Hornsby. Mecca of the upper North Shore. With the advent of Meriton apartments multiplying like nobody's business, necessity being the mother of invention, dictated that Hornsby Station would need additional platforms.
It has to cater to the new Epping-Macquarie line, and also the masses that now throng to catch the Central Coast Blue Geese (as Hornsby is the gateway to their patch o' dirt).
The problem with Hornsby is that the lick of paint, hasn't changed what is essentially the same train station that existed in my school and uni days (talking a decade or 2 here). They are currently upgrading certain facilities and it couldn't come sooner, however there always appears to be some sort of delay, shutdown or "out of order" at the station. I'm there regularly but not daily, and everytime I am there, something isn't working as intended. It's almost like they just accept that it won't be fully operational... ever.
The toilets on Platform 4, look like they were installed in the 60s and haven't been cleaned since. There is always the acrid acidic smell assaulting the nostrils upon entry and it ensures a swift visit. If you need to conduct business there is toilets at the top of the stairs in front of Platform 1. These are nicer, though they are generally "being cleaned" , closed, or occupied so you have to get lucky to use em.
Overall the station serves its ultimate purpose, shuttling large volumes of commuters to anywhere but Hornsby, whilst receiving a mass dosage of inbounds in return. It'd be nice though if Hornsby would catch up with the times as it seems that only the RSL and the shopping centre are operating in the modern world. Everything else, station included, is behind the times. read more