The City Railway. Royal Commission’s Scheme, 1909. showing Mr. Bradfield’s Proposed Alterations-Dotted.

Scarce plan from the series made in 1916 for the planning and construction of Sydney’s railway system designed by John Bradfield.

Bradfield had designed a visionary electric railway and tramway system for Sydney. His proposal which was accepted was for the electrification of the inner railways to Parramatta, Hornsby, Sutherland and Bankstown: The construction of the City Electrical Railway to the Eastern, Western and Northern Suburbs, the construction of two long span cantilever bridges across the harbour. The electrification of outer suburban railway network to Penrith, Campbelltown, Waterfall and to the Hawkesbury River. As well as the construction of underground tramways which was estimate to cost approximately ‎£20,000,000 at the time. On the 13th October, 1915 the state government established an act, ‘City and Suburban Electric Railways Act, 1915’ which also approved the provision to construct the railway and tram network as well as providing additional power from the White Bay Power Station at estimated cost of ‎£6,400,000 and for additional rolling stock of ‎£3,600,000.

Construction was to begin in 1916 and take an estimated four years to complete.