (opened in 2024).

A corridor leading away from the end of a railway platform, with red tiles on the walls at the start of the corridor and light brown tiles further along, and 3 escalators and 1 lift going down in the distance

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 19/08/2024

I had a great day today riding the Sydney Metro extension through the city on its opening day. I visited Martin Place, Sydenham, Central, and Victoria Cross, and they are all great stations!

View along Platform 4 of Martin Place Station, with the camera next to the platform-screen doors causing the view of the platform to be reflected

View of Platforms 1 and 2 of Sydenham Station from the footbridge, with 2 straight railway tracks in between

The southern set of 3 escalators on Platforms 26 and 27 of Central Station, viewed from the platform

The corridor connecting the southern entrance of Victoria Cross Station to the platforms; a wide curved corridor with white panels on the walls and escalators in the background

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 19/08/2024

I'm returning to posting today, as the Sydney Metro extension is now open! I haven't used it yet, but after years of following the construction of this project, it will be great to finally use this new section of the line.

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 05/05/2024

I visited the Sydney Metro Martin Place open day today, and wow, this station is incredible! This is a thread of photographs I took and thoughts I have on the station.

Looking down into the atrium of the northern entrance of Martin Place station; escalators on the upper left and right lead down to an intermediate level, and escalators on the lower left and right lead from that intermediate level to a lower level

Looking along Platform 3 of Martin Place station, with a light brown wall on the left and platform-screen doors on the right

Looking towards the top of 3 escalators and 1 lift that link the Eastern Suburbs Line platforms at Martin Place station with the Metro platforms

The top of 4 escalators leading from the intermediate level of the southern entrance of Martin Place station to the platform level

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 27/04/2024

Layers have peeled off this advertising billboard at Strathfield Station, revealing a CityRail safety campaign from 2008.

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 25/04/2024

The underside of the railway bridge over Lavender Street in Milsons Point.

Underneath a large concrete arch, looking towards one end, with a road below the arch and the sky visible on the left and right

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 21/04/2024

Today I visited a special Sydney Metro West open day at the site of the future Parramatta metro station. Currently it's just a construction site, but in the future this will be a major underground train station.

Construction site for the Parramatta metro station; a large excavation site with horizontal metal beams supporting the walls on either side

Inside the under-construction station box for the Parramatta metro station, with 2 excavators on top of the rock

View into the under-construction station box at the Parramatta metro station, with lots of rocks at the bottom and a staircase encased in scaffolding for accessing it

Part of the construction site for the Parramatta metro station, with some of the buildings of Parramatta in the background

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 17/04/2024

I did a quick analysis of Sydney Trains and Metro stations to see whether the platforms are accessed from a bridge above or an underpass below. Of the 180 stations, 124 have bridges, 22 have underpasses, 5 have both, 3 are elevated, 8 are at surface level, and 18 are underground.

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 16/04/2024

I'm back in Sydney now after returning on the overnight XPT service. I enjoyed my short trip to Melbourne, and while I didn't get to visit as many places as I had hoped to, this just means that next time I visit there'll still be a lot to see.

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 16/04/2024

Went to visit the Eltham Trestle Bridge; it's a cool bridge!

Looking west along the Eltham Trestle Bridge, a wooden trestle bridge supporting an elevated rail line a few meters above the ground

Looking east along the Eltham Trestle Bridge, a wooden trestle bridge supporting an elevated rail line a few meters above the ground

Underneath the Eltham Trestle Bridge, looking at the many wooden beams supporting it

A train crossing the Eltham Trestle Bridge

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 16/04/2024

I took so many photos walking from Carnegie to Hughesdale along the elevated rail line; here's a few of them. It's such a stunning piece of infrastructure.

A pedestrian and cycling path below 2 concrete elevated railway viaducts, with vegetation on either side and a small exercise park on the left

A train on a concrete elevated railway viaduct, viewed from a pedestrian path below

A short section of disused rail tracks surrounded by vegetation, with 2 concrete elevated railway viaducts on either side

2 concrete elevated railway viaducts with grass on the ground in between

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 16/04/2024

The curved tram terminus of route 67 in Carnegie.

A route 67 tram stopped at a platform on a curved street

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Gus @unspecificocean.bsky.social · 16/04/2024

Carnegie Station... Such beautiful elevated rail!

View along the platform of Carnegie Station, with a large roof over part of the station, and stairs and lifts down on the right

The elevated railway tracks on the west side of Carnegie Station, with a walking path at ground level between them, viewed from the platform

A pair of escalators up to the platform at Carnegie Station, with stairs facing the opposite direction on either side

The entrance of Carnegie Station on Koornang Road, which is sheltered by the elevated tracks and platform above

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