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North Melbourne railway station

Coordinates: 37°48′23″S 144°56′28″E / 37.8063°S 144.9411°E / -37.8063; 144.9411
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

North Melbourne
PTV commuter and regional rail station
Southbound view of Platforms 5 and 6,
March 2023
General information
LocationRailway Place,
West Melbourne, Victoria 3003
City of Melbourne
Australia
Coordinates37°48′23″S 144°56′28″E / 37.8063°S 144.9411°E / -37.8063; 144.9411
Owned byVicTrack
Operated byMetro Trains
V/Line
Line(s)Metropolitan: Regional:
Seymour Shepparton (Tocumwal)
Distance1.68 kilometres from
Southern Cross
Platforms6 (2 side, 2 island)
Tracks6
ConnectionsList of bus routes in Melbourne Bus
Construction
Structure typeGround
Bicycle facilitiesYes
AccessibleYes—step free access
Other information
StatusOperational, premium station
Station codeNME
Fare zoneMyki Zone 1
WebsitePublic Transport Victoria
History
Opened6 October 1859; 165 years ago (1859-10-06)
Rebuilt1974
16 November 2009
ElectrifiedMay 1919 (1500 V DC overhead)
Passengers
2005–2006557,994[1]
2006–2007580,713[1]Increase 4.07%
2007–2008670,669[1]Increase 15.49%
2008–2009686,186[2]Increase 2.31%
2009–2010845,063[2]Increase 23.15%
2010–20111,090,814[2]Increase 29.1%
2011–20121,258,061[2]Increase 15.33%
2012–2013Not measured[2]
2013–20141,479,142[2]Increase 17.57%
2014–20151,266,281[1]Decrease 14.39%
2015–20161,229,477[2]Decrease 2.9%
2016–20171,324,944[2]Increase 7.76%
2017–20181,298,415[2]Decrease 2%
2018–20191,497,300[2]Increase 15.32%
2019–20201,183,050[2]Decrease 21%
2020–2021669,700[2]Decrease 43.4%
2021–2022703,500[3]Increase 5.04%
Services
Preceding station Railways in Melbourne Metro Trains Following station
Southern Cross or Flagstaff Craigieburn line Kensington
towards Craigieburn
Upfield line Macaulay
towards Upfield
Sunbury line Footscray
towards Sunbury
Southern Cross Flemington Racecourse line Showgrounds
Showgrounds
Terminus
Southern Cross Werribee line
Express services
Footscray
towards Werribee
Werribee line South Kensington
towards Werribee
Williamstown line South Kensington
towards Williamstown
Preceding station Railways in Victoria V/Line Following station
Southern Cross
Terminus
Seymour line
Weekdays only
Broadmeadows
towards Seymour
Essendon
Peak service only
towards Seymour
Shepparton line
2 weekday peak services
Broadmeadows
towards Shepparton

North Melbourne railway station is a commuter and regional railway station on the suburban Craigieburn, Flemington Racecourse, Sunbury, Upfield, Werribee and Williamstown lines; and the regional Seymour line, part of the Melbourne and Victorian railway networks. It serves the inner north-western suburb of West Melbourne, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. North Melbourne is a ground level premium station and major junction, featuring six platforms: two side platforms, and two island platforms with two faces each. It opened on 6 October 1859, with the current station provided in 2009.[4][5]

The station is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.[6]

History

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The first railway through the site of North Melbourne station was today's Williamstown line, and the first section of the Melbourne, Mount Alexander and Murray River Railway Company line (to Sunbury), which both opened on 13 January 1859. On 6 October 1859, the first passenger station, with two platforms, was opened, and on 9 June 1886, the present six-platform station opened.[7]

The new station was of free classical architecture. Red brick was used, with cream brick banding, along with verandas and cast iron lace work.[6] As built in 1886, North Melbourne had six platforms, with four platform buildings containing ladies' toilets and a ladies' waiting room. The main booking office, waiting room and station master's office were near the ramp to Platform 1, and the men's toilets and porters' offices were located under the ramps themselves.[6]

In December 1973, the suburban train stabling yard to the north of the station opened, as part of the City Loop project.[8] The footbridge that links the sidings with the Macaulay maintenance centre was also provided around that time.[9] In 1974, the station buildings on the northern concourse were provided[6] and, in the 1980s, as part of the construction works for the City Loop, the ramps to Platforms 1 and 2 were altered, and the platform extended at the down end.

In May 1995, a washing plant and additional sidings in Melbourne Yard, located to the west of the station, were provided, as part of the Jolimont Yard rationalisation.[10] On 19 July 1996, North Melbourne was upgraded to a premium station.[11]

In May 2006, it was announced that the station was to be redeveloped as part of a $36 million project.[12] Work included a new main entrance at the up (southern) end of the station, with escalators, stairs and lifts installed for quicker access to other platforms and to cater for disabled passengers. Work started in May 2007, and was completed on 16 November 2009.[13][14] To aid construction and avoid disruption to train passengers, a crash deck was erected over the tracks, to allow trains to run normally underneath while building work continued overhead.[5]

In March 2008, bus route 401 began operating from North Melbourne to the Royal Melbourne Hospital and University of Melbourne in Carlton and Parkville, removing the need for passengers to those destinations to travel via the City Loop.[15][16]

After December 2013, V/Line Geelong and Warrnambool services no longer stopped at the station, due to the opening of the first section of the Regional Rail Link (RRL) between Southern Cross and South Kensington. The line runs to the west of North Melbourne, but no platforms were provided.[17] On 11 July 2014, Ballarat, Ararat, Bendigo, Swan Hill and Echuca line services also ceased stopping at North Melbourne, having moved to the RRL tracks.[18]

In November 2017, the Victorian State Government announced that North Melbourne would be renamed West Melbourne, to better reflect its geographical location, and to allow one of the new stations constructed as part of the Metro Tunnel project to be named North Melbourne.[19] The change was abandoned in 2020, with the Metro Tunnel station being named Arden instead.[20]

Platforms, facilities and services

[edit]

North Melbourne has six platforms: two side platforms and two island platforms with four faces. It is served by Craigieburn, Sunbury, Upfield, Werribee and Williamstown line trains,[21][22][23][24][25] as well as V/Line Seymour and Shepparton line services.[26][27][28]

The main station entrance is at the southern end of the platforms, at the intersection of Adderley and Dryburgh Streets. The station building contains the main booking office, public toilets and a kiosk, with platform access via escalators and lifts. At the north end, the original asphalt ramps link all six platforms, with Platforms 2 through to 6 having heritage-listed verandas and brick waiting rooms.

At the north end of the station are 1970s-era brown brick buildings, built over the former Dynon Road overpass, which include public toilets and the former railway parcels office. Until November 2009, that building was also the main exit to Ireland Street and Railway Place, and contained the booking office and a kiosk, until those facilities were moved to the new concourse at the south end. The north end also has an exit leading west to the Melbourne Yard rail freight terminal, which is not open to public access.[29]

Platform 1:

  •  Craigieburn line  all stations services to Flinders Street
  •  Upfield line  all stations services to Flinders Street
  •  Flemington Racecourse line  services to Southern Cross (special event days only)
  •  Seymour line  weekday V/Line services to Southern Cross (set down only)
  •  Shepparton line  two weekday peak-hour V/Line services to Southern Cross (set down only)

Platform 2:

Platform 3:

  •  Sunbury line  all stations services to Flinders Street
  •  Seymour line  weekday peak-hour V/Line services to Southern Cross (set down only)

Platform 4:

Platform 5:

Platform 6:

Track layout

[edit]
North Melbourne railway station track layout
1
2
4
6
?
to
South Dynon
Rail Yard
3
5
to
North Dynon
Rail Yard

broad gauge, non-electrified
dual gauge, non-electrified
standard gauge, non-electrified

Station diagram

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Schematic diagram of the station
[edit]

Transit Systems Victoria operates one bus route to and from North Melbourne station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Special events only

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Estimated Annual Patronage by Network Segment Financial Year 2005–2006 to 2018–19 Department of Transport
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Railway station and tram stop patronage in Victoria for 2008–2021 Philip Mallis
  3. ^ Annual metropolitan train station patronage (station entries) Data Vic
  4. ^ "North Melbourne". vicsig.net. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  5. ^ a b "North Melbourne Station". Rail Geelong. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  6. ^ a b c d "North Melbourne Railway Station Complex (listing VICH1582)". Australia Heritage Places Inventory. Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. Retrieved 21 May 2008.
  7. ^ Turton, Keith W (1973). Six And A Half Inches From Destiny. The first hundred years of the Melbourne-Wodonga Railway 1873–1973. Australian Railway Historical Society. p. 86. ISBN 0-85849-012-9.
  8. ^ SE Dornan & RG Henderson (1979). Electric Railways of Victoria. Australian Electric Traction Society. p. 93. ISBN 0-909459-06-1.
  9. ^ "Way & Works". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. February 1974. p. 43.
  10. ^ Daryl Dedman (October 1998). "Farewell to Melbourne Yard". Newsrail. series567railvideo.com.au. Archived from the original on 4 January 2006. Retrieved 11 August 2008.
  11. ^ "Upgrading Eltham to a Premium Station". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. October 1997. pp. 303–315.
  12. ^ "Station to get $36m revamp". news.com.au. 15 May 2006. Retrieved 21 May 2008. [dead link]
  13. ^ "Public transport – Metropolitan railway station projects". doi.vic.gov.au. Archived from the original on 7 October 2006. Retrieved 21 May 2008.
  14. ^ Concrete Concepts Archived 13 April 2014 at the Wayback Machine Cement Concrete & Aggregates Australia
  15. ^ "Media Release: New Shuttle Service Provides Vital Link for Commuters". dpc.vic.gov.au. 3 March 2008. Archived from the original on 20 July 2008. Retrieved 21 May 2008.
  16. ^ North Melbourne Shuttle Service a Hit with Commuters Archived 13 April 2014 at the Wayback Machine Minister for Public Transport 13 March 2008
  17. ^ Changes to Geelong line services from Sunday 22 December 2013 Archived 13 April 2014 at the Wayback Machine Public Transport Victoria
  18. ^ Major Regional Rail Link signalling works planned for June and July Premier of Victoria 13 June 2014
  19. ^ Lillebuen, Steve; Jacks, Timna (29 November 2017). "Metro Tunnel: New train station names revealed". The Age. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  20. ^ New North Melbourne Metro Tunnel station renamed due to emergency fears Herald Sun 25 January 2020
  21. ^ "Craigieburn Line". Public Transport Victoria.
  22. ^ "Sunbury Line". Public Transport Victoria.
  23. ^ "Upfield Line". Public Transport Victoria.
  24. ^ "Werribee Line". Public Transport Victoria.
  25. ^ "Williamstown Line". Public Transport Victoria.
  26. ^ Seymour – Melbourne timetable Public Transport Victoria
  27. ^ Bendigo – Melbourne timetable Public Transport Victoria
  28. ^ Shepparton – Melbourne timetable Public Transport Victoria
  29. ^ Connex Melbourne (16 October 2009). "News: North Melbourne Station – Closure of footbridge". connexmelbourne.com.au. Retrieved 16 November 2009.
  30. ^ "401 North Melbourne Station - Melbourne University Loop via Royal Melbourne Hospital". Public Transport Victoria.
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