North Melbourne railway station Facts for Kids

This page is about the existing above-ground station. For the underground station under construction, see Arden railway station, Melbourne.

Quick facts for kids

North Melbourne

Commuter and regional rail station

Station front in November 2009

Location

Railway Place, West Melbourne, Victoria
Australia

Coordinates

37°48′23″S 144°56′28″E / 37.8063°S 144.9411°E

Owned by

VicTrack

Operated by

Metro Trains Melbourne

Line(s)

Craigieburn
Flemington Racecourse (special events only)
Sunbury
Upfield
Werribee
Williamstown

Distance

1.68 kilometres from Southern Cross

Platforms

6 (2 side, 2 island)

Tracks

Construction

Structure type

Ground

Disabled access

Yes

Other information

Status

Premium station

Station code

NME

Fare zone

Website

Public Transport Victoria

History

Opened

6 October 1859

Electrified

Yes

Traffic

Passengers (2008-2009)

0.686 million

Passengers (2009-2010)

0.845 million

23.18%

Passengers (2010-2011)

1.091 million

29.11%

Passengers (2011-2012)

1.258 million

15.38%

Passengers (2012-2013)

Not measured

Passengers (2013-2014)

1.479 million

14.94%

Services

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North Melbourne railway station is located on the northern edge of the central business district of Melbourne, Australia. The station is a major interchange point with the Craigieburn, Flemington Racecourse, Sunbury, Upfield, Werribee and Williamstown lines all servicing the station. It opened on 6 October 1859, and is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.

Station overview
- Facilities
- History
Platforms & services
Transport links

Station overview

Facilities

North-melbourne-railway-station-diagram-2013

Schematic diagram of the station

Located in West Melbourne, the main station entrance is at the south end of the platforms at the intersection of Adderley and Dryburgh Streets. This building contains the main booking office, public toilets and a kiosk, with platform access via escalators and lifts. From the north end brick ramps links the platforms, and platforms 2 through 6 have heritage listed verandas and brick waiting rooms.

At the north end of the station are 1970s era brown brick buildings built over the former Dynon Road overpass, which contains public toilets and a former railway parcels office. Until November 2009 this building also housed the main exit to Ireland Street and Railway Place, along with the booking office and kiosk, until they were moved to the current concourse at the south end. The north end also has exit leading west to the Melbourne Yard rail freight terminal, which is not open to public access.

History

Construction work on the new southern concourse in February 2008

View from Platform 6 in May 2007

The first railway through the site of North Melbourne station was today's Williamstown line and the first section of the Melbourne, Mount Alexander and Murray River Railway Company line (to Sunbury), both opened on 13 January 1859. The first passenger station with two platforms was opened on 6 December 1859, and the present six platform station was opened on 9 June 1886.

The new station was of free classical architecture, with red brick was used with cream brick banding, along with verandas and cast iron lace work. As built in 1886 North Melbourne had six platforms, with four platform buildings containing ladies toilets and a ladies waiting room. The main booking office, waiting room, and station master's office was located near the ramp to platform 1, and men's toilets and porters' offices were located under the ramps themselves.

The suburban train stabling yard near the station was opened in December 1973 as part of the City Loop project. The footbridge that links the sidings with the Macaulay maintenance centre also opened around this time. The washing plant and additional sidings in Melbourne Yard were made operational in May 1995, as part of the Jolimont Yard rationalisation.

The station buildings on the northern concourse were constructed in 1974, and in the 1980s as part of the construction works for the City Loop the ramps to Platforms 1 and 2 were altered, and the platform extended north.

It was upgraded to a Premium station on 19 July 1996.

In May 2006, it was announced that the station was to be redeveloped as part of a $36 million project. Work included a new main entrance at the southern end of the station with escalators, stairs and lifts installed for quicker access to other platforms and to help disabled passengers. Work started in May 2007 and was completed on 16 November 2009. To aid construction and avoid disruption to train passengers a crash deck was erected over the tracks, to permit trains to continue running normally underneath while building work continued overhead.

In March 2008 Sita Buslines' route 401 started operating from North Melbourne station to the Royal Melbourne Hospital and University of Melbourne in Carlton and Parkville, enabling commuters to avoid travelling via the City Loop.

From December 2013, V/Line Geelong and Warrnambool services no longer stopped at the station, due to the opening of the first section of the Regional Rail Link between Southern Cross and South Kensington, which by-passed North Melbourne. On 11 July 2014, Ballarat, Ararat, Bendigo, Swan Hill and Echuca line services also ceased stopping at North Melbourne, having been switched to the Regional Rail Link tracks

In November 2017, the state government announced that as part of the Metro Tunnel project, North Melbourne would be renamed West Melbourne, to better reflect its geographical location, and to allow a nearby new station to be named North Melbourne. The name change plan was later abandoned.

Platforms & services

Station platform in 2017

North Melbourne has six platforms. It is serviced by Metro Trains' Craigieburn, Sunbury, Upfield, Werribee and Williamstown services and V/Line Seymour and Shepparton services.

Platform 1:

Craigieburn line all stations services to Flinders Street
Upfield line all stations services to Flinders Street
Flemington Racecourse line services to Southern Cross (special event days only)
Seymour line Weekday only V/Line services to Southern Cross (set down only)
Shepparton line Weekday only V/Line services to Southern Cross (set down only)

Platform 2:

Craigieburn line all stations services to Craigieburn
Upfield line all stations services to Upfield
Flemington Racecourse line express services to Showgrounds and/or Flemington Racecourse (special event days only)
Seymour line Weekday only V/Line services to Seymour (pick up only)
Shepparton line Weekday only V/Line services to Shepparton (pick up only)

Platform 3:

Sunbury line all stations services to Flinders Street
Seymour line V/Line services to Southern Cross (set down only)

Platform 4:

Sunbury line all stations and limited stop services to Watergardens & Sunbury

Platform 5:

Craigieburn line all stations services to Flinders Street
Werribee line all stations services to Flinders Street
Williamstown line all stations services to Flinders Street
Flemington Racecourse line all stations services to Flinders Street (special event days only)

Platform 6:

Craigieburn line all stations services to Craigieburn
Werribee line all stations and limited stops services to Laverton & Werribee
Williamstown line all stations services to Williamstown
Flemington Racecourse line express services to Showgrounds and/or Flemington Racecourse (special event days only)

Transport links

Sita Buslines operates one route to and from North Melbourne station:

401: to University of Melbourne

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North Melbourne railway station Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.

North Melbourne railway station facts for kids

Contents

Station overview

Facilities

History

Platforms & services

Transport links