St Albans railway station, Melbourne
Encyclopedia
St Albans is a railway station in Melbourne
, Victoria
, Australia
, located in the suburb
of St Albans, on the Sydenham railway line. St Albans is classed as a Premium Station
and is in Metcard
Zone 2.
The station consists of one side platform
and two in an island format
; Platform 1 (side platform) has a 'bus stop' style steel shelter, while platforms 2 & 3 (island platform) have a large pebblemix building with an enclosed waiting area, ticket facilities and toilets. A large Metcard
ticket vending machine is located at the entrance to platform 1, which is able to dispense most ticketing options available and also accept notes and coins. A coin-only Metcard ticket vending machine is located inside the waiting area. Myki
ticket vending machines are also located at the entrance to platform 1, and inside the waiting area on the island platform.
A signal box
with a mechanical lever frame
is located on the down platform, to control access to the back platform and sidings. A disused platform is located across the Main Road level crossing, which was used for Southern Cross
bound V/Line
trains. It was made redundant when the current platform 1 was built as part of the electrification to Sydenham in 2002.
in 1907), with only eight trains continuing to St Albans. The station was made the terminus of suburban electric trains from the city in October 1921, with trains running every 40 minutes by day and hourly at night.
The original station was located at the northern end of the Main Road level crossing, with all terminating electric trains using the down platform. This blocked through country trains, and required the closing of the interlocked level crossing gates
twice for each suburban train - once on arrival, and again on departure.
In 1959 the station was rebuilt, with a semi island platform build on the city side of the level crossing. One side faced the main line, with the other side formed a dock platform
for terminating suburban trains. The old down platform was removed but the up platform remained for inbound country trains. Boom barriers replace interlocked gates at Main Road in 1986.
St Albans was upgraded to a Premium Station on 26 July 1996.
Platforms 2/3:
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
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 St Albans, on the Sydenham railway line. St Albans is classed as a Premium Station
Premium station
A premium station is a category of railway station on Melbourne's Metro Rail Network which is operated by Metro Trains Melbourne. In terms of station standards, a premium station is a high standard station which sits above the medium standard host stations and the low standard unmanned...
and 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.
Facilities
St Albans is located at the southern end of the Main Road level crossing, with station access from Main and St Albans Roads, and McKechnie Street.The station consists of one side platform
Side platform
A Side platform is a platform positioned to the side of a pair of tracks at a railway station, a tram stop or a transitway. A pair of side platforms are often provided on a dual track line with a single side platform being sufficient for a single track line...
and two 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...
; Platform 1 (side platform) has a 'bus stop' style steel shelter, while platforms 2 & 3 (island platform) have a large pebblemix building with an enclosed waiting area, ticket facilities and toilets. A 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 is located at the entrance to platform 1, which is able to dispense most ticketing options available and also accept notes and coins. A coin-only Metcard ticket vending machine is located inside the waiting area. 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...
ticket vending machines are also located at the entrance to platform 1, and inside the waiting area on the island platform.
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...
with a mechanical lever frame
Lever frame
Mechanical railway signalling installations rely on lever frames for their operation to interlock the signals and points to allow the safe operation of trains in the area the signals control...
is located on the down platform, to control access to the back platform and sidings. A disused platform is located across the Main Road level crossing, which was used for Southern Cross
Southern Cross Station
Southern Cross is a major railway station and transport hub in Melbourne Docklands, Victoria, Australia. It is located on Spencer Street between Collins and La Trobe Streets at the western edge of the central business district...
bound 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...
trains. It was made redundant when the current platform 1 was built as part of the electrification to Sydenham in 2002.
History
St Albans station opened on 1 February 1887. During the steam era trains had operated every hour to Braybrook Junction station (renamed Sunshine stationSunshine railway station, Melbourne
Sunshine is a railway station in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, located in the suburb of Sunshine, on the Sydenham railway line. It is the junction for the line west to Ballarat...
in 1907), with only eight trains continuing to St Albans. The station was made the terminus of suburban electric trains from the city in October 1921, with trains running every 40 minutes by day and hourly at night.
The original station was located at the northern end of the Main Road level crossing, with all terminating electric trains using the down platform. This blocked through country trains, and required the closing of the interlocked level crossing gates
Interlocking
In railway signalling, an interlocking is an arrangement of signal apparatus that prevents conflicting movements through an arrangement of tracks such as junctions or crossings. The signalling appliances and tracks are sometimes collectively referred to as an interlocking plant...
twice for each suburban train - once on arrival, and again on departure.
In 1959 the station was rebuilt, with a semi island platform build on the city side of the level crossing. One side faced the main line, with the other side formed a dock platform
Bay platform
Bay platform is a railway-related term commonly used in the UK and Australia to describe a dead-end platform at a railway station that has through lines...
for terminating suburban trains. The old down platform was removed but the up platform remained for inbound country trains. Boom barriers replace interlocked gates at Main Road in 1986.
St Albans was upgraded to a Premium Station on 26 July 1996.
Platforms
Platform 1:- Sydenham line - all stations and limited stops 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...
. - Bendigo line - V/Line services to Southern Cross.
Platforms 2/3:
- Sydenham line - all stations services to Watergardens.
- Bendigo line — V/Line services to SunburySunbury railway station, MelbourneSunbury is a railway station in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, located in the township of Sunbury, on the Melbourne - Bendigo railway. The station is staffed during daylight hours for most train services until approximately 8pm, and is in Metcard and myki Zone 2...
, Kyneton, Bendigo (1 service per day extends to Echuca). - Sydenham line - peak hour terminating services, returning as limited stops services to Flinders Street.