Essendon Railway Station
History
Essendon station opened on 1 November 1860 as the terminus of the private Melbourne and Essendon Railway Company line. The station closed with the line on 1 July 1864, but was reopened on 9 October 1871, under government ownership. The line to the north was opened in 1872, as part of the North East line to School House Lane. Like the suburb itself, the station was named after Essendon in Hertfordshire, England.
In 1878, a completely new station, with a single platform, was provided, on the site of the present island platform, with passenger subways and footbridges added in 1886, along with conversion of the island platform to the current layout. It was also at that time that a rail overpass was provided at Mount Alexander Road, in what was one of the first grade separation projects to be carried out in the state. In 1909, the present buildings were provided, along with a centre track between Platforms 1 and 2.
In 1919, electric train services between the city and Essendon were inaugurated, with electrification extended to Broadmeadows in 1921. However, Essendon remained the terminus of most suburban services, with a shuttle service operating beyond until 1925, and all-day through services to Broadmeadows not provided until 1941.
In 1965, the double line block signalling between Broadmeadows and Essendon was abolished, and was replaced with three position signalling. In 1969, the station took the layout it has today, with the abolition of the centre track, the closure of the stand-alone signal box, the provision of automatic signalling along the line, and the replacement of the interlocked gates with boom barriers at the former Buckley Street level crossing. A signal panel was provided within the station office in that same year.
On 7 March 1974, Harris motor 518M and Tait motor 368M were destroyed by fire whilst stabled at the station. Tait trailer 85G was also damaged in the fire.
On 8 June 1987, stabling of suburban trains at Essendon ceased, with the overhead wiring of all sidings removed just over a year later. On 1 September 1988, the former sidings near Rose Street were removed.
On 16 August 1996, Essendon was upgraded to a premium station. Also in that year, siding "B" was taken out of service. On 7 June 2014, the signal panel was abolished.
On 20 September 2016, the Victorian State Government announced the grade separation of the Buckley Street level crossing. Construction began in 2018, with the level crossing removed and Buckley Street reopening on 28 September of that year. Buckley Street now passes under the railway line in a trench.
As part of the Melbourne Metro Rail Tunnel, it is expected that the turnback facilities at the station will be upgraded, to allow services to start at Essendon when the tunnel opens in 2025.
Platforms and services
Essendon has one island platform with two faces and one side platform. Platform 1 is only used by V/Line services to overtake Metro Trains' services, or when three-car trains are terminating, as it is unable to accommodate a six-car train.
The station is served by Craigieburn line trains and some V/Line Seymour line services.
Platform 1:
- Passing loop only for V/Line services and three-car passenger services during major disruptions.
Platform 2:
- Craigieburn line all stations services to Flinders Street
- Seymour line three weekday morning peak-hour V/Line services to Southern Cross (set down only)
- Shepparton line one weekday morning peak-hour V/Line service to Southern Cross (set down only)
Platform 3:
- Craigieburn line all stations services to Craigieburn
- Seymour line four weekday evening peak-hour V/Line services to Seymour (pick up only)
- Shepparton line one weekday evening peak-hour V/Line service to Shepparton (pick up only)
Transport links
CDC Melbourne operates one bus route via Essendon station:
Dysons operates one bus route to and from Essendon station:
- 503 : to Brunswick East
Kastoria Bus Lines operates three bus routes via Essendon station:
- 469 : Moonee Ponds Junction – Keilor East
- 476 : Watergardens station – Moonee Ponds Junction
Kinetic Melbourne operates two routes via Essendon station
- 510 : to Ivanhoe station
- SmartBus 903 : Altona station – Mordialloc
Ryan Brothers Bus Service operates two bus routes to and from Essendon station:
- 465 : to Keilor Park
- 468 : to Highpoint Shopping Centre
Sunbury Bus Service operates one bus route via Essendon station:
- 483 : Sunbury station – Moonee Ponds Junction
Ventura Bus Lines operates one bus route via Essendon station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:
- Night Bus 959 : Melbourne CBD (Queen Street) – Broadmeadows station (Saturday and Sunday mornings only)
Yarra Trams operates one route via Essendon station:
Gallery
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H 220 leads the northbound Albury Express past the signal box at Essendon, c. 1949 -
Northbound view from Platform 1, April 2005
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