Ballan Railway Station
History
Ballan station opened on 22 December 1886 as the terminus of a short line from Ballarat. On 4 December 1889, the line was extended to Bacchus Marsh, meaning that trains could then operate from Melbourne to Ballarat via Ballan. Before the line via Ballan and Bacchus Marsh was constructed, Ballarat was only indirectly linked to Melbourne via the Melbourne-Geelong and Geelong-Ballarat lines.
Being on a single track section, the station served as a crossing loop, with an interlocked signal box erected in 1890. In 1893, a turntable was added and, by 1908, the station had a four road yard, a passenger platform, a goods shed and goods platform.
By 1967, the turntable was removed. In early 1973, a dead-end siding at the up (Spencer Street) end of the station was abolished. During 1987 and 1988, more tracks in the yard were abolished, leaving only the platform road and a loop remaining. In 1996, the loop was abolished and the signal box closed, meaning that Ballan was no longer available for the crossing of trains.
In 2004, as part of the Regional Fast Rail project, the track at the eastern end of the station was realigned in order to permit an increase in the maximum speeds of trains though the curve. In 2006, the station itself was refurbished, and included an upgrade to the waiting room, new toilets, resurfacing of the platform and new fencing and lighting.
The Victorian State Government's Regional Rail Revival project in 2019 included an additional track and platform at Ballan, which delivered two side platforms, an accessible pedestrian overpass and improved parking. By January 2021, most of these works were completed.
Closed stations Ingliston and Rowsley were located between Ballan and Bacchus Marsh. Between Ballan and Ballarat, closed stations include Gordon, Millbrook, Wallace, Bungaree, Warrenheip and Ballarat East.
Platforms and services
Ballan has two side platforms. It is serviced by V/Line Ballarat and Ararat line services.
Platform 1:
- Ballarat line services to Wendouree and Southern Cross
- Ararat line services to Ararat and Southern Cross
- Maryborough line one daily service to Southern Cross
Platform 2:
- Ballarat line services to Wendouree and Southern Cross
- Ararat line services to Ararat and Southern Cross
- Maryborough line one daily service to Southern Cross
Transport links
Bacchus Marsh Coaches operates two routes via Ballan station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:
- to Hepburn
- Ballan – Mount Egerton
V/Line also operates a road coach via Ballan station to Melbourne and Ballarat.
References
- ^ Railway station and tram stop patronage in Victoria for 2008-2021 Philip Mallis
- ^ "Ballan". vicsig.net. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
- ^ "Ballan" (PDF). VR History. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
- ^ "Way and Works". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. April 1973. p. 73.
- ^ "Works". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. January 2007. p. 24.
- ^ Minister for Public Transport (1 March 2017). "$518 Million Ballarat Line Upgrade Released To Market". Premier of Victoria website. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
- ^ "Ballarat Line Upgrade". Rail Projects Victoria. 2 February 2019. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
- ^ "Ballan Station". Rail Projects Victoria. 29 January 2019. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
- ^ Ballarat - Melbourne timetable Public Transport Victoria
- ^ Ararat - Melbourne Public Transport Victoria
- ^ Maryborough - Melbourne via Ballarat Public Transport Victoria
- ^ Ballan - Hepburn via Daylesford Public Transport Victoria
- ^ Ballan - Mount Egerton via Gordon Public Transport Victoria
External links
- Media related to Ballan railway station at Wikimedia Commons
- Victorian Railway Stations gallery
- Melway map at street-directory.com.au