Benalla railway station, Victoria
Encyclopedia
Benalla is a railway station on the North East railway in the city of Benalla
, Victoria
, Australia
. Located at the Midland Highway level crossing close to the centre of town, the station is served by both V/Line
Albury-Wodonga line and CountryLink
Melbourne
- Sydney
passenger services. It is the second last stop on the Sydney to Melbourne passenger service with a travel time to Melbourne of around two hours.
The former locomotive depot was located to the north, as is the standard gauge crossing loop. The station is an important junction in north eastern Victoria, with the Oaklands line
towards Yarrawonga
branches off and heads north; it was also a junction to the now closed Tatong line.
The station has seen many interesting occasions including, the famous Kelly Gang
, Royal Tours
, as well as hosting the Flying Scotsman
during its visit in 1988, and a 2006 freight train derailment. It is one of the oldest country stations in the state once boasting a bar and restaurant for rail travellers.
The old time dance hall, located next to the station and run by ex railway workers was a mecca for oldies wanting to dance like it was 1947, unfortunately rising insurance costs ended its nearly 50 year run and more recently, part of the disused building was knocked down by the 2006 freight train derailment. The railway yard has a working turntable but is only used for heritage trains, while the rest of the yard has been slowly dismantled .
to the south that engulfed the town. The railway opened on 18 August 1873 but only temporary facilities were provided. The first permanent building was provided in 1874 of identical design to that at Seymour station
. It was extended in 1888 including dining and refreshment room facilities, administrative offices, all topped by a large tower, since removed.
The bridge over the Broken River of iron plate-girder construction was the longest metal girder bridge in Australia at the time of construction, totalling 241.7 metres. Listed on the Victorian Heritage Register
, it was the second bridge of its type built in Victoria, and the first metal railway bridge both designed and fabricated within the colony.
The branch line to St James opened in 1883, and extended to Yarrawonga in 1886. The goods yard was expanded for this extra traffic in 1885, with more sidings added in 1902. At this time the original goods shed was demolished and replaced. The Tatong branch line followed in 1913, and remained until closure in 1947.
In 1913 Benalla gained a second and third platform, these being a wide island platform
with cantilevered verandah located in to the west of the main station building, and linked to it by an iron footbridge provided in 1888 across the station yard. The island platform was removed in 1937 leaving the main platform only. Two signal box
es were built in 1888, both being extended in 1914, but only the southern one remains today, unused.
A locomotive shed was provided at Benalla early on, located at the north end of the station yard. Of corrugated iron construction it could house six engines. In 1899 a roundhouse shed was erected, with the old shed used for wagon repairs. In 1908 a 70 feet (21.3 m) long turntable was provided, replaced in 1953 by an electrically driven unit. After the demise of seam locomotives usage declined, with several stalls removed in 1960 to permit the passage of the parallel standard gauge track. The locomotive depot was hit by a severe storm on 22 November 1994 leaving the shed damaged and destroying two Tait
carriages stored inside. The shed was later demolished.
Benalla, Victoria
Benalla is a city of just over 9,000 people located just off the Hume Freeway in north-eastern Victoria, Australia, about southwest of Wangaratta. Its Local Government Area is the Rural City of Benalla.- Overview :...
, 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 at the Midland Highway level crossing close to the centre of town, the station is served by both V/Line
V/Line
V/Line is a not for profit regional passenger train and coach service in Victoria, Australia. It was created after the split-up of VicRail in 1983. V/Line is owned by the V/Line Corporation which is a Victorian State Government statutory authority...
Albury-Wodonga line and CountryLink
CountryLink
CountryLink is the operator of passenger rail services in country New South Wales, Australia and into Queensland and Victoria. It is an operating brand of the Rail Corporation New South Wales, a government-owned entity...
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...
- Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
passenger services. It is the second last stop on the Sydney to Melbourne passenger service with a travel time to Melbourne of around two hours.
Facilities
The main station platform is located to the east of the broad gauge line, with a brick station building located in the centre. A goods shed and broad gauge sidings are to the west, while the platform on the parallel standard gauge is located along the street side, with a road over bridge to the north providing station access.The former locomotive depot was located to the north, as is the standard gauge crossing loop. The station is an important junction in north eastern Victoria, with the Oaklands line
Oaklands railway line, Victoria
The Oaklands railway line is a freight only railway line in north eastern Victoria, Australia. The line branches from the main North East railway at Benalla station until it connects with the New South Wales railway network at Oaklands, New South Wales....
towards Yarrawonga
Yarrawonga, Victoria
Yarrawonga is a town in the Shire of Moira Local Government Area in the Australian state of Victoria. The town is situated on the south bank of the Murray River, the border between Victoria and New South Wales and is located approximately north-east of the state capital, Melbourne. Yarrawonga's...
branches off and heads north; it was also a junction to the now closed Tatong line.
The station has seen many interesting occasions including, the famous Kelly Gang
Ned Kelly
Edward "Ned" Kelly was an Irish Australian bushranger. He is considered by some to be merely a cold-blooded cop killer — others, however, consider him to be a folk hero and symbol of Irish Australian resistance against the Anglo-Australian ruling class.Kelly was born in Victoria to an Irish...
, Royal Tours
Victorian Railways Royal Train
The Victorian Railways operated Royal Trains to transport members of the Monarchy of Australia on their Royal visits to Australia. The same carriages were also used for a number of vice-regal trains for the Governor-General of Australia and the Governor of Victoria...
, as well as hosting the Flying Scotsman
LNER Class A3 4472 Flying Scotsman
The LNER Class A3 Pacific locomotive No. 4472 Flying Scotsman was built in 1923 for the London and North Eastern Railway at Doncaster Works to a design of H.N. Gresley...
during its visit in 1988, and a 2006 freight train derailment. It is one of the oldest country stations in the state once boasting a bar and restaurant for rail travellers.
The old time dance hall, located next to the station and run by ex railway workers was a mecca for oldies wanting to dance like it was 1947, unfortunately rising insurance costs ended its nearly 50 year run and more recently, part of the disused building was knocked down by the 2006 freight train derailment. The railway yard has a working turntable but is only used for heritage trains, while the rest of the yard has been slowly dismantled .
Platforms and services
Platform 1:- Albury-Wodonga line - intercity services to Southern Cross
- Albury-Wodonga line - intercity services to Albury
History
The site of the station was a controversial decision at the time, guided by the 1870 flood of the Broken RiverBroken River (Victoria)
The Broken River is a minor river in Victoria, Australia that is a part of the larger Murray-Darling Basin. It flows into the Goulburn River near Shepparton...
to the south that engulfed the town. The railway opened on 18 August 1873 but only temporary facilities were provided. The first permanent building was provided in 1874 of identical design to that at Seymour station
Seymour railway station, Victoria
Seymour is a railway station on the North East line in the town of Seymour, Victoria, Australia. Seymour is a staffed station and was once the home of a railway refreshment room, which now operates as a café. A locomotive depot was once located at the country end of the station, today the home of...
. It was extended in 1888 including dining and refreshment room facilities, administrative offices, all topped by a large tower, since removed.
The bridge over the Broken River of iron plate-girder construction was the longest metal girder bridge in Australia at the time of construction, totalling 241.7 metres. Listed on the Victorian Heritage Register
Victorian Heritage Register
The Victorian Heritage Register lists places of cultural heritage significance to the State of Victoria, Australia. It has statutory weight under the Heritage Act 1995 which establishes Heritage Victoria as the permit authority...
, it was the second bridge of its type built in Victoria, and the first metal railway bridge both designed and fabricated within the colony.
The branch line to St James opened in 1883, and extended to Yarrawonga in 1886. The goods yard was expanded for this extra traffic in 1885, with more sidings added in 1902. At this time the original goods shed was demolished and replaced. The Tatong branch line followed in 1913, and remained until closure in 1947.
In 1913 Benalla gained a second and third platform, these being a wide island platform
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 cantilevered verandah located in to the west of the main station building, and linked to it by an iron footbridge provided in 1888 across the station yard. The island platform was removed in 1937 leaving the main platform only. Two signal box
Signal box
On a rail transport system, signalling control is the process by which control is exercised over train movements by way of railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, over the correct route and to the proper timetable...
es were built in 1888, both being extended in 1914, but only the southern one remains today, unused.
A locomotive shed was provided at Benalla early on, located at the north end of the station yard. Of corrugated iron construction it could house six engines. In 1899 a roundhouse shed was erected, with the old shed used for wagon repairs. In 1908 a 70 feet (21.3 m) long turntable was provided, replaced in 1953 by an electrically driven unit. After the demise of seam locomotives usage declined, with several stalls removed in 1960 to permit the passage of the parallel standard gauge track. The locomotive depot was hit by a severe storm on 22 November 1994 leaving the shed damaged and destroying two Tait
Tait (train)
The Tait trains, also referred to as the "Red Rattlers", were a wooden bodied Electric Multiple Unit train that operated on the suburban railway network of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. They were introduced in 1910 by the Victorian Railways as steam locomotive hauled cars, and converted to...
carriages stored inside. The shed was later demolished.