North Melbourne railway station

North Melbourne

Station information
Code	NME
Distance from Flinders Street	2.9 km
Operator	Metro Trains Melbourne
Lines	Ararat, Craigieburn, Echuca, Flemington Racecourse, Shepparton, Swan Hill, Sydenham, Upfield, Warrnambool, Werribee, Williamstown
# Platforms	6
# Tracks	6
Status	Premium station
Metlink profile	Link
Melway map	Link
Google map	Link
Metcard / Myki Zone	1

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.

Station overview

Facilities

Located in West 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.^[1]

The main station concourse runs above the south end of the platforms, with access via escalators 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.

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 Company 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.^[2]

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.^[3] 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 masters office was located near the ramp to platform 1, and men's toilets and porters offices were located under the ramps themselves.^[3] 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.^[4] The washing plant and additional sidings in Melbourne Yard were made operational in May 1995, as part of the Jolimont Yard rationalisation.^[5]

The station buildings on the northern concourse were constructed in 1974,^[3] 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.^[6]

On 15 May 2006, it was announced that the station is to be redeveloped as part of a $36 million dollar project.^[7] 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.^[8] 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.^[9]

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.^[10] It is the first bus route in Melbourne that requires pre-purchased Metcards.^[11]

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.^[9]

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 Cross.
• Shepparton line - InterCity services to Southern Cross.

Platform 2:

• Craigieburn line - all stations and limited stops services to Broadmeadows 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 Sunshine, St Albans 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 Williamstown.
• Geelong line - InterUrban services to Geelong, South Geelong and Marshall.
• Warrnambool line - InterCity services to Warrnambool.
• Flemington Racecourse line - limited stops services to the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds and Flemington Racecourse during special events.

Gallery

• 

  Construction work on the new southern concourse in February 2008.

• 

  Heritage listed brick waiting rooms on the platforms.

• 

  Schematic diagram of the station before the opening of the new concourse in 2009.

References

1. ^ Connex Melbourne (Oct 16, 2009). "News: North Melbourne Station – Closure of footbridge". www.connexmelbourne.com.au. http://www.connexmelbourne.com.au/news.php?newsid=744. Retrieved 2009-11-16. 
2. ^ 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 (Victorian Division). p. 86. ISBN 0 85849 012 9. 
3. ^ ^{a b c} "NORTH MELBOURNE RAILWAY STATION COMPLEX (listing VICH1582)". Australia Heritage Places Inventory. Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. http://www.heritage.gov.au/cgi-bin/ahpi/record.pl?VICH1582. Retrieved 2008-05-21. 
4. ^ S.E. Dornan and R.G. Henderson (1979). Electric Railways of Victoria. Australian Electric Traction Society. p. 93. ISBN 0 909459 06 1. 
5. ^ Daryl Dedman (October 1998). "Farewell to Melbourne Yard". Newsrail. www.series567railvideo.com.au. http://www.series567railvideo.com.au/melbyard.html. Retrieved 2008-08-11. 
6. ^ "Upgrading Eltham to a Premium Station". Newsrail (Australian Railway Heritage Society (Victorian Division)): 310. October 1997. 
7. ^ "Station to get $36m revamp - Herald Sun". www.news.com.au. May 15, 2006. http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,19135383-2862,00.html. Retrieved 2008-05-21. ^{[dead link]}
8. ^ "Public transport - Metropolitan railway station projects". www.doi.vic.gov.au. http://www.doi.vic.gov.au/DOI/Internet/transport.nsf/AllDocs/AB938B49B669BA4BCA2571F800024FCE?OpenDocument#north. Retrieved 2008-05-21. 
9. ^ ^{a b} "Rail Geelong - Gallery - North Melbourne Station". www.railgeelong.com. http://www.railgeelong.com/gallery/geelong-line/north-melbourne. Retrieved 2009-11-16. 
10. ^ "Media Release: NEW SHUTTLE SERVICE PROVIDES VITAL LINK FOR COMMUTERS". www.dpc.vic.gov.au. 2008-03-03. http://www.dpc.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/newmedia.nsf/798c8b072d117a01ca256c8c0019bb01/ae68b4f8991d03caca257401007bfe06!OpenDocument. Retrieved 2008-05-21. 
11. ^ "New bus route from North Melbourne Station - via Royal Melbourne Hospital - to the University of Melbourne: from Monday, 3 March 2008 - Metlink - Your guide to public transport in Melbourne and Victoria". www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au. http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/news/service_alterations/metropolitan_buses/new_bus_route_from_north_melbourne_station_via_royal_melbourne_hospital_to_the_university_of_melbourne_from_monday_3_march_2008. Retrieved 2008-05-21. 

Coordinates: 37°48′23″S 144°56′28″E / 37.8063°S 144.9411°E / -37.8063; 144.9411