North Melbourne railway station
Encyclopedia
North Melbourne is a railway station located on the northern edge of the central business district
of Melbourne
, Australia
. The station is the point through which pass the west and north-west bound Craigieburn, Flemington Racecourse, Sydenham, Upfield, Werribee and Williamstown suburban railway lines, as well as an interchange point with the Victorian regional network. The station is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register
.
, the station's main entrance is at the south end of the platforms at the intersection of Adderley and Dryburgh Streets. At the north end is a now closed exit to Ireland Street and Railway Place which was the main entry until 2009, as well as a western exit leading to the Melbourne Yard rail freight terminal which is not open to public access.
The main station concourse runs above the south end of the platforms, with access via escalator
s and lifts
. At the north end are 1970s era brown brick buildings built over the former Dynon Road overpass, which housed the booking office and kiosk until November 2009, when they were moved to the new concourse at the south end. Also in the building is a former railway parcels office, and public toilets. From the north end brick ramps run downward to the platforms, where platforms 2 though 6 have heritage listed verandas and waiting rooms.
line (to Sunbury
), both opened on 13 January 1859. The first passenger station with two platforms was opened on 6 December 1859, and the present six platform station was opened on 9 June 1886.
The new station was of free classical architecture, with red brick was used with cream brick banding, along with verandas and cast iron lace work. 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 was located near the ramp to platform 1, and men's toilets and porters
offices were located under the ramps themselves. The bridge over the railway line at the down end was originally a road bridge.
The suburban train stabling yard near the station was opened in December 1973 as part of the City Loop project. The washing plant and additional sidings in Melbourne Yard were made operational in May 1995, as part of the Jolimont Yard
rationalisation.
The station buildings on the northern concourse were constructed in 1974, and in the 1980s as part of the construction works for the City Loop the ramps to platform 1 and 2 were altered, and the platform extended to the north. The station was upgraded to a Premium Station on 19 July 1996.
On 15 May 2006, it was announced that the station is to be redeveloped as part of a $36 million dollar project. Works include a new main entrance at the southern end of the station with new escalators, stairs and lifts installed for quicker access to other platforms and to help disabled passengers. Work started in May 2007 and completion was originally expected in 2010. To aid construction and avoid disruption to train passengers a large temporary structure was erected over the tracks, to permit trains to continue running normally underneath while building work continued overhead.
In March 2008 the 401 shuttle bus service commenced operations from North Melbourne station to the Royal Melbourne Hospital
and University of Melbourne
in Carlton
and Parkville
, enabling commuters to avoid travelling though the city loop. It is the first bus route in Melbourne that requires pre-purchased Metcard
s.
The new southern concourse opened for interchange use only on 7 September 2009 with the new entry to the station (and closure of the old one to the north) occurring on 16 November.
Platform 1:
Platform 2:
Platform 3:
Platform 4:
Platform 5:
Platform 6:
Hoddle Grid
The Hoddle Grid is the layout of the streets in the centre of the central business district of Melbourne. Named after its designer, Robert Hoddle, the Grid was laid out in 1837, and later extended...
of Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The station is the point through which pass the west and north-west bound Craigieburn, Flemington Racecourse, Sydenham, Upfield, Werribee and Williamstown suburban railway lines, as well as an interchange point with the Victorian regional network. The station is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register
Victorian Heritage Register
The Victorian Heritage Register lists places of cultural heritage significance to the State of Victoria, Australia. It has statutory weight under the Heritage Act 1995 which establishes Heritage Victoria as the permit authority...
.
Facilities
Located in West MelbourneWest Melbourne, Victoria
West Melbourne is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km north-west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Melbourne...
, the station's main entrance is at the south end of the platforms at the intersection of Adderley and Dryburgh Streets. At the north end is a now closed exit to Ireland Street and Railway Place which was the main entry until 2009, as well as a western exit leading to the Melbourne Yard rail freight terminal which is not open to public access.
The main station concourse runs above the south end of the platforms, with access via escalator
Escalator
An escalator is a moving staircase – a conveyor transport device for carrying people between floors of a building. The device consists of a motor-driven chain of individual, linked steps that move up or down on tracks, allowing the step treads to remain horizontal.Escalators are used around the...
s and lifts
Elevator
An elevator is a type of vertical transport equipment that efficiently moves people or goods between floors of a building, vessel or other structures...
. At the north end are 1970s era brown brick buildings built over the former Dynon Road overpass, which housed the booking office and kiosk until November 2009, when they were moved to the new concourse at the south end. Also in the building is a former railway parcels office, and public toilets. From the north end brick ramps run downward to the platforms, where platforms 2 though 6 have heritage listed verandas and waiting rooms.
History
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 CompanyMelbourne, Mount Alexander and Murray River Railway Company
The Melbourne, Mount Alexander and Murray River Railway Company was a railway company in Victoria, Australia. It was established on 8 February 1853 to build a railway from Melbourne to Echuca on the Victorian-NSW border, as well as a branch railway to Williamstown, but struggled to make any progress...
line (to Sunbury
Sunbury railway station, Melbourne
Sunbury is a railway station in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, located in the township of Sunbury, on the Melbourne - Bendigo railway. The station is staffed during daylight hours for most train services until approximately 8pm, and is in Metcard and myki Zone 2...
), both opened on 13 January 1859. The first passenger station with two platforms was opened on 6 December 1859, and the present six platform station was opened on 9 June 1886.
The new station was of free classical architecture, with red brick was used with cream brick banding, along with verandas and cast iron lace work. 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
Station master
The station master was the person in charge of railway stations, in the United Kingdom and some other countries, before the modern age. He would manage the other station employees and would have responsibility for safety and the efficient running of the station...
s office was located near the ramp to platform 1, and men's toilets and porters
Porter (railroad)
A porter is a railway employee assigned to assist passengers aboard a passenger train or to handle their baggage; it may be used particularly to refer to employees assigned to assisting passengers in the sleeping cars....
offices were located under the ramps themselves. The bridge over the railway line at the down end was originally a road bridge.
The suburban train stabling yard near the station was opened in December 1973 as part of the City Loop project. The washing plant and additional sidings in Melbourne Yard were made operational in May 1995, as part of the Jolimont Yard
Jolimont Yard
Jolimont Yard was an array of railway lines and carriage sidings on the edge of the central business district of Melbourne, Australia. Located between Flinders Street Station, Richmond Junction, the Yarra River and Flinders Street they were often criticised for cutting off the city from the river,...
rationalisation.
The station buildings on the northern concourse were constructed in 1974, and in the 1980s as part of the construction works for the City Loop the ramps to platform 1 and 2 were altered, and the platform extended to the north. The station was upgraded to a Premium Station on 19 July 1996.
On 15 May 2006, it was announced that the station is to be redeveloped as part of a $36 million dollar project. Works include a new main entrance at the southern end of the station with new escalators, stairs and lifts installed for quicker access to other platforms and to help disabled passengers. Work started in May 2007 and completion was originally expected in 2010. To aid construction and avoid disruption to train passengers a large temporary structure was erected over the tracks, to permit trains to continue running normally underneath while building work continued overhead.
In March 2008 the 401 shuttle bus service commenced operations from North Melbourne station to the Royal Melbourne Hospital
Royal Melbourne Hospital
The Royal Melbourne Hospital , located in Parkville, Victoria an inner suburb of Melbourne is one of Australia’s leading public hospitals. It is a major teaching hospital for tertiary health care with a reputation in clinical research...
and University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
in Carlton
Carlton, Victoria
Carlton is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 2 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Melbourne...
and Parkville
Parkville, Victoria
Parkville is an inner city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Melbourne. At the 2006 Census, the population was 4,980....
, enabling commuters to avoid travelling though the city loop. It is the first bus route in Melbourne that requires pre-purchased Metcard
Metcard
"OneLink" redirects here. For the computer/cable company, see OneLink Communications.Metcard is the brand name of an integrated ticketing system used to access public transport in Melbourne, Australia. It is a universal ticket which allows users to ride on the city's Metlink network, consisting of...
s.
The new southern concourse opened for interchange use only on 7 September 2009 with the new entry to the station (and closure of the old one to the north) occurring on 16 November.
Platforms
Note: Trains are subject to depart from different platforms or run express through the station during peak hours.Platform 1:
- Upfield line / Craigieburn line - all stations services to Flinders Street.
- Seymour line - InterUrban services to Southern CrossSouthern Cross StationSouthern Cross is a major railway station and transport hub in Melbourne Docklands, Victoria, Australia. It is located on Spencer Street between Collins and La Trobe Streets at the western edge of the central business district...
. - Shepparton line - InterCity services to Southern Cross.
Platform 2:
- Craigieburn line - all stations and limited stops services to BroadmeadowsBroadmeadows railway station, MelbourneBroadmeadows is a railway station in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, located in the suburb of Broadmeadows, on the Craigieburn railway line. Broadmeadows is classed as a Premium Station and is in Metcard Zone 2.-Facilities:...
and Craigieburn. - Upfield line - all stations services to Upfield.
- Seymour line - InterUrban services to Seymour.
- Shepparton line - InterCity services to Shepparton.
Platform 3:
- Sydenham line - all stations services to Flinders Street.
- Ballarat line / Bendigo line - InterUrban services to Southern Cross.
- Echuca line / Swan Hill line - InterCity services to Southern Cross.
Platform 4:
- Sydenham line - all stations and limited stops services to SunshineSunshine railway station, MelbourneSunshine is a railway station in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, located in the suburb of Sunshine, on the Sydenham railway line. It is the junction for the line west to Ballarat...
, St AlbansSt Albans railway station, MelbourneSt Albans is a railway station in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, located in the suburb of St Albans, on the Sydenham railway line. St Albans is classed as a Premium Station and is in Metcard Zone 2.-Facilities:...
and Watergardens. - Werribee line - all stations services to Werribee (weekend timetable only).
- Ballarat line - InterUrban services to Bacchus Marsh, Ballarat and Wendouree.
- Ararat line - InterCity services to Ararat.
- Bendigo line - InterUrban services to Sunbury, Kyneton, Bendigo and Eaglehawk.
- Echuca line - InterCity services to Echuca.
- Swan Hill line - InterCity services to Swan Hill.
Platform 5:
- Werribee line / Williamstown line / Flemington Racecourse line - all stations services to Flinders Street.
- Geelong line - InterUrban services to Southern Cross.
- Warrnambool line - InterCity services to Southern Cross.
Platform 6:
- Craigieburn line - all stations services to Craigieburn (off peak only).
- Werribee line - all stations and limited stops services to Werribee (weekday timetable only).
- Williamstown line - all stations services to WilliamstownWilliamstown railway station, MelbourneWilliamstown is a railway station in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia located in the suburb of Williamstown, and is the terminus of the Williamstown railway line...
. - Geelong line - InterUrban services to Geelong, South Geelong and Marshall.
- Warrnambool line - InterCity services to WarrnamboolWarrnambool railway station, VictoriaWarrnambool railway station is located in Merri Street, in the city of Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia. It is one of two railway station in the city, the other being Sherwood Park to the east.- Facilities :...
. - Flemington Racecourse line - limited stops services to the Royal Melbourne ShowgroundsRoyal Melbourne ShowgroundsThe Melbourne Showgrounds is located in the inner north-western suburb of Ascot Vale, Victoria, Australia, next door to Flemington Racecourse. Is the home of the annual Royal Melbourne Show, as well as major exhibitions, trade shows, and music concerts....
and Flemington RacecourseFlemington RacecourseFlemington Racecourse is a major horse racing venue located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is most notable for hosting the Melbourne Cup, which is Australia's richest horse race. The racecourse is situated on low alluvial flats, next to the Maribyrnong River...
during special events.