Princes Bridge railway station, Melbourne

MelbourneClosedRailwayStation
NAME=Princes Bridge
LINE=City Loop
DISTANCE=0km
PLATFORMS=3
TRACKS=3
STATUS=Demolished
OPENED=1859
CLOSED=1997
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'Princes Bridge was a Melbourne railway station built in 1859 and was the terminus for all Epping line and Hurstbridge line trains. The station was named after the adjacent Princes Bridge, which crosses the Yarra River.

Originally Princes Bridge station was isolated from Flinders Street Station, even though it was adjacent to it, sited just on the opposite side of Swanston Street. Some years later the railway tracks were extended under the street to join the two stations, and Princes Bridge slowly became amalgamated into the larger Flinders Street Station.

The original Princes Bridge station buildings were demolished in 1964 and replaced with the Princes Gate Towers, also known as the Gas and Fuel Corporation towers. The site retained the name "Princes Bridge Station" until 1980 when it was integrated into Flinders Street Station as platforms 14, 15 and 16.

From December 6, 1981 until 1993, a cross-city train service called "City Circle" originated at the station. This train serviced all of the City Loop stations before returning to Princes Bridge in a complete circle. The last City Circle train ran on 23 August 1993. It was replaced by the City Circle Tram in mid-1994.

In 1997 the Gas and Fuel towers were subsequently demolished to make way for Federation Square. The old platform space is now used as part of the Australian Centre for the Moving Image.