General Motors railway station, Melbourne
Encyclopedia
General Motors is a disused
railway station on the Pakenham line of the Melbourne
suburban rail system
. It is located between Dandenong and Hallam stations, in the suburb
of Dandenong South
.
car factory to the north. An alternate date for the opening is 18 November 1956. Work on the adjacent General Motors Holden factory commenced with the purchase of 152 acre (0.61512272 km²) of land in 1951, construction commencing in 1955, and completed in 1956.
The station opened at the site of a number of private railway siding
s, two years after electrification of the line though it was commissioned, and at a time when suburban services to Pakenham did not exist. As a result, only a single platform was provided on the north side on the Down (Pakenham bound) track, and services operated as extensions of Dandenong trains at factory opening and close times. This was altered on 20 January 1975 when suburban services were extended from Dandenong to Pakenham. The Up (Melbourne bound) platform and footbridge to the north was provided, and Pakenham trains were timetabled to stop at the station at factory opening and close times.
The station was provided with a crossover between the double track
lines, and a signal box
to control it. A number of railway sidings also branched from the station in a westerly direction along the main line. In 1979 they served the International Harvester
, Heinz
, and General Motors Holden
factories. The station could not be accessed from public roads, with the only way in and out via a gate into the General Motors Holden factory.
In 1991 the General Motors factory closed down, leaving the station essentially isolated. It remained open for a further eleven years, despite the closure and demolition of the factory, and the fact that the footbridge now led to a fenced-off, empty paddock where the factory had once stood. It was estimated to be the least patronised station in the entire city network, with only an average of 11 passengers using it a day. By the time it closed, only eight trains stopped at the station each day — four each way.
Visitors from the Signalling Record Society had to obtain permission from General Motors and be accompanied by a security guard while at the station. The Rail Appreciation Association Victoria was another group who organised a trip to the station, travelling via ordinary train services. Another group of railfans visited the station the last day of operation, again using regular trains.
The only means of accessing the station was to jump off the platform and cross over the tracks on foot, as no new accesses were built after the closure of the factory. This meant that it was one of only two stations on the Melbourne network to be inaccessible to wheelchairs (the other one being Heyington). The Public Transport Users Association
argued that it should be upgraded due to industrial growth in the area. However, M>Train, who operated the Pakenham line at the time, requested permission to close the station in 2002, due to "safety concerns and a lack of legal access". The last trains stopped at the station on Friday 26 July 2002, with the station officially closed on Sunday 28 July 2002.
, and any plans this company may have for the station are unknown.)
In 2004 General Motors was still listed in the Pakenham line pocket timetable, and in 2005 the http://metlinkmelbourne.com.au trip planner was still displaying services to the station, despite the closure.
However, the station is no longer displayed on any public transport maps. As of late 2004, all signage had been removed, "KEEP OUT" signage had been installed, and access to the footbridge between platforms had been fenced off. Station announcements on the line continued to announce that trains would stop at "all stations except General Motors" until April 2007.
Ghost station
Ghost stations is the usual English translation for the German word Geisterbahnhöfe. This term was used to describe certain stations on Berlin's U-Bahn and S-Bahn metro networks that were closed during the period of Berlin's division during the Cold War...
railway station on the Pakenham line of the 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...
suburban rail system
Railways in Melbourne
The Melbourne rail network is operated by Metro Trains Melbourne under franchise from the Government of Victoria. The network is based on a commuter rail model centred on the Melbourne Central Business District and Flinders Street Station, rather than a rapid transit model, with a focus on...
. It is located between Dandenong and Hallam stations, in the suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of Dandenong South
Dandenong South, Victoria
Dandenong South is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 31 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Greater Dandenong. At the 2006 Census, Dandenong South had a population of 4867....
.
History
General Motors station was originally opened as a 'special platform' on 1 October 1956 to service the General Motors HoldenHolden
GM Holden Ltd is an automaker that operates in Australia, based in Port Melbourne, Victoria. The company was founded in 1856 as a saddlery manufacturer. In 1908 it moved into the automotive field, before becoming a subsidiary of the U.S.-based General Motors in 1931...
car factory to the north. An alternate date for the opening is 18 November 1956. Work on the adjacent General Motors Holden factory commenced with the purchase of 152 acre (0.61512272 km²) of land in 1951, construction commencing in 1955, and completed in 1956.
The station opened at the site of a number of private railway siding
Rail siding
A siding, in rail terminology, is a low-speed track section distinct from a running line or through route such as a main line or branch line or spur. It may connect to through track or to other sidings at either end...
s, two years after electrification of the line though it was commissioned, and at a time when suburban services to Pakenham did not exist. As a result, only a single platform was provided on the north side on the Down (Pakenham bound) track, and services operated as extensions of Dandenong trains at factory opening and close times. This was altered on 20 January 1975 when suburban services were extended from Dandenong to Pakenham. The Up (Melbourne bound) platform and footbridge to the north was provided, and Pakenham trains were timetabled to stop at the station at factory opening and close times.
The station was provided with a crossover between the double track
Double track
A double track railway usually involves running one track in each direction, compared to a single track railway where trains in both directions share the same track.- Overview :...
lines, and a 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...
to control it. A number of railway sidings also branched from the station in a westerly direction along the main line. In 1979 they served the International Harvester
International Harvester
International Harvester Company was a United States agricultural machinery, construction equipment, vehicle, commercial truck, and household and commercial products manufacturer. In 1902, J.P...
, Heinz
H. J. Heinz Company
The H. J. Heinz Company , commonly known as Heinz and famous for its "57 Varieties" slogan and its ketchup, is an American food company with world headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.Perhaps best known for its ketchup, the H.J...
, and General Motors Holden
Holden
GM Holden Ltd is an automaker that operates in Australia, based in Port Melbourne, Victoria. The company was founded in 1856 as a saddlery manufacturer. In 1908 it moved into the automotive field, before becoming a subsidiary of the U.S.-based General Motors in 1931...
factories. The station could not be accessed from public roads, with the only way in and out via a gate into the General Motors Holden factory.
In 1991 the General Motors factory closed down, leaving the station essentially isolated. It remained open for a further eleven years, despite the closure and demolition of the factory, and the fact that the footbridge now led to a fenced-off, empty paddock where the factory had once stood. It was estimated to be the least patronised station in the entire city network, with only an average of 11 passengers using it a day. By the time it closed, only eight trains stopped at the station each day — four each way.
Visitors from the Signalling Record Society had to obtain permission from General Motors and be accompanied by a security guard while at the station. The Rail Appreciation Association Victoria was another group who organised a trip to the station, travelling via ordinary train services. Another group of railfans visited the station the last day of operation, again using regular trains.
The only means of accessing the station was to jump off the platform and cross over the tracks on foot, as no new accesses were built after the closure of the factory. This meant that it was one of only two stations on the Melbourne network to be inaccessible to wheelchairs (the other one being Heyington). The Public Transport Users Association
Public Transport Users Association
The Public Transport Users Association is a community-based public transport lobby group in Victoria, Australia, based in Melbourne.- History and Aims :...
argued that it should be upgraded due to industrial growth in the area. However, M>Train, who operated the Pakenham line at the time, requested permission to close the station in 2002, due to "safety concerns and a lack of legal access". The last trains stopped at the station on Friday 26 July 2002, with the station officially closed on Sunday 28 July 2002.
Current status
Posters about the closure referred to a "temporary suspension". M>Train did not rule out the possibility of re-opening the station at a future time. (The former M>Train network is now operated by Metro Trains MelbourneMetro Trains Melbourne
Metro Trains Melbourne is the current franchise operator of the suburban railway network of Melbourne, Australia. Metro Trains Melbourne is a joint venture led by Hong Kong based MTR Corporation together with John Holland Group and United Group Rail .Metro Trains Melbourne operates a fleet of 381...
, and any plans this company may have for the station are unknown.)
In 2004 General Motors was still listed in the Pakenham line pocket timetable, and in 2005 the http://metlinkmelbourne.com.au trip planner was still displaying services to the station, despite the closure.
However, the station is no longer displayed on any public transport maps. As of late 2004, all signage had been removed, "KEEP OUT" signage had been installed, and access to the footbridge between platforms had been fenced off. Station announcements on the line continued to announce that trains would stop at "all stations except General Motors" until April 2007.
External links
- Signal diagram: Dandenong to Hallam and Lyndhurst 1979
- Photos: 'metf2nk' gallery
- Photos: 'Station pix by Somebody' gallery
- Photos: 'Victorian Railway Stations' gallery
- PTUA: Monty Python Bureaucracy Closes Railway Station
General Motors is currently not in use and trains no longer stop here.