Whittlesea railway line

Former railway line in Melbourne, Australia

This article is about the physical railway line. For the Metro Trains Melbourne service, see Mernda railway line.

Whittlesea

Overview
Status|

* Operational with passenger services from Flinders Street to Mernda
* Dismantled beyond Mernda

Owner|

* Victorian Railways (VR) (1889–1974)
* VR as VicRail (1974–1983)
* MTA (The Met) (1983–1989)
* PTC (The Met) (1989–1997)
* VicTrack (1997–Current)

Locale| Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Termini|

* Flinders Street
* Whittlesea

Connecting lines| All metropolitan, regional, and interstate
Former connections| Inner Circle
Stations|

* 29 current stations
* 11 former stations

Service
Services| Mernda
History
Commenced| 8 October 1888 (1888-10-08)
Opened|

* Flinders Street to Princes Bridge on 18 December 1865 (1865-12-18)
* Collingwood to Inner Circle South Junction on 8 May 1888 (1888-05-08)
* Inner Circle North Junction to Reservoir on 8 October 1889 (1889-10-08)
* Reservoir to Whittlesea on 23 December 1889 (1889-12-23)
* Princes Bridge to Collingwood on 21 October 1901 (1901-10-21)
* Rushall to Merri on 5 December 1904 (1904-12-05)

Completed| 5 December 1904 (1904-12-05)
Reopened|

* Lalor to Epping on 29 November 1964 (1964-11-29)
* Epping to South Morang on 27 November 2011 (2011-11-27)
* South Morang to Mernda on 2 July 2018 (2018-07-02)

Electrified|

* Princes Bridge to Reservoir on 31 July 1921 (1921-07-31)
* Reservoir to Thomastown on 16 December 1929 (1929-12-16)
* Thomastown to Lalor on 30 November 1959 (1959-11-30)
* Lalor to Epping on 30 November 1964 (1964-11-30)
* Epping to South Morang on 27 November 2011 (2011-11-27)
* South Morang to Mernda on 2 July 2018 (2018-07-02)

Closed| Lalor to Whittlesea on 29 November 1959 (1959-11-29)
Technical
Line length| 41.468 km (25.77 mi)
Number of tracks| Double track
Track gauge| 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)
Electrification| 1500 V DC overhead
Operating speed| 80 km/h (50 mph) – Electric
Signalling| Automatic block signalling
Maximum incline| 1 in 40 (2.5%)

Route map

Legend

|  |  |

|
|
|
|

|  |

| Multiple lines

via North Melbourne

|  |

|  |

City Loop

|  |

1.2

| Southern Cross

●●●●●●●

|  |

2.5

| Flagstaff

●●●

|  |

3.1

| Melbourne Central

|  |

4.3

| Parliament

●●●●●●●

|  |

0.0

| Flinders Street

●●●●●●●●●●

|  |

0.1

| Princes Bridge

(closed)

|  |

| Multiple lines

via Richmond

|  |

|  |

City Loop

|  |

1.7

| Jolimont

|  |

2.0

Jolimont Tunnel

|  |

2.2

West Richmond Tunnel

|  |

2.4

| West Richmond

|  |

2.9

| North Richmond

|  |

3.0

Victoria Street

|  |

3.6

| Collingwood

|  |

4.1

Johnston Street

|  |

4.2

| Victoria Park

|  |

4.5

Eastern Freeway

|  |

5.4

| Clifton Hill

|  |

5.6

Heidelberg Road

|  |

| Hurstbridge line

to Hurstbridge

|  |

5.8

High Street

|  |

6.1

| Rushall

|  |

| Inner Circle line

to Royal Park
(dismantled)

|  |

6.4

Merri Creek

|  |

6.6

Merri Parade

|  |

6.8

| Merri

|  |

7.7

| Northcote

|  |

8.4

| Croxton

|  |

9.4

| Thornbury

|  |

Miller Street (tram only)

|  |

10.5

| Bell

|  |

10.5

Bell Street

|  |

11.2

| Preston

|  |

12.4

| Regent

|  |

13.7

| Reservoir

|  |

13.9

High Street

|  |

14.7

| Ruthven

|  |

16.2

| Keon Parade

(Removing by 2025)

|  |

16.3

| Keon Park

|  |

17.3

Western Ring Road

|  |

17.9

| Thomastown

|  |

~18.9

| RMSP 8 (2nd)

(demolished)

|  |

19.6

| Lalor

|  |

~20.5

| RMSP 8 (1st)

(demolished)

|  |

21.6

| Epping

|  |

21.9

Darebin Creek

|  |

24.7

| South Morang

|  |

24.9

McDonalds Road

|  |

~24.9

| RMSP 39

(demolished)

|  |

26.7

| Middle Gorge

|  |

27.9

Plenty Road

|  |

~28.2

| RMSP 33

(demolished)

|  |

29.5

| Hawkstowe

|  |

~30.5

| RMSP 9

(demolished)

|  |

30.7

| Mernda

|  |

32.0

Bridge Inn Road

|  |

32.9

end of Metro area

|  |

~33.8

| RMSP 26

(demolished)

|  |

35.4

| Yan Yean

(platform intact)

|  |

~37.0

| RMSP 10

(demolished)

|  |

~42.6

| RMSP 17

(demolished)

|  |

41.5

| Whittlesea

(demolished)

|  |

|  |  |  |  |  |

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The Whittlesea railway line is a former railway line operating in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The line was opened in 1889, with part of the line now the modern day Mernda line.

## History

[edit]

The beginnings of the Whittlesea line occurred during its opening on 8 October 1889, as part of railway extensions into the northern suburbs. What became known as the Inner Circle line was opened from Spencer Street station (now Southern Cross station) via Royal Park station, to a station called Collingwood (now called Victoria Park), and then on to Heidelberg. The Epping line branched off at Fitzroy North to Preston Reservoir station (later renamed Reservoir) in 1889, with the line extended to Whittlesea a few months later, on 23 December.[1]

Trains on the line operated via Fitzroy and the Inner Circle, until the opening of the current connection between Victoria Park and Princes Bridge stations in 1901. Passenger services were operated in two tiers: a local train to Preston Reservoir station via Clifton Hill, and a country mixed train to Whittlesea, via Fitzroy.[2] The Epping line was electrified to Reservoir in 1921, with an AEC railmotor providing a shuttle service between Reservoir and the terminus at Whittlesea. Preston Reservoir station was renamed Reservoir in 1909.

The line had a number of Rail Motor Stopping Places (RMSP) along the line, these being a mere nameboard beside the railway line at a convenient public access point. The first were RMSP 8, 9 and 10, which opened in May 1927; followed by Epping Quarries Siding RMSP in January 1928, which originally opened as just a siding in 1925 and later became RMSP 34 on 28 February 1933; RMSP 17 in March 1928; RMSP 26 in January 1930; RMSP 33 on 25 July 1932; RMSP 39 in July 1941; and RMSP 77 on 29 September 1947, which was renamed Lalor station in 1952.[2] The remaining numbered RMSPs (8, 9, 10, 17, 26, 33, 34, and 39) were all closed on 29 November 1959 with the closure of the line past Lalor station. Direct Whittlesea trains from Flinders Street and Spencer Street were withdrawn from 1948.[3]

Electrification was extended along 4.4 kilometres (2.7 mi) of single track to Thomastown in 1929, paid for by a land developer, who paid for the works, as well as guaranteeing against operating losses.[2] Keon Park station was opened at the same time, but the Whittlesea shuttle train continued to connect with suburban trains at Reservoir, until 1931. From this time, a double-ended Leyland railmotor was provided, and connections made at Thomastown. Goods trains to Whittlesea were withdrawn in 1955, and goods trains from Epping ended in 1958.[3]

Electric suburban services were extended to Lalor station in November 1959, in addition to duplication of the line from Reservoir to Keon Park,[4] with services beyond this point to Whittlesea replaced by bus service,[5] and the line closed.[6] The line to Epping itself was reopened and electrified in 1964, with the remaining line dismantled in the 1970s. However, the right-of-way beyond Mernda is still in place, and is retained for a future railway extension.

## Station histories

[edit]

Station  | Opened[7] | Closed[7] | Age  | Notes[7]

|
|
|
|

Flinders Street | 12 September 1854 |  | 170 years | Formerly Melbourne Terminus
Princes Bridge | 8 February 1859 | 1 October 1866 | 7 years |
2 April 1879 | 30 June 1980 | 101 years
Jolimont | 21 October 1901 |  | 123 years |
West Richmond | 21 October 1901 |  | 123 years |
North Richmond | 21 October 1901 |  | 123 years |
Collingwood | 21 October 1901 |  | 123 years | Formerly Collingwood Town Hall
Victoria Park | 8 May 1888 |  | 137 years | Formerly Collingwood
Clifton Hill | 8 May 1888 |  | 137 years |
Rushall | 1 January 1927 |  | 98 years |
Merri | 8 October 1889 |  | 135 years | Formerly Northcote
Northcote | 8 October 1889 |  | 135 years | Formerly Middle Northcote
Croxton | 8 October 1889 |  | 135 years |
Thornbury | 8 October 1889 |  | 135 years |
Bell | 8 October 1889 |  | 135 years | Formerly Preston – Bell Street
Preston | 8 October 1889 |  | 135 years | Formerly Preston – Murray Road
Formerly Murray
Regent | 8 October 1889 |  | 135 years | Formerly Preston – Regent Street
Reservoir | 8 October 1889 |  | 135 years | Formerly Preston – Reservoir
Ruthven | 5 August 1963 |  | 61 years |
Keon Park | 16 December 1929 |  | 95 years | Formerly Keonpark
Thomastown | 23 December 1889 |  | 135 years |
RMSP No.8 (2nd) | c. 13 March 1928 | 29 November 1959 | Approx. 31 years | Approx. near Mann's Crossing
Lalor | 29 September 1947 | 28 November 1959 | 12 years | Formerly RMSP No.77
30 November 1959 |  | 65 years |
RMSP No.8 (1st) | c. 10 May 1927 | c. 13 March 1928 | Approx. 10 months | Approx. near Childs Road
Epping | 23 December 1889 | 28 November 1959 | 69 years | 1st site
30 November 1964 | 24 November 2011 | 46 years | 2nd site
28 November 2011 |  | 13 years | 3rd site
RMSP No.34 | 12 May 1925 | 29 November 1959 | 34 years | Formerly Epping Quarries Siding
South Morang | 22 April 2012 |  | 13 years |
RMSP No.39 | c. 1 July 1941 | 29 November 1959 | Approx. 18 years | Approx. near McDonald's Road
Middle Gorge | 23 December 1889 | 28 November 1959 | 69 years | Was originally South Morang
26 August 2018 |  | 6 years | Known as Marymede during construction
Reopened as Middle Gorge
RMSP No.33 | 25 July 1932 | 29 November 1959 | 27 years | Approx. near Plenty Road
Hawkstowe | 26 August 2018 |  | 6 years |
RMSP No.9 | c. 10 May 1927 | 29 November 1959 | Approx. 32 years | Approx. near Hawkstowe Parade
Mernda | 23 December 1889 | 28 November 1959 | 69 years | Formerly South Yan Yean
28 June 2018 |  | 6 years |
RMSP No.26 | c. 21 January 1930 | 29 November 1959 | Approx. 29 years | Approx. near Masons Road
Yan Yean | 23 December 1889 | 29 November 1959 | 69 years |
RMSP No.10 | c. 17 May 1927 | 29 November 1959 | Approx. 32 years | Approx. near Reservoir Road
RMSP No.17 | c. 13 March 1928 | 29 November 1959 | Approx. 31 years | Approx. near Cades Road
Whittlesea | 23 December 1889 | 29 November 1959 | 69 years |

## See also

[edit]

* Mernda railway line

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "VR History". victorianrailways.net. Retrieved 6 May 2008.
2. ^ a b c Jack McLean (November 1995). "Reservoir – Whittlesea: Signalling and Safeworking". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division). pp. 333–337.
3. ^ a b "Extracts of 'The Whittlesea Railway' by Robert Aquilina". The Northcote History Group. home.vicnet.net.au. Archived from the original on 6 July 2008. Retrieved 16 June 2008.
4. ^ S.E. Dornan and R.G. Henderson (1979). Electric Railways of Victoria. Australian Electric Traction Society. p. 84\. ISBN 0-909459-06-1.
5. ^ "Station & stops".
6. ^ "VR History". victorianrailways.net. Retrieved 6 May 2008.
7. ^ a b c Anderson, Rick (2010). Stopping All Stations. Clunes, Victoria: Full Parallel Productions. ISBN 978-0646543635. OCLC 671303814.

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Tourist railways

| Operational|

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Former|

* South Gippsland Railway

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