Aircraft railway station, Melbourne
Encyclopedia
Aircraft is a railway station in Melbourne
, Victoria
, Australia
, located in the suburb of Laverton
, on the Werribee railway line. An unmanned station, it is in Metcard
Zone 2. In 2009 it was the 36th least used metropolitan railway station in Melbourne, with an average of 780 passenger boardings per day.
The station consists of two platforms, in an island format
, with a small steel shelter for waiting passengers at the Flinders Street
end of the station. A small coin-only Metcard ticket vending machine is the only current operational ticketing equipment installed. The large Metcard
ticket vending machine and a Telstra
payphone have been removed.
As the new Myki
ticketing system has been commissioned there is also a large Myki
top-up machine located where the old Large Metcard Ticket vending machine was.
The Western standard gauge line
is to the west of the station, and is used by interstate freight trains, and The Overland passenger service from Melbourne
to Adelaide
.
Platform 2:
The future of the station was put into doubt when the construction of Williams Landing railway station was announced, just one kilometre along the line. Aircraft station already had lower patronage than nearby Laverton station, despite being just one kilometre along the line, the location of Metcard
fare zones made trips from Aircraft to the city more expensive. In June 2010 the spokesman public transport minister Martin Pakula
would say only that Aircraft would remain open until 2012, the opening date of Williams Landing station. At the same time the construction of 100 new car parking spaces was cancelled, and railway sources confirmed that the government's plans were to close Aircraft station. In September 2010 the public transport minister ended speculation by making the pledge that "Aircraft station will not be closed".
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, located in the suburb of Laverton
Laverton, Victoria
Laverton is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 17 km south-west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area are the Cities of Hobsons Bay and Wyndham. At the 2006 Census, Laverton had a population of 4508.-History:...
, on the Werribee railway line. An unmanned station, it is in Metcard
Metcard
"OneLink" redirects here. For the computer/cable company, see OneLink Communications.Metcard is the brand name of an integrated ticketing system used to access public transport in Melbourne, Australia. It is a universal ticket which allows users to ride on the city's Metlink network, consisting of...
Zone 2. In 2009 it was the 36th least used metropolitan railway station in Melbourne, with an average of 780 passenger boardings per day.
Facilities
Aircraft is located at the western end of the Aviation Road level crossing, which also provides access to the station.The station consists of two platforms, in an island format
Island platform
An island platform is a station layout arrangement where a single platform is positioned between two tracks within a railway station, tram stop or transitway interchange...
, with a small steel shelter for waiting passengers at the Flinders Street
Flinders Street Station
Flinders Street Station is the central railway station of the suburban railway network of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is on the corner of Flinders and Swanston Streets next to the Yarra River in the heart of the city, stretching from Swanston Street to Queen Street and covering two city...
end of the station. A small coin-only Metcard ticket vending machine is the only current operational ticketing equipment installed. The large Metcard
Metcard
"OneLink" redirects here. For the computer/cable company, see OneLink Communications.Metcard is the brand name of an integrated ticketing system used to access public transport in Melbourne, Australia. It is a universal ticket which allows users to ride on the city's Metlink network, consisting of...
ticket vending machine and a Telstra
Telstra
Telstra Corporation Limited is an Australian telecommunications and media company, building and operating telecommunications networks and marketing voice, mobile, internet access and pay television products and services....
payphone have been removed.
As the new Myki
Myki
myki is the contactless smartcard ticketing system being introduced on public transport in Victoria, Australia. myki is designed to replace a number of ticket systems in Victoria, primarily the Metcard and V/Line ticketing systems...
ticketing system has been commissioned there is also a large Myki
Myki
myki is the contactless smartcard ticketing system being introduced on public transport in Victoria, Australia. myki is designed to replace a number of ticket systems in Victoria, primarily the Metcard and V/Line ticketing systems...
top-up machine located where the old Large Metcard Ticket vending machine was.
The Western standard gauge line
Western standard gauge line
The Western standard gauge is a railway line in western Victoria, Australia. Opened in 1995, it forms part of the Melbourne-Adelaide railway and serves as the principal interstate rail link between Victorian and the western states...
is to the west of the station, and is used by interstate freight trains, and The Overland passenger service from Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
to Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
.
Platforms, services and connecting bus services
Platform 1:- All stations and limited express services to Flinders StreetFlinders Street StationFlinders Street Station is the central railway station of the suburban railway network of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is on the corner of Flinders and Swanston Streets next to the Yarra River in the heart of the city, stretching from Swanston Street to Queen Street and covering two city...
- Occasional all stations and limited express services to Werribee
Platform 2:
- All stations and limited express services to Werribee
- Occasional all stations and limited express services to Flinders StreetFlinders Street StationFlinders Street Station is the central railway station of the suburban railway network of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is on the corner of Flinders and Swanston Streets next to the Yarra River in the heart of the city, stretching from Swanston Street to Queen Street and covering two city...
- 413 LavertonLaverton, VictoriaLaverton is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 17 km south-west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area are the Cities of Hobsons Bay and Wyndham. At the 2006 Census, Laverton had a population of 4508.-History:...
– Werribee PlazaWerribee PlazaWerribee Plaza is a major regional shopping centre located in Hoppers Crossing, Victoria, Australia. Despite being situated in Hoppers Crossing, the shopping centre is Werribee Plaza due to old zoning. It serves the rapidly growing suburbs of Hoppers Crossing, Werribee, Wyndham Vale, Point Cook and...
via Seabrook Estate, Point Cook, Hoppers Crossing (every day). Operated by WestransWestransWestrans is the brand under which ComfortDelGro Cabcharge markets its bus services to the western suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.-Routes:Routes operated under Westrans Sunshine... - 414 FootscrayFootscray, VictoriaFootscray is a suburb 5 km west of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Its Local Government Area is the City of Maribyrnong. At the 2006 Census, Footscray had a population of 11,401....
– Aircraft via Geelong Road, Laverton North (Monday to Saturday). Operated by WestransWestransWestrans is the brand under which ComfortDelGro Cabcharge markets its bus services to the western suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.-Routes:Routes operated under Westrans Sunshine... - 415 LavertonLaverton, VictoriaLaverton is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 17 km south-west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area are the Cities of Hobsons Bay and Wyndham. At the 2006 Census, Laverton had a population of 4508.-History:...
– WilliamstownWilliamstown, VictoriaWilliamstown is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 8 km south-west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Hobsons Bay. At the 2006 Census, Williamstown had a population of 12,733....
via Laverton RS, Aircraft RS, Altona (Monday to Saturday). Operated by WestransWestransWestrans is the brand under which ComfortDelGro Cabcharge markets its bus services to the western suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.-Routes:Routes operated under Westrans Sunshine... - 416 Aircraft – Hoppers CrossingHoppers Crossing, VictoriaHoppers Crossing is an outer suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 28.8 km south-west of Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Wyndham. According to estimated Population figures from 2006 the population of Hoppers Crossing was 39,051...
via Seabrook Estate, Point Cook (every day). Operated by WestransWestransWestrans is the brand under which ComfortDelGro Cabcharge markets its bus services to the western suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.-Routes:Routes operated under Westrans Sunshine...
History
Aircraft station opened as a siding on 7 March 1925 as Aviation Siding. It was renamed Aircraft Siding with a platform added in 1927, and was renamed Aircraft in 1963.The future of the station was put into doubt when the construction of Williams Landing railway station was announced, just one kilometre along the line. Aircraft station already had lower patronage than nearby Laverton station, despite being just one kilometre along the line, the location of Metcard
Metcard
"OneLink" redirects here. For the computer/cable company, see OneLink Communications.Metcard is the brand name of an integrated ticketing system used to access public transport in Melbourne, Australia. It is a universal ticket which allows users to ride on the city's Metlink network, consisting of...
fare zones made trips from Aircraft to the city more expensive. In June 2010 the spokesman public transport minister Martin Pakula
Martin Pakula
Martin Philip Pakula is an Australian politician, and a member of the Victorian Legislative Council. He was Minister for Industrial Relations and Minister for Public Transport in the Labor Government of Premier John Brumby.-Early life:...
would say only that Aircraft would remain open until 2012, the opening date of Williams Landing station. At the same time the construction of 100 new car parking spaces was cancelled, and railway sources confirmed that the government's plans were to close Aircraft station. In September 2010 the public transport minister ended speculation by making the pledge that "Aircraft station will not be closed".