Box Hill railway station, Melbourne

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Box Hill
Station information

Code	BOX
Distance from Flinders St	14.9 km
Line	Belgrave, Lilydale
Number of platforms	4 (3 in use)
Number of tracks	3
Station status	Premium Station
Station facilities, connecting transport and timetables	Link
Melway map of station	Not available
Google map of station	Link
Zone location	2

Photo of Box Hill station platforms located under the Centro Box Hill shopping centre.

Box Hill railway station is on the Belgrave and Lilydale lines in Melbourne, Australia. It is located in the Box Hill Central (also known as Centro Box Hill) shopping centre near the corner of Whitehorse Road and Station Street in Box Hill. It connects with a major bus terminal, which is part of the same complex, and the 109 tram route. Box Hill station is located 14.9 km from Flinders Street Station in the centre of Melbourne. Box Hill station is the only Melbourne metropolitan station to be located underground besides those forming the City Loop.

1 History
2 Facilities
3 Platforms
4 Connecting Services
5 Calls for Upgrade
6 See also
7 References
8 External links

[edit] History

The station first opened in 1882, when the railway line was extended from Camberwell to Lilydale. At the time, Box Hill was a separate town, with several hundred residents. In 1895, a large market was opened next to the station. On December 19, 1922, the section from Flinders Street to Box Hill was electrified, and this was continued to Ringwood the following month.

In the early 1980s, the Box Hill Central shopping centre was built over the top of the station, which was first lowered into a cutting. The new station was progressively opened between 1983 and 1985.

In January 2007, the line was closed between Box Hill and Blackburn station to facilitate grade separation works at the nearby Middleborough Road level crossing. Buses were operated between the two stations for the duration, and to cater for this a temporary bus interchange was constructed at Box Hill. The interchange was built directly on top of the tracks, which had been paved between the rails, to the east of the station, and was connected to platforms 2 and 3 by a raised walkway.^[1] With the completion of the project's major works at the end of January 2007, the bus interchange was removed.

The temporary walkway connecting the central platforms with the temporary bus interchange.

A bus bound for the temporary interchange passes another heading out towards Blackburn. The buses can be seen driving on the train tracks, which have been paved in between the rails.

[edit] Facilities

Box Hill has been a premium station since 1996, and as such, is staffed from first to last train and is in Metcard Zone 2. On the top floor, outside the validated area is a ticket vending machine that issues most tickets. Also towards the right of the validators is the office. There are about 5 booths (about 3 for Connex Melbourne and 2 for V/Line). The station has a V/Line booking office next to the main booking offices. The Lilydale/Belgrave line changes from a triple to a double track at Box Hill.

[edit] Platforms

The station has three platforms, with one central island platform, and a third that is used at peak times. The station has an unused (and trackless) fourth platform (platform 1), used temporarily while the current station was being built and provided for possible future use, although a McDonalds Restaurant has since opened over its entrance. Platform 1 however is still dimly lit by a station name sign that reads 'Box Hill' but besides the blue colour illuminated signs, there is no other lighting on the platform. When looking at Platform 1 from the central platform, a ramp can be seen which probably ends up blocked off. Mainly, the central platform is used the most with access from the top entry floor by ramp, stairs, lift and escalator. The escalator can be seen from outside the validated area as can be the stairs. At the station, the platform numbering has continued including the closed platform (Platform One) when there are actually three currently open platforms which are numbered 2 to 4 and not 1 to 3.

[edit] Connecting Services

Box Hill station is very well connected with other forms of public transport. The station is connected to Tram and Bus. Tram services are relatively close. You only have to go past the booking office and out the door and walk down the outside stores to get to the Box Hill Tram Terminus where the 109 terminates. The 109 goes to Port Melbourne. Box Hill Station is also connected to a bus terminal (Box Hill bus terminus) which is only past the exit to trams and up an escalator. Lift access is also available. At the top are several bus stops which serve about 2-5 bus routes to a sign. In total, roughly there are more than 20 different routes and about 500 buses go in and out of the terminus every day.

[edit] Calls for Upgrade

After a series of events, including faulty escalators, a once off (though none the less fatal) stabbing, along with the closure of a bingo centre (located alongside the bus terminal) on safety grounds, the community has been making calls for an upgrade. The upgrades calls are seeking a full refurbishment and redesign of the railway station and adjoining bus terminal to make it safer, improve integration (currently to get between trains and buses requires two sets of escalators and a layer of shops) and to make it more pleasant by improving the overall amenity. The upgrade call is supported by Anna Burke, Federal MP (ALP) for Chisholm, as well as Robert Clark, State MP (Liberal) for Box Hill and the Public Transport Users Association.