Breakdown underscores archaic state of Sydney’s rail infrastructure

August 25, 2026 — 5:51pm

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A sagging wire brought Sydney’s T1 North Shore Line to a halt and wreaked havoc on tens of thousands of commuters in another display of how, when it comes to our city’s rail network, little things can ruin the best-laid plans.

The loss of tension in an overhead wire south of Chatswood station late on Monday night resulted in the cancellation of city-bound services from Gordon to North Sydney the following morning. But it did not stop there, with knock-on effects on the T9 Northern Line between Hornsby and Strathfield and a reduction in services on the T1 Western line.

The latest failure comes less than two weeks after overhead wiring fell onto a train near Redfern,........

© The Sydney Morning Herald