Craigieburn railway line

Craigieburn railway line, Melbourne
Line details
Commenced 1860
Completed 1872
Stations 15
Tracks Double track throughout
Used by Metro Trains Melbourne, V/Line, freight
Service pattern Stopping all stations
Rolling stock Hitachi, Comeng, Siemens
Connections Flemington Racecourse, Albion-Jacana lines
Former connections Upfield line at Somerton (Roxburgh Park)
Railways in Melbourne

The Craigieburn railway line is a suburban electric railway inner section of the main North East railway line serving the northern suburbs of Melbourne, Australia. It has 15 stations and in Metlink ticketing Zones 1 and 2. Prior to electrification to Craigieburn the line was known as the Broadmeadows railway line.

Contents

Description

The line rises steadily after leaving North Melbourne until after Essendon, then drops a little to cross Moonee Ponds Creek, and soon after encounters the Glenroy Bank, a continuous rising gradient of 1 in 50 for nearly 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) that used to tax locomotive-hauled trains in the days of steam. After Glenroy, it continues to rise to the end of the suburban line (and beyond). Earthworks, are, however, generally moderate.

The almost-continuous gradients were a factor when, in 2003, an unmanned suburban train rolled the entire length of the line from Broadmeadows to the city, and crashed into a stationary but loaded passenger train waiting to depart Southern Cross Station (then Spencer Street Station). No one was killed or seriously injured in the incident.

Infrastructure

The Craigieburn line is double track throughout, and controlled by automatic block signalling. It has numerous level crossings as well as many grade-separated road and rail bridges. Terminating facilities are provided at Kensington, Newmarket (by shunting onto the Flemington Racecourse line), Essendon, Broadmeadows, as well as Craigieburn itself. However only Essendon, Broadmeadows, and Craigieburn are normally used. Train stabling facilities are provided at Broadmeadows and Craigieburn.

History

The line from North Melbourne to Essendon was opened by the Melbourne and Essendon Railway Company in November 1860. Soon after, the company also opened a branch from Newmarket to Flemington Racecourse. However, both lines closed after only a short time in July 1864. The Victorian Railways reopened the Flemington Racecourse line (and therefore the Essendon line as far as Newmarket) in November 1867, and in January 1871 reopened the line to Essendon.

In April 1872, the line was extended to a temporary terminus outside Seymour, awaiting completion of a bridge over the Goulburn River. In December 1894, through services were provided from Essendon to Brighton Beach on the Sandringham line.

Automatic Block Signalling started to appear on the line in 1918, with Kensington to Essendon being converted in June of that year, and North Melbourne to Kensington in October of the same year. In May 1919, Flinders Street to Essendon, along with the Sandringham line, became the first line to be electrified in Melbourne, apart from a test installation on the Flemington Racecourse line.

In January 1924, an extra pair of tracks, including a flying junction, was opened between North Melbourne and Kensington, enabling the separation of passenger and freight traffic in the busy section. Further works were carried out in 1929, when the double track Albion - Jacana freight line was opened,[1] permitting freight trains to avoid the line via Essendon altogether. Automatic Block Signalling was extended to Broadmeadows in November 1965.

On 30 September 2007 electrified trains between Broadmeadows station to Craigieburn commenced regular service.[2] Previously, passengers for Craigieburn travelled on V/Line operated diesel services, however Metcards were accepted for fare payment.

Broadstore Branch Line

A branch line was provided during the Second World War to Broadstore, commencing at the north-east of Broadmeadows station, opening on 12 October 1942,[3] and remaining in place until 1982;[3] however, the tracks were not lifted until after 1991.[3] The Broadstore Line was unelectrified, and extended in a directly easterly direction for approximately 1.6 km towards the Upfield Line terminating at the Maygar Barracks in Campbellfield. At one time, according to Forsberg, it also had a further branch that supplied a migrant hostel.[3] The Broadstore Line itself is clearly marked on the 1980 map of Victorian Railways, terminating in a station marked "Broadstore". .[4]

Line guide

Bold stations are termini, where some train services terminate; italic stations are staffed; and stations with an asterisk (*) are manned only during morning peak.

Branches from the City Loop at Southern Cross and Flagstaff.

Craigieburn railway line
Legend
 0.0 km Flinders Street (FSS) Zone 1
Flinders Street Viaduct
1.2 km Southern Cross (SSS) Zone 1
City Loop
2.9 km North Melbourne (NME)
Upfield line
Moonee Ponds Creek
CityLink
Sydenham and Werribee lines
4.7 km Kensington (KEN)
5.6 km Newmarket (NKT)* Zone 1
Flemington Racecourse line
7.0 km Ascot Vale (ASV)*
8.1 km Moonee Ponds (MPD)*
9.2 km Essendon (ESD) Zone 1
10.4 km Glenbervie (GBV)
11.0 km Strathmore (SME)
Moonee Ponds Creek
CityLink
12.5 km Pascoe Vale (PVL)
14.1 km Oak Park (OKP)
15.8 km Glenroy (GRY)
16.6 km Jacana (JAC)
Western Ring Road
Albion - Jacana freight line (standard gauge)
Albion - Jacana freight line (broad gauge)
18.1 km Broadmeadows (BMS)
Broadstore branch line
19.3 km Coolaroo (CLO)
Upfield line
23.0 km Roxburgh Park (RXP)
Aitkens Creek
27.0 km Craigieburn (CGB)
North East railway

References

  1. ^ "VR History". www.victorianrailways.net. http://www.victorianrailways.net/vr%20history/history.html. Retrieved 22 June 2008. 
  2. ^ "Public transport - Craigieburn Rail Project - News and publications". www.doi.vic.gov.au. http://www.doi.vic.gov.au/DOI/Internet/transport.nsf/AllDocs/07288AED1C6F3EF3CA25730D000908B5?OpenDocument. Retrieved 22 June 2008. 
  3. ^ a b c d "Broadstore Line 1991". Mike Forsberg. http://www.flickr.com/photos/29565670@N06/sets/72157613223800455/. Retrieved 6 October 2009. 
  4. ^ "Railway Map of Victoria, 1980". www.vrhistory.com/. http://www.vrhistory.com/VRMaps/Vic1980.pdf. Retrieved 6 October 2009. 

External links
 
Melbourne suburban services