The bombshell was revealed in a confidential briefing session with Baulkham Hills Shire councillors last Tuesday evening by the State Government's metro team.

Councillors were told the stabling area would be 400 metres long and 300 wide, with 41 train movements a day, carrying a total of 164 carriages. It would operate from 5am, with the last train at 1am.

The site for the engineering and carriage stabling area will be next to the proposed Burns Road bus T-way car park and the old Burns Bay station site for the now-abandoned north-west railway.

With the growth of houses in this area as the so-called ``hole in the doughnut'' is infilled with bricks and mortar, many residents may be alarmed by the train yards.

``They want the trains, but home owners in the Elizabeth Macarthur Estate and the Balmoral Road release area won't like a non-stop procession of trains and a Redfern-style workshop over their expensive back fences,'' Councillor Martin Tolar, of Community First, told the News when approached for comment.

Like other councillors sworn to secrecy, Cr Tolar wouldn't discuss details. But he was concerned about property values and residential quality of life.

Labor councillor Raymond Harty said: ``Obviously there was a lot of discussion around that [marshalling yards] issue.

We in the Labor team think it's in the

best location and it will bring many employment opportunities into the north-west.''

Cr Harty said he and the former Mayor, John Griffiths, had made their feelings known to the Liberals at the confidential session about their opponents' negativity.

``The Libs are always attacking people and ideas,'' Cr Harty said. ``Residents out here have been protesting long and loud for better transport.

``This is a major commitment and I've no doubt the Government will deliver. The Premier has no other option.''