Essendon railway station
Essendon railway station is located on the Craigieburn line in Victoria, Australia. It serves the northern Melbourne suburb of Essendon, and it opened on 1 November 1860.[4]
Essendon | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| PTV commuter and regional railway station | |||||||||||||||||||||
Southbound view from Platform 2 in September 2018 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| General information | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Russell Street, Essendon, Victoria 3040 City of Moonee Valley Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 37°45′22″S 144°54′58″E / 37.7560°S 144.9161°ECoordinates: 37°45′22″S 144°54′58″E / 37.7560°S 144.9161°E | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Owned by | VicTrack | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Operated by | Metro Trains V/Line | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Line(s) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Distance | 8.01 kilometres from Southern Cross | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Platforms | 3 (1 side, 1 island) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Tracks | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Connections | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Construction | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Structure type | Ground | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Parking | 499 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Bicycle facilities | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Accessible | No—steep ramp | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Other information | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Status | Operational, premium station | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Station code | ESD | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Fare zone | Myki Zone 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Website | Public Transport Victoria | ||||||||||||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Opened | 1 November 1860 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Closed | 1 July 1864 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Rebuilt | 9 October 1871 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Electrified | May 1919 (1500 V DC overhead) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Passengers | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2006 | 1,453,109[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2007 | 1,494,586[1] 2.85% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2008 | 1,673,602[1] 11.97% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2009 | 1,680,211[2] 0.39% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2010 | 1,736,588[2] 3.35% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2011 | 1,702,189[2] 1.98% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2012 | 1,670,551[2] 1.86% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2013 | Not measured[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2014 | 1,599,832[2] 4.23% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2015 | 1,570,121[1] 1.85% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2016 | 1,597,247[2] 1.72% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016–2017 | 1,750,538[2] 9.59% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2018 | 1,688,377[2] 3.55% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | 1,480,050[2] 12.34% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019–2020 | 1,298,700[2] 12.25% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020–2021 | 579,150[2] 55.4% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021–2022 | 723,050[3] 24.84% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Services | |||||||||||||||||||||
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History
Essendon station opened on 1 November 1860 as the terminus of the private Melbourne and Essendon Railway Company line.[4] The station closed with the line on 1 July 1864, but was reopened on 9 October 1871, under government ownership.[5] The line to the north was opened in 1872, as part of the North East line to School House Lane.[4] Like the suburb itself, the station was named after Essendon in Hertfordshire, England.[6][7]
In 1878, a completely new station, with a single platform, was provided, on the site of the present island platform, with passenger subways and footbridges added in 1886, along with conversion of the island platform to the current layout. It was also at that time that a rail overpass was provided at Mount Alexander Road, in what was one of the first grade separation projects to be carried out in the state. In 1909, the present buildings were provided, along with a centre track between Platforms 1 and 2.[5]
In 1919, electric train services between the city and Essendon were inaugurated, with electrification extended to Broadmeadows in 1921. However, Essendon remained the terminus of most suburban services, with a shuttle service operating beyond until 1925, and all-day through services to Broadmeadows not provided until 1941.[8]
In 1965, the double line block signalling between Broadmeadows and Essendon was abolished, and was replaced with three position signalling.[4] In 1969, the station took the layout it has today, with the abolition of the centre track, the closure of the stand-alone signal box, the provision of automatic signalling along the line, and the replacement of the interlocked gates with boom barriers at the former Buckley Street level crossing. A signal panel was provided within the station office in that same year.[4]
On 7 March 1974, Harris motor 518M and Tait motor 368M were destroyed by fire whilst stabled at the station.[9][10][11] Tait trailer 85G was also damaged in the fire.[9][10][11]
On 8 June 1987, stabling of suburban trains at Essendon ceased, with the overhead wiring of all sidings removed just over a year later.[12] On 1 September 1988, the former sidings near Rose Street were removed.[12]
On 16 August 1996, Essendon was upgraded to a premium station.[13] Also in that year, siding "B" was taken out of service.[14] On 7 June 2014, the signal panel was abolished.[15]
On 20 September 2016, the Victorian State Government announced the grade separation of the Buckley Street level crossing.[16] Construction began in 2018, with the level crossing removed and Buckley Street reopening on 28 September of that year. Buckley Street now passes under the railway line in a trench.[16]
As part of the Melbourne Metro Rail Tunnel, it is expected that the turnback facilities at the station will be upgraded, to allow services to start at Essendon when the tunnel opens in 2025.[17]
Platforms and services
Essendon has one island platform with two faces and one side platform. Platform 1 is only used by V/Line services to overtake Metro Trains' services, or when three-car trains are terminating, as it is unable to accommodate a six-car train.[4]
The station is served by Craigieburn line trains[18] and some V/Line Seymour line services.[19]
Platform 1:
- Passing loop only for V/Line services and three-car passenger services during major disruptions.
Platform 2:
- Craigieburn line all stations services to Flinders Street
- Seymour line three weekday morning peak-hour V/Line services to Southern Cross (set down only)
- Shepparton line one weekday morning peak-hour V/Line service to Southern Cross (set down only)
Platform 3:
- Craigieburn line all stations services to Craigieburn
- Seymour line four weekday evening peak-hour V/Line services to Seymour (pick up only)
- Shepparton line one weekday evening peak-hour V/Line service to Shepparton (pick up only)
Transport links
CDC Melbourne operates one bus route via Essendon station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:
Kastoria Bus Lines operates three bus routes via Essendon station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:
- 469 : Moonee Ponds Junction – Keilor East[21]
- 476 : Watergardens station – Moonee Ponds Junction[22]
Kinetic Melbourne operates one SmartBus route via Essendon station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:
- SmartBus 903 : Altona station – Mordialloc[23]
Moonee Valley Coaches operates one bus route to and from Essendon station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:
- 503 : to Brunswick East[24]
Moreland Buslines operates one bus route to and from Essendon station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:
- 510 : to Ivanhoe station[25]
Ryan Brothers Bus Service operates two bus routes to and from Essendon station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:
- 465 : to Keilor Park[26]
- 468 : to Highpoint Shopping Centre[27]
Sunbury Bus Service operates one bus route via Essendon station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:
- 483 : Sunbury station – Moonee Ponds Junction[28]
Ventura Bus Lines operates one bus route via Essendon station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:
- Night Bus 959 : Melbourne CBD (Queen Street) – Broadmeadows station (Saturday and Sunday mornings only)[29]
Yarra Trams operates one route via Essendon station:
Gallery
H 220 leads the northbound Albury Express past the signal box at Essendon, circa 1949
Northbound view from Platform 1 in April 2005
References
- ^ a b c d Estimated Annual Patronage by Network Segment Financial Year 2005-2006 to 2018-19 Department of Transport
- ^ 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
- ^ Annual metropolitan train station patronage (station entries) Data Vic
- ^ a b c d e f "Essendon". vicsig.net. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
- ^ a b 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. pp. 23, 86. ISBN 0-85849-012-9.
- ^ "Essendon and Essendon City". Victorian Places. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
- ^ First, Jamie (7 January 2014). "The A-Z story of Melbourne's suburbs". Herald Sun. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
- ^ SE Dornan & RG Henderson (1979). Electric Railways of Victoria. Australian Electric Traction Society. p. 54. ISBN 0-909459-06-1.
- ^ a b "4 trains wrecked by vandals". The Herald. 7 March 1974. p. 3.
- ^ a b "Appeal to report train vandals". The Age. 8 March 1974. p. 4.
- ^ a b "Delays". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. May 1974. p. 118.
- ^ a b "Works". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. November 1988. p. 349.
- ^ "Upgrading Eltham to a Premium Station". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. October 1997. pp. 303–315.
- ^ "Works". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. August 1996. p. 251.
- ^ "Essendon Signal Box (ESD)". vicsig.net. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
- ^ a b "Buckley Street, Essendon". levelcrossings.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
- ^ "MM-Business-Case-Feb-2016-APPENDIX-03.PDF" (PDF). metrotunnel.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
Infrastructure to facilitate short turnback of services at Essendon
- ^ "Craigieburn Line". Public Transport Victoria.
- ^ Seymour - Melbourne timetable Public Transport Victoria
- ^ "477 Moonee Ponds - Broadmeadows Station via Essendon & Airport West & Gladstone Park". Public Transport Victoria.
- ^ "469 Moonee Ponds - Keilor East via Strathmore". Public Transport Victoria.
- ^ "476 Moonee Ponds - Watergardens via Keilor". Public Transport Victoria.
- ^ "903 Altona - Mordialloc (SMARTBUS Service)". Public Transport Victoria.
- ^ "503 Essendon - East Brunswick via Albion Street". Public Transport Victoria.
- ^ "510 Essendon - Ivanhoe via Brunswick & Northcote & Thornbury". Public Transport Victoria.
- ^ "465 Essendon Station - Keilor Park via East Keilor". Public Transport Victoria.
- ^ "468 Essendon - Highpoint SC via Maribyrnong". Public Transport Victoria.
- ^ "483 Sunbury - Moonee Ponds via Diggers Rest". Public Transport Victoria.
- ^ 959 City - Broadmeadows Station via Niddrie and Airport West Public Transport Victoria
- ^ "59 Airport West - Flinders Street Station & City". Public Transport Victoria.
External links
Media related to Essendon railway station at Wikimedia Commons
- Melway map at street-directory.com.au