For nearly 200 years, major transport infrastructure projects have defined the shape of Perth.

And none more so, in recent times, than the Joondalup and Mandurah train lines.

Both lines celebrate significant anniversaries this week — the Joondalup line turns 25 on Wednesday and the Mandurah line is 10 years old on Saturday.

Each changed the face of Perth’s public transport network at the time, and patronage on both lines has mostly defied the general downturn in recent years.

The Joondalup line still carries about 17 million passengers a year and the Mandurah line remains the city’s busiest train route with more than 20 million annual travellers.

Camera Icon Former transport minister Alannah MacTiernan with grandchildren Atlas, 8, and Umi Schapper, 11. Credit: Megan Powell

Work on the Joondalup line began in November 1989, with premier Peter Dowding driving in the first spike. It was opened three years later by premier Carmen Lawrence on December 20, 1992. It also prompted a realignment of the entire Transperth bus system, where the new train stations became bus interchanges.

After much public debate over its actual route, construction on the Mandurah line began in February 2004. The work included a tunnel under the city, the relocation of the Rockingham station and new Perth Underground and Esplanade stations.

The Mandurah line officially opened on December 23, 2007, with the first train carrying premier Alan Carpenter, transport and infrastructure minister Alannah MacTiernan and 1000 members of the public chosen by ballot.

Camera Icon Mandurah train station under construction. Credit: WA News

For Ms MacTiernan, the opening brought to an end a controversy she said was akin to “four years of hand-to-hand combat”.

“It was the political equivalent of the Somme,” she said last week. “But we had a magnificent team at New Metro Rail and the enthusiasm of the punters in Mandurah and the southern suburbs kept us at it.

“Within the first few weeks, use of the Mandurah line was at 50,000 passengers — whereas the replacement bus system had carried only 16,000 per week.

“We had converted lots of commuters to public transport.”

Transport expert Peter Newman said Perth was a better city because of the two train lines.

He said the success of the Joondalup line was the major reason the Mandurah line was built 15 years later.

“It unlocked Perth’s appetite for rail and public transport in general,” Professor Newman said. “It was much more popular than anyone imagined.

Camera Icon Joondalup line.

“With little promotion, carriages were soon full and overcrowded. New services had to be added. Patrons quickly realised it was quicker and more comfortable than cars — the word spread very quickly.”

Professor Newman acknowledged there were pros and cons about building a railway line up the middle of a freeway.

But the creation of bus-train interchanges at most of the stations was now world best practice and still attracted the interest of transport planners around the world.

Public Transport Authority managing director Mark Burgess said the interchanges were an important part of the public transport system’s integration of its train, bus and ferry services — an initiative that began about 40 years ago with the introduction of an integrated ticket.

“These interchanges were unique,” he said. “It was a clever concept at the time and, after 25 years, is now a proven success.

“And the fact we were also able to build the lines essentially down the middle of the freeways also meant that we didn’t have to build level crossings. And there are very little complaints about noise and vibrations.”

Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said the two lines had transformed Perth and its suburbs.

“Its almost impossible to imagine the city without them,” she said.

Ms Saffioti said some people had criticised the Mandurah line because “no one lives down there”.

But the line showed the importance of public transport to Perth’s growing suburbs.