Maitland railway station facts for kids
Maitland railway station is an important train station in Maitland, New South Wales, Australia. It's located on the Main Northern line and opened way back in 1880. At first, it was called West Maitland, but its name changed to Maitland on April 1, 1949. This station is a key spot because it's where the Main Northern and North Coast train lines meet. It's even listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register because of its special history and design.
Quick facts for kids
Maitland
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Westbound from platform 4 in July 2014
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| Location | Church Street, Maitland Australia |
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| Coordinates | 32°44′17″S 151°33′07″E / 32.738073°S 151.552016°E | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Owned by | Transport Asset Holding Entity | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Operated by | NSW TrainLink | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Line(s) | Main Northern North Coast |
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| Distance | 192.55 kilometres from Central | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Platforms | 5 (1 side, 2 island) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Tracks | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Connections | Bus | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Construction | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Structure type | Ground | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Disabled access | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Other information | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Station code | MTL | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Website | Transport for NSW | ||||||||||||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Opened | 1880 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Previous names | West Maitland | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Traffic | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Passengers (2013) | 650 (daily) (Sydney Trains, NSW TrainLink) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Rank | 178 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Services | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Contents
Station History
The Great Northern Railway line was built through Maitland in the 1850s. It reached Lochinvar in July 1860. While other stations served Maitland, the main station we know today opened in 1880. It was first called West Maitland.
When it first opened, the station only had one platform, which is now Platform 1. Over time, it grew bigger. An island platform and a footbridge were added in 1914. Another island platform was built in 1933. In April 1949, the station was officially renamed Maitland.
Maitland station can sometimes be affected by floods. During the big 1955 Hunter Valley floods, the signal box was washed away! A new one was built on tall stilts to protect it. This old signal box is now used by a model railway club. You can even see marks on the building showing how high the floodwaters reached.
East of the station, there's a train yard. It's mostly used to store equipment for railway maintenance. However, every April, it becomes a busy place for locomotives attending the Hunter Valley Steamfest. Just east of the station, the Main Northern and North Coast lines split off. About 500 metres west, another line branches off towards Pelton.
In July 2015, Maitland became the first station to get a special Regional Customer Support Centre. This centre helps train passengers across the Central Coast, Hunter, and North West areas of NSW.
Train Services
Maitland station has five platforms, but only four are used for passenger trains. It's a busy hub for different types of train services.
Local services, called NSW TrainLink Hunter Line trains, stop here. These trains travel between Newcastle and places like Muswellbrook, Scone, Telarah, and Dungog.
Long-distance trains also use Maitland station. These are the NSW TrainLink Xplorer and XPT services. They connect Sydney to far-off destinations like Armidale, Moree, Grafton, Casino, and even Brisbane.
Platform 5 is not usually used for regular passenger trains. Instead, it's often used by large coal trains from the Hunter Valley Coal Chain.
Station Events
Every April, Maitland station becomes the main spot for the Hunter Valley Steamfest. This exciting event has been held every year since 1986. It celebrates steam trains and attracts many visitors.
Bus Connections
Maitland station is a hub for local buses, making it easy to get around. Several bus companies operate routes that stop right at the station.
Hunter Valley Buses runs seven different routes from Maitland station:
- 179: To North Rothbury via Rutherford.
- 180: To Singleton Heights via Rutherford.
- 180x: An express service to Singleton.
- 181: To Woodberry via Metford.
- 182: To Rutherford via Ashtonfield.
- 183: To Tenambit via Telarah.
- 185: To Largs via Bolwarra, with some services going to Paterson and Gresford.
Rover Coaches also operates two routes through Maitland station:
- 164: To Cessnock via Kurri Kurri.
- 166: To Kurri Kurri via Gillieston Heights and Heddon Greta.
Additionally, Sid Fogg's operates a long-distance bus route:
- From Newcastle station to Dubbo station.
Station Buildings
The station has several interesting buildings. The main building on Platform 1 was finished in 1880 and is made of brick. The building on Platforms 2 and 3 was built later, in 1914. There's also a signal box, built in 1956, which is made of timber and sits on a steel frame. The booking office, where you buy tickets, faces Railway Parade and was completed in 1948. A pedestrian overbridge connects the street to the train platforms, making it easy for people to cross safely.
Why This Station is Special
Maitland station is very important because of its history and unique design. The different buildings, from the oldest ones to those built in the 1950s, all fit together nicely. The main station building is especially significant. The way the awning extends down to the lowered train line is quite unique for a railway station.
The station's many platforms and its location as a junction show how important Maitland was as a business centre. It was also a key point for changing trains and the furthest link for the Newcastle commuter train system.
