Montague railway station, Melbourne

MelbourneClosedRailwayStation
NAME=Montague
IMAGELINK=Montague LRS 2007.jpg
CAPTION=Montague light rail stop today
LINE=Port Melbourne
DISTANCE=1.6km
PLATFORMS=2
TRACKS=2
STATUS=Closed
OPENED=June 2nd, 1883
CLOSED=December, 1987

http://www.street-directory.com.au/sd_new/genmap.cgi?x=145.405092238165&y=-37.9209431838946&sizex=650&sizey=650&level=6&star=1&circle= Link]
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Montague was a railway station, now converted to light rail, on the former Port Melbourne line in the inner Melbourne suburb of South Melbourne, Australia. The station was located to the south of Montague Street road underpass, between Woodgate Street and Gladstone Lane, with a large goods shed located on the Melbourne side of the station. The station has since been demolished and is now served by route 109 trams stopping at a pair of low level platforms.

History

Montague station opened in 1883, a number of years after the original opening of the line though it in 1854. [cite web
url=http://www.vicsig.net/index.php?page=infrastructure&name=Montague
title=Montague
work=VICSIG - Infrastructure
publisher=www.vicsig.net
accessdate=2008-07-05] The station mainly served workers at nearby factories, so under a new timetable in May 1967 the station was closed on Sundays due to a lack of passengers. This was altered in June 1969 so that two late night trains would stop there, to cater for shift workers.cite book | last = S.E. Doorman and R.G. Henderson | title = Electric Railways of Victoria | publisher = Australian Electric Traction Society | page = page | year = 1979 | isbn = 0 909459 06 1 ]

In 1908 plans were first made to relocate the functions of the 1870s Shipping Shed at Spencer Street Station (roughly where platforms 9 and 10 are today) to a new location. A site to the north of the Port Melbourne line and on the Melbourne side of Montague station was selected, with work commencing in 1913.cite web
url=http://www.rtbuvicloco.com.au/locolines/LL%203%2007.pdf
title=Montague Goods Shed
author=T. Penn and D. Jowett
work=Locolines
date=September 2007
publisher=www.rtbuvicloco.com.au
accessdate=2008-07-05] A southerly deviation of the Port Melbourne line was made between Clarendon and Inglis Streets to make way for two 5 ton travelling jib cranes, [cite web
url=http://www.aussieheritage.com.au/listings/vic/South%20Melbourne/PortMelbourneFlindersStreetRailwayReservation/17807
title=Port Melbourne Flinders Street Railway Reservation, South Melbourne, VIC Profile
publisher=www.aussieheritage.com.au
accessdate=2008-07-05] and Montague Street was extended northward under the tracks to compensate for the removal of the level crossing gates at Ferrars Street. Track work was underway in 1915 but was delayed by World War I, with the Shipping Shed not completed until late 1921.

The Shipping Shed had a number of sidings inside, as well as more outside. Two goods lines ran to the north of the station, connecting the shipping shed yard with the main line near Inglis Street, where a signal box was located to control the points and signals. [cite web
url=http://www.signaldiagramsandphotos.com/My_Web_pages/VR/Metropolitan/1'41.htm
title=Port Melbourne line: Flinders Street to Bridge Street 1941
work=Victorian Railways signalling diagram
publisher=www.signaldiagramsandphotos.com
accessdate=2008-07-05] The signal box at Inglis Street was abolished in October 1971 and replaced by a signal panel at Graham station down the line. [cite web
url=http://www.victorianrailways.net/signaling/completedia/ptmelb1971.html
title=Port Melbourne line 1974
work=Victorian Railways signalling diagram
publisher=www.victorianrailways.net
accessdate=2008-07-05]

The shed operated in conjunction with the H.M. Customs Department for the handling of freight that arrived by sea at Port Melbourne's Princes Pier. This continued for five decades, until containerisation saw the end of conventional cargo handling at Port Melbourne. In later years the shed was used to store rolls of newsprint from Australian Paper Manufacturers Maryvale Mill until the closure of the line.

The last passenger train ran to the station on October 10, 1987 after it was announced that the line would be converted to light rail. The last goods train to Montague Yard ran on October 16, 1987 with a single Y class diesel locomotive. [cite journal | year = 1988 | month = January | title = Traffic | journal = Newsrail | publisher = Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division) | pages = pages 20-22 ] The replacement light rail line was officially opened on December 18, 1987. [cite journal | year = 1997 | month = March | title = Rail Passenger Service Withdrawals Since 1960 | author = Chris Banger | journal = Newsrail | publisher = Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division) | pages = pages 77 - 82 ]

In the early 1990s construction of the Melbourne Exhibition Centre covered the area once occupied by the ShippingShed, [cite web
url=http://www.custommaps.net/images/mwyedn1.htm
title=Melway Edition 1
publisher=www.custommaps.net
accessdate=2008-07-05 (see map 23)] while the construction of Southbank tram depot and the diversion of Normanby Road towards Whiteman Street have obliterated all traces of the Shipping Shed yard.

Gallery

Metropolitan Transit Authority. Two plates remain, affixed to the approach sides of the waiting shelters

References

VictorianClosedStations
VICORMELB=Melbourne
Line1=Port Melbourne line
Previous1plain=Sandridge Bridge
Next1=North Port