Southern Cross railway station, Melbourne

Southern Cross (formerly Spencer Street) is a major railway station and transport hub in Melbourne Docklands, Victoria, Australia. It is located on Spencer Street between Collins and La Trobe Streets at the western edge of the central business district. The Etihad Stadium sporting arena is 500 metres south-west of the station.

The station is the terminus of the state's regional railway network operated by V/Line, The Overland rail service to Adelaide, and the Countrylink XPT service to Sydney. It is one of five stations on the City Loop, a mostly underground railway that encircles the CBD. Based upon suburban passenger boardings it is the third busiest railway station in Melbourne, in 2009 the average was 42,900 per day.^[1] These figures exclude V/Line passengers that also use the station.

Southern Cross Station also has a coach terminal under the shopping complex, from which operates the Skybus Super Shuttle service to Melbourne Airport and Sunbus Shuttle service to Avalon Airport; Greyhound Australia, Firefly Express Coaches, Premier Motor Service interstate coach services; and V/Line coach services to Mildura, Yarram, Mansfield and other non rail served towns.

History

Opened as Spencer Street in 1859,^[2] five years after Flinders Street; the station was a dead end terminus, running parallel to Spencer Street^[3] (not on an angle like today) with a single main platform and a dock platform at the north end.^[4] It was not until 1874 that an extra platform was provided.^[4]

The two stations were not linked until 1879, when a single-track ground-level line was opened. It operated only at night, and only for goods trains. In the 1880s, it was proposed that Spencer Street station be removed in order to facilitate the westward expansion of the city, however the plan was subsequently rejected.

1880s: Passenger services commence

From 1888 to 1894 the layout of the station was altered, with new country platforms being built on the angle they are today. The current coach terminal location was the site of a number of new platforms built for suburban services.^[3]

In 1888 work started on the double-track Flinders Street Viaduct linking the station to Flinders Street, the line opening to goods traffic in 1891 and in 1894 to passenger trains.^[5] It was at this time that the first through platform was provided at the station, for suburban trains from Essendon and Williamstown.^[4] The viaduct to Flinders Street was expanded to four tracks in 1915,^[5] and in conjunction with the electrification works on the suburban network today's platforms 11 though 14 were opened between 1918 and 1924, along with the pedestrian subway providing access to them.^[4]

1960s: Modernisation

In October 1960 work on the 'modern' Spencer Street Station commenced, sparked by the construction of the interstate standard gauge railway link to Sydney.^[4] A new station building was constructed which replaced the 1880s iron sheds and a new 413 metres (1,355 ft) main platform was built. The subway from the 1918 works was extended to country platforms.^[4] In connection with the construction of the underground loop, platforms 9 and 10 were rebuilt as part of the suburban section, and a new double-track viaduct was constructed next to the original one, bringing to six the number of tracks connecting the two stations. At the same time, the older four tracks were resignalled for bi-directional operation.

At one stage, a short underground narrow-gauge line transferred mail between the station and the old mail sorting office across Spencer Street. This line has since been closed and the tunnel filled in.

The mechanically interlocked signal box at the station was opened in 1887,^[6] and was decommissioned in June 2008 as part of an upgrade to signalling.

2000s: Redevelopment

Southern Cross was redeveloped by the Civic Nexus consortium, following an innovative design by Grimshaw Architects which features an undulating roof.^[7] Construction began in October 2002 and was completed in late 2006, with the majority of the transport facilities finished in time for the 2006 Commonwealth Games. The central features of the design include a wave-shaped roof, a new entrance and concourse on Collins Street, a new bus interchange, a new food court, a bar/restaurant, separate retail outlets inside the station and a separate shopping complex between Bourke and La Trobe Streets.

This new shopping complex originally comprised a Direct Factory Outlets centre, a Virgin Megastore, along with food courts. This opened on 30 November 2006, although not all tenancies were occupied, and stage 2 was opened in March 2007. In 2009 the DFO relocated to a new site at South Wharf, the shopping centre being refitted by owner Austexx and rebranded simply as "Spencer Street fashion station".^[8]

In addition to the station's physical modifications, its name was changed from Spencer Street to Southern Cross on 13 December 2005.^[9]

By July 2004 the project had fallen behind schedule and over budget by $200 million.^[10] This was covered extensively in the media. As a result of over-runs and design issues, some elements of the original design, including an additional proposed footbridge connecting Lonsdale Street with Docklands Stadium, were scrapped.^[11]

Complaints about access to platforms, empty trains occupying space during the day and lack of government support were raised by Leighton Holdings, the construction firm overseeing the project. This led to concerns that the station might not be ready in time for the Commonwealth Games, and the government arranged with the railway operators to provide more access to the work site.

The station's redevelopment is part of the wider Melbourne Docklands development. The architect responsible for the design is Nicholas Grimshaw. The structural engineering design was performed by Winward Structures, a consulting structural engineering design firm. The station has been awarded the Royal Institute of British Architects' Lubetkin Prize for most outstanding building outside the European Union.^[12] The other buildings nominated were the Des Moines Public Library and the Hearst Tower, New York City.^[13]

For the commuter, the redevelopment means it takes more time to get to the suburban network platform than before. The redevelopment removed the pedestrian subway access in favour of street level and elevated pathways. The subways had continued underneath Spencer Street and the closure of these means it is necessary to wait for traffic lights to cross Spencer Street at street level. For suburban and some country services, entering at corner Collins and Spencer Streets, it is then necessary to ascend two escalators to a shopping level and enter the paid area of the station before descending again to the platforms. There have been several accidents where people have fallen from this elevated level.^[14][15] The 8m ascent and descent is well more than necessary to clear the height of the trains, and well more than the ~3m descent and ascent of the previous subway access.

Platforms and services

Southern Cross' platforms are numbered from east to west, with Platform 1 being the furthest east.

Concourses

Concourses are provided at Bourke and Collins Streets. Platform 1 is north of Bourke Street, while Platform 8 South is south of Collins Street. The remainder of platforms are located between Bourke and Collins Streets, with access from both concourses. Both concourses are further divided into an open access regional section for platforms 1 though 8, and a closed access suburban section for platforms 9 though 14.

Platforms

Platforms 2 to 8 are numbered as two sections: section A from the Collins Street concourse to the Bourke Street Footbridge (formerly known as 2C to 8C) and section B after the Bourke Street Footbridge (formerly known as 2N to 8N).

Platforms 1 and 2 are fitted with dual gauge track, permitting both standard gauge interstate trains and V/Line broad gauge trains. The remainder of the platforms are solely broad gauge. A motorail dock is located at the northern end of the platform, with standard gauge access only.

Standard gauge

Platforms 1 and 2:

• CountryLink Southern – terminating Melbourne XPT; returning as country services to Sydney (2 per day)
• Great Southern Railway – The Overland services to Adelaide (3 per week)
• Albury/Wodonga line – InterCity services to Albury (2 per day)

Broad gauge

Platforms 1 to 8:

• Seymour line – InterUrban services to Seymour
• Shepparton line – InterCity services to Shepparton (3 per day)
• Ballarat line – InterUrban services to Bacchus Marsh, Ballarat and Wendouree
• Ararat line – InterCity services to Ararat (3 per day)
• Maryborough line – InterCity services to Maryborough (1 per day)
• Bendigo line – InterUrban services to Sunbury, Kyneton, Bendigo and Eaglehawk
• Echuca line – InterCity services to Echuca (1 weekday/2 weekend per day)
• Swan Hill line – InterCity services to Swan Hill (2 per day)
• Geelong line – InterUrban services to Geelong, South Geelong and Marshall
• Warrnambool line – InterCity services to Warrnambool (3 per day)
• Gippsland line – interUrban all stations and limited stops services to Traralgon, interCity all stations services to Sale (1 per week) and limited stops services to Bairnsdale (3 per day)

Platform 9:

• Epping line – all stations and limited stops services to Epping
• Hurstbridge line – all stations and limited stops services to Heidelberg, Macleod, Greensborough, Eltham and Hurstbridge
• City Circle – peak hour all stations services around the City Loop to Flinders Street

Platform 10:

• Lilydale/Belgrave line – all stations and limited stops services to Blackburn, Ringwood, Lilydale, Mooroolbark, Upper Ferntree Gully and Belgrave
• Glen Waverley line – all stations and limited stops services to Glen Waverley
• Alamein line – peak hour all stations and limited stops services to Riversdale, and Alamein

Platform 11:

• Craigieburn line – all stations and limited stops services to Broadmeadows and Craigieburn
• Upfield line – all stations services to Upfield
• Sydenham line – all stations and limited stops services to St Albans, and Watergardens
• Werribee line – weekend all stations services to Werribee

Platform 12:

• Dandenong line – all stations and limited stops services to Oakleigh, Westall, Dandenong, Pakenham and Cranbourne
• Frankston line – weekend & weekday peak hour all stations services to Cheltenham, Mordialloc, Carrum and Frankston
• Sandringham line – weekend all stations services to Sandringham

Platform 13:

• Frankston line – all stations and limited stops services services to Frankston
• Werribee line / Williamstown line – all stations services to Flinders Street
• Gippsland line – interUrban all stations and limited stops services to Traralgon, interCity all stations services to Sale (1 per week) and limited stops services to Bairnsdale (3 per day)

Platform 14:

• Williamstown line – all stations services to Williamstown
• Werribee line – all stations and limited stops services to Laverton and Werribee
• Geelong line – interUrban services to Geelong, South Geelong and Marshall
• Seymour line – InterUrban services to Seymour

Platforms 15 & 16:

• Partially constructed, was for future expansion as part of the redevelopment works. In early 2011, work started to commission them for use by V/Line services, as part of the Regional Rail Link project.^[16][17]

Services

Connecting tram services

From Collins Street:

• 11 to Docklands
• 11 to West Preston
• 31 to Docklands
• 31 to Hoddle Street
• 48 to Docklands
• 48 to North Balwyn
• 109 to Box Hill
• 109 to Port Melbourne
• 112 to St Kilda
• 112 to West Preston

From Harbour Esplanade:

• 35 City Circle (Free Tourist Tram)
• 70 to Docklands
• 70 to Wattle Park

From Spencer Street:

• 75 to Vermont South
• 86 to Docklands
• 86 to Bundoora RMIT
• 95 to Melbourne Museum
• 96 to East Brunswick
• 96 to St Kilda Beach

Connecting bus services

From Collins Street:

• 235 to City
• 235 to Fishermans Bend
• 237 to City
• 237 to Fishermans Bend
• 238 to City
• 238 to Port Melbourne

From the Southern Cross Coach Terminal:

• 684 to Eildon via Lilydale Station

References

External links

• Southern Cross Station
• Southern Cross Station project
• Diagram of the track layout at Southern Cross Station
• Construction images: 2003 – 2004 and 2005 – 2008