St Albans railway station is located on the Sunbury line in Victoria, Australia. It serves the western Melbourne suburb of St Albans, and it opened on 1 February 1887.[2]
St Albans | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PTV commuter rail station | |||||||||||
 The new station, looking north, on opening day in November 2016 | |||||||||||
| General information | |||||||||||
| Location | St Albans Road, St Albans, Victoria 3021 City of Brimbank Australia | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 37°44′40″S 144°47′59″E / 37.7445°S 144.7997°E | ||||||||||
| Owned by | VicTrack | ||||||||||
| Operated by | Metro Trains | ||||||||||
| Line(s) | Sunbury | ||||||||||
| Distance | 17.81 kilometres from Southern Cross | ||||||||||
| Platforms | 2 side (formerly 3; 1 island and 1 side) | ||||||||||
| Tracks | 2 | ||||||||||
| Connections | Bus | ||||||||||
| Construction | |||||||||||
| Structure type | Below ground | ||||||||||
| Parking | 400 | ||||||||||
| Bicycle facilities | Yes | ||||||||||
| Accessible | Yes | ||||||||||
| Other information | |||||||||||
| Status | Operational, Premium Station | ||||||||||
| Station code | SAB | ||||||||||
| Fare zone | Myki Zone 2 | ||||||||||
| Website | Public Transport Victoria | ||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||
| Opened | 1 February 1887 | ||||||||||
| Rebuilt | October–November 2016 | ||||||||||
| Electrified | 1500 V DC overhead (1921) | ||||||||||
| Passengers | |||||||||||
| 2008-2009 | 1.680 million[1] | ||||||||||
| 2009-2010 | 1.797 million[1]  6.96% | ||||||||||
| 2010-2011 | 1.739 million[1]  3.23% | ||||||||||
| 2011-2012 | 1.528 million[1] 12.13% | ||||||||||
| 2012-2013 | Not measured[1] | ||||||||||
| 2013-2014 | 0.997 million[1] 34.75% | ||||||||||
| Services | |||||||||||
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History
St Albans station opened on 1 February 1887.[2] Originally, only three trains each way passed through St Albans on weekdays, and passengers had to inform the train guard at the stop prior for the train to stop.[3] A local service was announced in 1888, although it could not start running to St Albans until 19 November of that year, when a single crossover was added, with tail-ropes likely used to shunt carriages with a locomotive on the adjacent track. This situation was resolved by 1898, when a second crossover was added, and by 1899, three non-interlocked signals had been provided in each direction, with the first proper signal box brought into use on 17 June 1901.[3] Later, the steam era trains operated hourly from Flinders Street to Braybrook Junction, with only eight trains continuing to St Albans.
The station was made the terminus of the electrified network from the city in October 1921, and services were improved, with trains running every 40 minutes by day and hourly at night.[4]
The original station was located at the Down end of the former Main Road level crossing, with all terminating electric trains using Platform 2.[4]
In 1959, the station was rebuilt, with an island platform built on the Up side of the level crossing. One side faced the main line, with the other side formed a dock platform for terminating suburban trains. The old westbound platform was removed, but the eastbound platform remained for Spencer Street bound regional trains.[4] The former stabling sidings were also provided around this time.[2] Boom barriers replaced interlocked gates at Main Road in 1986.[5]
A signal box with a mechanical lever frame was located on the former island platform, to control access to the former back platform and sidings, now abolished.
It was upgraded to a Premium Station on 26 July 1996.[6]
The platform that was located at the Down end of the level crossing was replaced by a new platform at the Up end of the crossing in January 2002, as part of the extension of the electrified network to Sydenham.[2]
In November 2012, with electrification to Sunbury, V/Line Bendigo trains ceased stopping at St Albans, and Metro Trains terminating services also ceased, with Platform 3 no longer regularly used. The stabling yard was still used for train storage, until work on the grade separation project began in 2015.[2]
In late 2015, the Level Crossing Removal Authority commenced a grade separation project that replaced the Main Road level crossing with a road bridge over a lowered rail line. The rebuilt station opening on 1 November 2016. The overall project was completed by mid-2017, resulting in roughly a third of the station being directly below Main Road, with the remainder lowered.[7][8][9]
Platforms and services
St Albans has two side platforms, located below ground level. It is serviced by Metro Trains' Sunbury line services.[10]
Platform 1:
- Sunbury line all stations and limited stops services to Flinders Street
Platform 2:
- Sunbury line all stations services to Watergardens and Sunbury
It is planned to connect the Sunbury line to the Pakenham and Cranbourne lines, via the new Metro Tunnel, in late 2025.
Transport links
CDC Melbourne operates seven bus routes to and from St Albans station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:
- 408 : to Highpoint Shopping Centre[11]
- 418 : to Caroline Springs Square Shopping Centre[12]
- 419 : to Watergardens station[13]
- 421 : to Watergardens station[14]
- 423 : to Brimbank Central Shopping Centre[15]
- 424 : to Brimbank Central Shopping Centre[16]
- 425 : to Watergardens station[17]
Gallery
-
Melbourne bound platform that was located north of the Main Road level crossing in September 2005. It was replaced by a new Platform 1 in January 2002.
References
- ^ a b c d e f "Train Station Patronage FY2008-2014" (XLS). Public Transport Victoria. 14 May 2015. Archived from the original on 30 March 2016. Retrieved 1 November 2016. (access from "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 3 November 2016. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)) - ^ a b c d e St Albans Vicsig
- ^ a b Newsrail November 1988 p328-331
- ^ a b c SE Dornan & RG Henderson (1979). Electric Railways of Victoria. Australian Electric Traction Society. p. 68. ISBN 0-909459-06-1.
- ^ VR History by Andrew Waugh
- ^ "Upgrading Eltham to a Premium Station". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. October 1997. p. 310.
- ^ Deadly St Albans crossing to get overhaul Herald Sun 27 April 2014
- ^ $200 million to remove notorious St Albans level crossing Premier of Victoria 27 April 2014
- ^ Furlong Main Level Crossing Removal Project Level Crossing Removal Authority
- ^ "Sunbury Line". Public Transport Victoria.
- ^ "408 St Albans Station - Highpoint SC via Sunshine Station". Public Transport Victoria.
- ^ "418 St Albans Station - Caroline Springs via Keilor Plains Station". Public Transport Victoria.
- ^ "419 St Albans Station - Watergardens Station via Keilor Downs". Public Transport Victoria.
- ^ "421 St Albans Station - Watergardens Station via Keilor Plains Station". Public Transport Victoria.
- ^ "423 St Albans Station - Brimbank Central SC via Cairnlea". Public Transport Victoria.
- ^ "424 St Albans Station - Brimbank Central SC via Albanvale". Public Transport Victoria.
- ^ "425 St Albans Station - Watergardens Station via Delahey". Public Transport Victoria.
External links
Media related to St Albans railway station at Wikimedia Commons- Melway map at street-directory.com.au
