Richmond railway station, Melbourne

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RichmondRichmond
Platforms at Richmond station, looking towards the city
Station information
Code RMD
Distance from
Flinders St
2.4 km
Lines Alamein,
Bairnsdale,
Belgrave,
Cranbourne,
Frankston,
Glen Waverley,
Lilydale,
Pakenham,
Sandringham
# Platforms 10
# Tracks 10
Status Premium station
Metlink profile Link
Melway map Link
Google map Link
Metcard Zone 1
Main entrance to the station on Swan Street.
Main entrance to the station on Swan Street.

Richmond station is a suburban railway station in Melbourne, Australia. It is located in the suburb of Richmond, and is built on an embankment immediately east of Punt Road with platforms extending west across the Punt Road railway bridge.

Richmond station has ten platforms connected by three subways, and is the junction of all of Melbourne's eastern and south eastern rail lines, with trains on the Frankston, Glen Waverley, Pakenham, Sandringham, Cranbourne, Belgrave, Lilydale and Alamein lines passing through the station.

Located 2.4 km from Flinders Street Station, Melbourne's central suburban railway station, Richmond station is located close to the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Punt Road Oval and Melbourne Park, so is often busy during sporting and other special events.

Tram route 70 runs past Richmond Station along Swan Street. Punt Road underpasses directly under the station via a major interchange with Swan Street and Brunton Avenue.

Contents

[edit] History

Richmond station has been relocated and rebuilt four times. The first station in Punt Road was at ground level and opened on 8 February 1859. It closed the same year on 12 December 1859. On the same day the new station, also at ground level, opened in Swan Street.

In 1885, an elevated station just north of Swan Street was opened with six platforms. For a period, both the old and new stations operated, before the original Swan Street station finally closed.

By the 1940s the station had deteriorated to the point that it was condemned by the local council. Despite this, it was not until 26 March 1960, that the present elevated station opened slightly west of the existing one. The bridges at each end of the station across Punt Road and Swan Street were also rebuilt to accommodate the ten tracks. The old station was demolished.

The condition of Richmond station was criticised again in 2005, with claims made that it served as a poor gateway for spectators watching the 2006 Commonwealth Games. The Victorian Government considered redeveloping the station, but was shelved due to the cost.[1]

[edit] Film

Richmond station was the filming location for the opening scene of the 1992 Australian film Romper Stomper, although it was credited as Footscray station in the film.

[edit] Diagram

Schematic diagram of the station
Schematic diagram of the station

[edit] References

  1. ^ Silkstone, Dan. "Call to revamp 'shabby' Richmond station", The Age, August 4, 2005. Retrieved on 2008-03-02. 


Coordinates: 37°49′25″S, 144°59′20″E