The Finsbury line departed from the main Outer Harbor line north west of Woodville station, and headed north, parallel to the eastern side of the Cheltenham Park Racecourse, where the Actil station was located, 8.2 kilometres from Adelaide station.

The Finsbury station was located where the al-Khalil mosque now stands, at the corner of Torrens Road and Audley Street.

It headed in a northerly direction and serviced a wartime munitions works at Cheltenham Park (Actil Station) and a Government Supply Depot at Finsbury station.

Following the conclusion of the war, the industrial activity in Athol Park was maintained for a period, before declining to an extent that the Finsbury line was regarded as unnecessary, leading to its removal.

A few remnants like the rail corridor and ballast at Gillman Junction, a former platform at Woodville, a goods platform and some track covered by concrete are all that exist of the line today.