Railways in Melbourne

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Melbourne has a long history of railway development. The city's first railway opened in 1854, when only 20 years earlier the city itself did not exist. Today, Melbourne's suburban railway network consists of 16 electrified lines, the central City Loop subway, and 200 stations. It is operated by Connex Melbourne under franchise to the Government of Victoria.

Melbourne's railway lines
 City Loop
 Caulfield group
 Frankston line
 Pakenham line
 Sandringham line
 Cranbourne line
 Northern group
 Upfield line
 Werribee line
 Broadmeadows line
 Sydenham line
 Williamstown line
 Flemington Racecourse line
 Burnley group
 Lilydale line
 Glen Waverley line
 Belgrave line
 Alamein line
 Clifton Hill group
 Hurstbridge line
 Epping line
 Greater-metropolitan
 Stony Point line
 Melton line
 Sunbury line
 Craigieburn line
Melbourne's public transport
Metlink Metcard myki
Modes of Transport
Trains Trams Buses
Transport Routes
Railway stations Tram routes Bus routes
Operating Companies
V/Line Connex Melbourne Yarra Trams
Armadale train station, on the Cranbourne-Pakenham and Frankston line. This train station is similar to many other suburban train stations in Melbourne
Enlarge
Armadale train station, on the Cranbourne-Pakenham and Frankston line. This train station is similar to many other suburban train stations in Melbourne

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] The first train

The first steam train to travel in Australia took its maiden trip on September 12, 1854. (Although horse-drawn 'trains' debuted on a railway between Goolwa and Port Elliot in South Australia on May 18 of that year, Melbourne hosted the first mechanical railway). The railway line stretched 4 km from the Melbourne (or City) Terminus (on the site of modern day Flinders Street Station) to Sandridge (now Port Melbourne). As with many of Australia's early railways, it was owned and operated by a private company - the Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company, which was formed in 1853.

Work began on laying the railway in March 1853, and trains were ordered from Robert Stephenson and Company of the United Kingdom. The first train was locally built by Robertson, Martin and Smith, however, owing to delays in shipping. Australia's first steam locomotive was built in ten weeks and cost £2,700.

The opening of the line occurred during the period of the Victorian gold rush - a time when both Melbourne and Victoria undertook massive capital works, each with its own gala opening. The inaugural journey on the Sandridge line was no exception. According to the Argus newspaper's report of the next day: "Long before the hour appointed ... a great crowd assembled round the station at the Melbourne terminus, lining the whole of Flinders Street". Lieutenant-Governor Sir Charles Hotham and Lady Hotham were aboard the train - which consisted of two first class carriages and one second class - and were presented with satin copies of the railway's timetable and bylaws.

The trip took 10 minutes, none of the later stations along the line having been built. On arriving at Station Pier (onto which the tracks extended), it was hailed with gun-salutes by the warships HMS Electra and HMS Fantome.

By March 1855, the four engines ordered from the UK were all in service, with trains running every half-hour. They were named Melbourne, Sandridge, Victoria, and Yarra (after the Yarra River over which the line crossed).

This line became part of the Melbourne suburban electrified network during the 20th century and most of it was converted to standard gauge light rail in the 1987 as Melbourne tram route 109.

[edit] Expansion into the suburbs

In 1857, the Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company opened a 4.5 km line to St Kilda. This was also converted to light rail (Melbourne tram route 96) in 1987.

The St Kilda and Brighton Railway Company opened a line from St Kilda to Brighton in 1857 and Brighton Beach in 1861.

The Melbourne and Suburban Railway Company opened a line from Princes Bridge railway station to Punt Road (Richmond) and South Yarra in 1859, Prahran in 1859 and Windsor in 1860, connecting with the St Kida and Brighton Railway Company line. The line between St Kilda and Windsor was closed in 1867.

St Kilda and Brighton Railway Company and Melbourne and Suburban Railway Company were absorbed by the Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company in 1865. The combined company (known as the Melbourne and Hobsons Bay United Railway Company) was taken over by the Victorian Government in 1878. In the following year a railway was built along the southern side of Flinders Street at street level to connect with Spencer Street Station, although this was not able to handle heavy traffic. Between 1889 a two-line viaduct was built between Flinders Street and Spencer Street stations. In the meantime trains between the Gippsland and the other mainlines used the Inner and Outer Circle lines. The viaduct has now been widened to carry six lines.

Between 1981 and 1985 the underground City Loop line was opened around central Melbourne to improve the capacity of Flinders and Spencer Street to handle suburban trains and to offer a better choice of stations to users.

[edit] Southeastern suburban lines

In 1879, Victorian Railways opened the Gippsland line from South Yarra to Caulfield, Pakenham and Bairnsdale. The Pakenham line was electrified to Dandenong in 1922 and Pakenham in 1954.

The first section of the South Gippsland line opened from Dandenong to Cranbourne in 1888. The Cranbourne line was electrified in 1995.

A branch was opened from Caufield to Mordialloc in 1881 and Frankston in 1882. The Frankston line was electrified in 1922.

This line was extended to Baxter in 1888 and Hastings, Bittern and Stony Point in 1889. A branch was built from Bittern to Red Hill in 1921. This closed in 1953.

A branch was opened from Baxter to Mornington in 1889. It was closed in 1981, but the line south of Moorooduc is now operated by the Mornington Railway as a tourist railway.

The Brighton Beach line was extended to Sandringham in 1887 and the Sandringham line was electrified in 1919.

[edit] Eastern suburban lines

The Melbourne and Suburban Railway Company opened a branch line from Richmond to Burnley and Hawthorn in 1861. Victorian Railways extended this line to Camberwell in 1882 and Ringwood and Lilydale in 1883 and Healesville in 1889. The line between Lilydale and Healesville was closed in 1980. Part of this route is now used by the Yarra Valley Tourist Railway. The Lilydale line was electrified between 1922 and 1925.

A branch was opened from Lilydale to Yarra Junction and Warburton in 1901, but it closed in 1964. A private tramway was built by the logging industry from Yarra Junction to Powelltown in 1913. A major fire damaged the line in 1939 and it was subsequently closed.

A branch line (now known as the Belgrave line) was opened from Ringwood to Upper Ferntree Gully in 1889 and was electrified in 1925. A 762 mm line was opened from Upper Ferntree Gully to Belgrave and Gembrook in 1900 to serve the local farming and timber community. The Upper Ferntree Gully to Belgrave section was converted to broad gauge and electrified in 1962. The remainder of the line was closed in 1954, but has been progressively reopened by the Puffing Billy Railway.

A line known as the Outer Circle was originally developed to link the Gippsland line with Spencer Street Station, although the case for it was much reduced once the Spencer Street - Flinders Street viaduct opened in 1892. The Outer Circle opened in 1890 from Oakleigh (on the Pakenham line) to Riversdale (with a branch to Camberwell on the Lilydale line) and to Fairfield (on the Hurstbridge line). At the same time, a line was opened from Burnley to Darling and a junction with the Outer Circle at Waverley Road (near the modern East Malvern). The Outer Circle was closed in sections between 1893 and 1897 and the Burnley - Waverley Road line was cut back to Darling in 1895.

The Camberwell to Ashburton stretch of the Outer Circle re-opened as the Ashburton line in 1899 and was electrified in 1924. It was extended along the old Outer Circle track formation to Alamein station in 1948 to become the Alamein line.

In 1900, part of the northern section of the Outer Circle reopened as a shuttle service between East Camberwell and Deepdene station. This line closed in 1927.

The Burnley - Darling line was electrified in 1920 and extended to Glen Waverley in 1930 to become the Glen Waverley line.

[edit] Northeastern suburban lines

In 1888, the Inner Circle line was opened from Spencer Street Station via Royal Park station to a station called Collingwood, but now called Victoria Park. At the same time a line was opened from Victoria Park to Heidelberg. Trains between Spencer Street and Heidelberg reversed at Victoria Park, until a link was opened between Victoria Park and Princes Bridge in 1901. The Hurstbridge line was extended to Eltham in 1912 and Hurstbridge in 1912 and it was electrified between 1921 and 1926. Unusually, many sections of track on this line remain unduplicated, although the Westgarth-Clifton Hill stretch has been flagged for duplication beginning in 2007. [1] However, no current duplication plans exist for the remaining Greensborough-Eltham-Hurstbridge, and Heidelberg-Rosanna single track sections.

A branch was opened off the Inner Circle line from Spencer Street Station in Fitzroy North to Epping and Whittlesea in 1888 and 1889. Trains were rerouted to Flinders Street with the opening of the connection between Collingwood and Princes Bridge in 1901. The Epping line was electrified to Reservoir in 1921, Thomastown in 1929, Lalor in 1959 and Epping in 1964. The line between Epping and Whittlesea closed in 1959.

[edit] Northern suburban lines

The Melbourne and Essendon Railway Company built a line from North Melbourne to Essendon in 1860. It built a branch line from Newmarket to Flemington Racecourse in 1861. The company was taken over by the Victorian Government in 1867. Victorian Railways extended the line to Broadmeadows in 1872. The Broadmeadows line was electrified to Essendon in 1919 and Broadmeadows in 1921.

A line was opened from Spencer Street Station to Coburg in 1884 and extended to Somerton in 1889, meeting the main line from Spencer Street to Wodonga. This line (now known as the Upfield line) was electrified to Fawkner in 1920 and Upfield in 1959. The line between Upfield and Somerton is closed.

[edit] Western suburban lines

The Melbourne, Mount Alexander and Murray River Railway Company was established in 1853 to build a railway to Echuca, but failed to make any progress and was taken over by the Victorian Government. Victorian Railways opened a line from Footscray to Sunbury in 1859 and St Albans and Woodend in 1861. The Sydenham line was electrified to St Albans in 1921 and Watergardens (near the former Sydenham station) in 2002.

In 1857 the Geelong and Melbourne Railway Company opened a railway from Geelong to Newport. In 1859 this line was extended to Spencer Street Station and a branch line was opened from Newport to Williamstown Pier. The Williamstown line was electrified in 1920. It now terminates at Williamstown, following the closure of Williamstown Pier station in 1987.

Land developers opened a private railway from Newport to Altona in 1888, but it was closed in 1890, due to lack of demand. The railway reopened in 1917 and was electrified in 1920.[2] The line was extended to Laverton in 1985 and became part of the Werribee line.

[edit] Infrastructure

Melbourne's suburban electrified railway system comprises 16 interdependent lines all feeding into Flinders Street station. Some of these line are the suburban parts of regional lines, and also carry diesel-hauled passenger and goods trains to locations beyond the suburban network. Melbourne railway is built to 1600 mm (5' 3") Irish broad gauge. (Interstate lines and the tram system (including former railway lines converted to light rail) are standard gauge, with a distance of 1435 mm (4' 8½") between the rails.) Power is supplied by catenary-style overhead wiring at 1500 volts DC.

Melbourne, along with other Australian railways, uses the British terminology of "up" and "down", with "up" being defined as toward Flinders Street station.

All but a handful of the lines include at least one single-track section, and except for flyovers at North Melbourne, Burnley, and Camberwell, all junctions are flat junctions. These restrictions hinder the performance of the system, as delays tend to "knock on" to other services. Two lines have three-track sections (the centre line being signalled for two-way operation and used for up trains in the morning peak period and down trains at other times). Where two or more lines come together in the inner area, there four or more tracks.

Operationally, the 16 lines are divided into four groups of lines. The Clifton Hill Group comprises the two lines that branch at Clifton Hill station. The Burnley Group comprises the four lines that go through Burnley station. The Caulfield Group comprises the three lines that go through Caulfield station, plus the Sandringham line. The Northern Group comprises the remaining lines, which all go through North Melbourne station.

Four single-track underground lines, one for each group, allow trains arriving in the city from each group to circle the central business district then head out again to a destination on the same group. See City Loop, Melbourne.

[edit] Safeworking

Most lines in Melbourne operate under an automatic block system of safeworking with three-position power signalling. The outer end of the Hurstbridge line is operated with token systems and two-position manual signalling. The Flemington Racecourse line has two-position automatic signalling.

[edit] Operation

Most trains operate to and from Flinders Street station, except for some shuttle services on branch lines that connect with train to and from Flinders Street at off-peak times. Trains generally operate within one of the four groups, although there is some interworking between the Burnley and Clifton Hill groups and between the Caulfield and Northern Groups. Most services operate via the underground loop that circles the central business district. However, the Sandringham line always operates direct to and from Flinders Street on weekdays, as do peak-period services to Williamstown, Alamein, and Blackburn. (At off-peak times, the Williamstown and Alamein services operate as shuttles, and the Blackburn service is combined with the Belgrave and Lilydale services.)

All trains are driver-only operated.

[edit] Trains

Currently, all carriages are classed as either M (motorised, with driving cabin) or T (trailer), and are assembled into a symmetrical M-T-M arrangement. Trains comprise either one or two such units. All peak period services and some off-peak services comprise two units. There are four types of trains, each type being unable to operate coupled to each other type. Two types, the X'trapolis and Siemens trains, are currently limited in normal operation to two groups each, the Burnley and Clifton Hill groups and the Caulfield and Northern Groups respectively.

The few remaining Silver (Hitachi) trains operate in fixed two-unit sets, and both they and the Comeng trains can operate throughout the system.

All trains have power-operated sliding doors closed by the driver but opened by the passengers, and all except the Silver trains are air-conditioned. All trains have three doors per carriage side, except the Siemens which have two doors per carriage side. All trains have headboards showing the destination of the service. The X'trapolis trains also have destination indicators on the sides of the carriages. All trains have a gangway between carriages allowing passengers to change from one carriage to another, but not between units. All trains except the Silver trains are fitted with closed-circuit cameras and emergency intercom systems, for passenger safety. The Comeng trains are capable of being operated with only one carriage lit and the other two locked out of use, for passenger safety after dark. Except for the Siemens trains, all trains have mostly 2+3 seating. The Siemens trains have 2+2 seating.

A Frankston-bound Siemens Train
Enlarge
A Frankston-bound Siemens Train

Melbourne's suburban rolling stock currently consists of (numbers are number of 3-carriage units):

[edit] Services

Melbourne uses "clock-face" timetables in off-peak periods, but generally not in peak periods, due to operating near to the capacity of the infrastructure and having to accommodate single-line sections, flat junctions, and regional diesel-hauled trains. Even in off-peak periods, however, frequencies vary according to time of day and day of week, and by line. In some places, services on two lines combine to provide more frequent services on common sections of tracks. Saturday and Sunday services are identical during the day, but differ during the evening on some lines.

[edit] Burnley Group

With very few exceptions, all non-express Lilydale and Belgrave trains do not stop at East Richmond station, which is served by Glen Waverley trains. All trains (in one direction depending on time of day and day of week) operate via the underground loop except for most Alamein and Blackburn trains. All off-peak Alamein services are shuttles to and from the junction at Camberwell.

Peak periods Almost all trains on the Lilydale and Belgrave lines run express between Box Hill and Richmond, most with intermediate stops at Camberwell and Glenferrie, and some at Surrey Hills. These trains run at intervals of around four minutes to and from Ringwood, and half that on the down side of Ringwood. Intermediate stations are served by a stopping service to and from Blackburn, with a frequency around 12 to 15 minutes.

Services on the Alamein line run at intervals of around 12 to 15 minutes.

Services on the Glen Waverley line run at intervals of around 12 minutes.
Weekday daytime off-peak periods All services operate on 15-minute frequencies, except on the down side of Ringwood where they operate on 30-minute frequencies.
Weekday evenings All services operate on 30-minute frequencies. Alternate services operate to and from Lilydale, but shuttle services between Ringwood and Lilydale and between Ringwood and Belgrave supplement this to provide an approximately 30-minute service on those lines.
Saturday and Sunday daytime Except for the early morning, all services operate on 20-minute frequencies. Alternate services operate to and from Lilydale, but shuttle services between Ringwood and Lilydale and between Ringwood and Belgrave supplement this to provide an approximately 20-minute service on those lines.

Services early on Saturday and Sunday mornings operate on 30-minute frequencies.
Saturday evenings Services operate to the same frequencies as Weekday evenings
Sunday evenings All services operate to 40-minute frequencies. On the Lilydale and Belgrave lines, down services operate to Belgrave and up services operate from Lilydale, with shuttle services in the opposite direction providing connecting services at Ringwood.

[edit] Caulfield Group

All trains on the Pakenham, Cranbourne, and Frankston lines (in one direction depending on time of day and day of week) operate via the underground loop. Sandringham trains also operate via the underground loop on weekends, but not weekdays.

Peak periods Many trains on the Pakenham, Cranbourne, and Frankston line run express for part of their journey, with intermediate stations being served by shorter distance stopping trains. All Sandringham trains stop all stations. Frequencies on the Pakenham, Cranbourne, and Frankston lines vary between about every four minutes and every 15 minutes.

Services on the Sandringham line run on 10 minute frequencies.
Weekday daytime off-peak periods All services operate on 15-minute frequencies, except on the down side of Dandenong where they operate on 30-minute frequencies.
Weekday evenings All services operate on 30-minute frequencies, except on the down side of Dandenong where they operate on hourly frequencies.
Saturday and Sunday daytime Except for the early morning, all services operate on 20-minute frequencies, except on the down side of Dandenong where they operate on 40-minute frequencies.

Services early on Saturday and Sunday mornings operate on 30-minute frequencies, except on the down side of Dandenong where they operate on hourly frequencies.
Saturday and Sunday evenings Services operate to the same frequencies as Weekday evenings

[edit] Clifton Hill Group

All trains (in one direction depending on time of day and day of week) operate via the underground loop. At many times, Hurstbridge-line trains operate express between Jolimont and Clifton Hill, with the Epping trains serving the intermediate stations.

Peak periods Due to considerable lengths of single-track, many Hurstbridge-line trains start or finish at Eltham and Greensborough. Many Eltham and Hurstbridge trains run express between Heidelberg and Jolimont with intermediate stops at Ivanhoe and Clifton Hill. Intermediate stations are served by trains to and from Greensborough and Macleod. Frequencies for stations between Greensborough and the city are around 15 minutes, reducing beyond Greensborough and reducing more beyond Eltham. Epping trains operate at frequencies of around 10 to 15 minutes.
Weekday daytime off-peak periods All services operate on 20-minute frequencies, except on the down side of Eltham where they operate on 40-minute frequencies.
Weekday evenings All services operate on 30-minute frequencies, except on the down side of Eltham where they operate on hourly frequencies.
Saturday and Sunday daytime Except for the early morning, all services operate on 20-minute frequencies, except on the down side of Eltham where they operate on 40-minute frequencies.

Services early on Saturday and Sunday mornings operate on 30-minute frequencies, except on the down side of Eltham where they operate on hourly frequencies.
Saturday evenings Services operate to the same frequencies as Weekday evenings
Sunday evenings Services operate to 40-minute frequencies.

[edit] Northern Group

All trains (in one direction depending on time of day and day of week) operate via the underground loop, except for Williamstown services. All off-peak Williamstown services are shuttles to and from the junction at Newport.

Peak periods Most Werribee services operate express between Newport and North Melbourne, with Williamstown trains serving intermediate stations. Due to a single-track section via Altona, Werribee trains operate on 20-minute frequencies, but are supplemented by a few trains operating via the main line. Williamstown services operate on approximately 20-minute frequencies. Sydenham services operate on about 10 to 20-minute intervals. Broadmeadows services operate on intervals of around 9 minutes. Upfield services operate on a 20-minute frequency.
Weekday daytime off-peak periods All services operate on 20-minute frequencies.
Weekday evenings All services operate on 30-minute frequencies.
Saturday and Sunday daytime Except for the early morning, all services operate on 20-minute frequencies.

Services early on Saturday and Sunday mornings operate on 30-minute frequencies.
Saturday and evenings Services operate to the same frequencies as Weekday evenings

There are no regularly-scheduled services on the Flemington Racecourse line, but services are run to the Racecourse whenever race meetings are held at the racecourse. During the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival, these service operate at intervals of up to every four minutes. Services are also operated to the Showgrounds platform during the Royal Melbourne Show over eleven days every September. These services operate at intervals of up to every five minutes. All Flemington Racecourse and Showgrounds services operate direct to and from Flinders Street. Most Flemington Racecourse and a few Showgrounds services operate express in one direction (depending on the time of day), and the rest do not stop at Kensington and Newmarket.


[edit] Fares and Tickets

Main article: Metcard

The fare and ticket system used on Melbourne's railway system is common to all public transport in Melbourne, and known as Metcard.

[edit] Fares

There are three concentric zones, with fares applicable to one or more zones. Fares are time-based, with tickets being valid for two hours or all day. Tickets are also available for longer periods, such as weekly and monthly. Within the time periods, tickets can be used on an unlimited number of services and all modes (train, tram, and bus). There is no extra fee for transfers. Various discounts are also available, such as for off-peak travel and buying tickets in bulk.

[edit] Tickets

A Metcard ticket
Enlarge
A Metcard ticket

Tickets are credit-card-size card tickets with a magnetic stripe, which must be inserted in a validator before each use. Only the busier stations have ticket-operated barrier gates. At other stations, enforcement is based on honesty with random checks. Tickets are available from machines at all stations and on trams, from station ticket offices at manned stations, from bus drivers, from various retail outlets such as newsagents and convenience stores, and via the Internet. As the tickets have to be validated before use (except when bought on trams, which are sold pre-validated), they may be bought in advance and used when required.

The Metcard ticket system will be replaced in 2007 with a new system of smartcards, known as Myki.

[edit] Map

[edit] External links

[edit] See also

Melbourne

Australia

The World

[edit] References

  1. ^ Epping and Hurstbridge rail line improvements. Victorian Department of Infrastructure. Retrieved on June 2006.
  2. ^ Altona, Victoria. Australian places. Retrieved on 2006-06-09.
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