Fremantle railway station

Fremantle
Fremantle Line
Station code	FFE
Street	Market Street, Queen Street, Phillimore Street, Elder Place
Suburb	Fremantle
Fare zone	2
Distance from Perth Station	18.7 km (11.6 mi)
Stopping patterns	All, A, B, K, L, SD
Number of platforms	2
Platform architecture	1 side, 1 bay
Station structure	Closed Station
Access by	Main Entrance
Transit guard booth	Yes
Train transfer	No
Bus transfer	Yes
Total number of bus stands	13, 11 are currently in use
Total number of bus routes	24
Park 'n' Ride	No, but Pay 'n' Display
Lock 'n' Ride	No
Lifts	0
Escalators	0
Add Value Machines	Yes, also accepts cash notes
Public telephones	Yes
Public toilets	Yes

Coordinates: 32°03′07″S 115°44′44″E / 32.051826°S 115.745451°E / -32.051826; 115.745451

Fremantle Station, is a Transperth station 18.7 km from Perth, in Western Australia, and is the terminus of the Fremantle Line, with frequent passenger services to Perth and Midland.^[1][2] Between 5am and 6pm all Perth-bound trains from Fremantle, except one, are Midland Line through services terminating at Midland station.

History

The first Fremantle railway station, 1881

The original Fremantle railway station was constructed in 1881 next to Cliff Street. Following the extension of the Eastern Railway to Kalgoorlie in 1896, the station was an important hub for gold miners arriving in Western Australia via ship and then travelling to the Yilgarn and Eastern Goldfields.

In 1907 the station and marshalling yards were established at the present location to better service the newly constructed Fremantle Harbour. The site was the location of the Railway Workshops, prior to their relocation to Midland Junction in 1904.^[3][4]

The station was designed by William Dartnell, Chief Engineer of Existing Lines of the Railway Department in 1905.^[5] The construction contract, at an estimated cost of ₤80,000, was awarded in May 1906 to S.B. Alexander and completed on 20 April 1907, with the official opening on 1 July 1907.^[4][6][7]

Originally the station had a 500' by 35' island platform opposite the main 500' by 40' platform, with a subway passenger connection to the station.^[8] These have not survived.

The Fremantle railway line was closed by the Court Liberal Government in September 1979. Following much public outcry and a change of government it was re-opened in July 1983.^[9]

Restoration

The station features Donnybrook stone construction on the façade with red face brick infill panels on a Donnybrook stone plinth, in Federation Free Classical style featuring a rare example of a large train hall roof. The facade remained unpainted (except for metalwork and timberwork) until it was painted in 1950.^[10]

The station was classified by the National Trust in 1974 and entered into the Heritage Council of Western Australia's Register of Heritage Places in 2001.^[4] A rationalisation of the rail reserve in 2004 was part of a plan to revitalise the precinct. Fremantle Station has been undergoing a program of staged conservation and restoration works in line with a conservation plan prepared in 1999. This included paint removal and restoration of the main entry façade, refurbishment of most of the internal areas and an electrical upgrade to bring the station up to modern standards. As of July 2010 the works remaining included the restoration of external facades of the station building at an estimated cost of $2.2 million, with completion planned for 2011.^[11]

Platforms

Stop no.	Platform	Line	Stopping pattern	Destination	Notes
[2773] Fremantle Station platforms
99351		Fremantle	All, A, B, K, L, S	Perth
99352					Not used, as it is an extension of Platform 1
99353		Fremantle	All, A, B, K, L, S	Perth	Peak period use only

Bus routes

Stands 1-5

Stands 6-10

Stands 11-13

See also

• Southern Coast Transit
• Swan Transit

References