Wangaratta railway station

Wangaratta

Looking north from the pedestrian overpass to the broad gauge platform,
station building and signal box (right)
Station information
Code WAG
Distance from
Southern Cross		 233.998 km
Operator V/Line
Lines Albury-Wodonga
# Platforms 2
# Tracks 2 SG (1 under conversion from BG)
Status Staffed Station
Viclink profile Link
Opened 28 October 1873

Wangaratta is a railway station on the North East railway in the city of Wangaratta, Victoria, Australia. Passenger services are provided by V/Line trains Albury-Wodonga service, as well as CountryLink XPT services between Melbourne and Sydney.

Contents

Facilities

The station is staffed, ( 6.00 am to 6.00 pm) and once had a large yard. A goods shed located across from the main platform remains but has no siding. Dock platforms were also once located at both ends of the station. Wangaratta was once the junction for the Wangaratta - Whitfield 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow gauge railway. A footbridge is located at both the south end of the platform and over the northern end of the yard.

The main platform and station building is located to the east by the standard gauge "West" line. The original standard gauge line runs in a concrete walled cutting located between the station and adjoining street, with a number of bridges crossing this cutting to provide station access. The platform on the standard gauge "East line" is located in the cutting at the Melbourne end of the station. Alumatta Loop is currently located to the south of the station on the standard gauge line.

Platforms and services

Platform 1: - intercity services all active stations to Southern Cross - intercity services to Springhurst, Chiltern, Wodonga and Albury Platform 2 Countrylink XPT-interstate services to Southern Cross Countrylink XPT-interstate services to Sydney (Central)

History

Wangaratta station opened as the terminus of the line from Benalla on 28 October 1873, the extension to Wodonga being opened on 21 November 1873.[1] Initial facilities included a goods shed and temporary station building, a brick station building identical to that at Benalla station being erected in 1874, with a two storied brick tower added to the Melbourne end in 1897. The large signal box was provided in 1887 and then extended in 1908, when the goods yard was enlarged, and the current goods shed provided.[2]

A small locomotive depot was provided in 1882, with a dual gauge 50 feet (15 m) long turntable provided in 1898. The narrow gauge Wangaratta - Whitfield line opened in 1899, branching off from the main line at the Melbourne end. The line closed in 1953.[3]

When the standard gauge line was constructed through the station in 1962, extensive works were required to thread it through the narrow railway reserve. The locomotive depot and turntable was relocated from the east to west side of the line, and new grade separations were provided at Rowan Street to the north and Roy Street to the south.

During the re-gauging of the broad gauge track all sidings were disconnected or removed. The station now has no loop or non-platform tracks and essentially is now only a "through" station.

Wangaratta is also an interchange station for V/Line bus services to Beechworth, Bright, Wahgunyah and Corowa (NSW) [4]

References

  1. ^ "VICSIG - Infrastructure - Wangaratta". www.vicsig.net. http://www.vicsig.net/index.php?page=infrastructure&name=Wangaratta. Retrieved 2008-12-25. 
  2. ^ Turton, Keith W. (1973). Six And A Half Inches From Destiny. Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division). p. page 102–103. ISBN 0 85849 012 9. 
  3. ^ Sid Brown (March 1990). "Tracks Across the State". Newsrail (Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division)): pages 71–76. 
  4. ^ Turton, Keith W. (1973). Six And A Half Inches From Destiny. Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division). p. page 127. ISBN 0 85849 012 9. 
Station Navigation
V/Line service
Albury-Wodonga line
← Previous Station Benalla | Springhurst Next Station →
Closed line
Whitfield line
← Previous Station Junction | Towards Whitfield Next Station →
Entire V/Line network
Closed stations
Preceding station   CountryLink   Following station
towards Melbourne
 CountryLink Southern
Melbourne XPT
towards Sydney

Winton and Glenrowan stations are located between Wangaratta and Benalla stations. Bowser station was located between Wangaratta and Springhurst stations.