Balaclava railway station, Melbourne explained

Balaclava
Type:PTV commuter rail station
Style:Melbourne
Address:Carlisle Street,
Balaclava, Victoria 3183
Borough:City of Port Phillip
Country:Australia
Coordinates:-37.8695°N 144.9934°W
Distance:9.09 kilometres from
Southern Cross
Other: Tram
Structure:Elevated
Platform:2 side
Tracks:2
Rebuilt:1981
10 October 2014
Electrified:May 1919 (1500 V DC overhead)
Accessible:Yes—step free access
Code:BCV
Owned:VicTrack
Operator:Metro Trains
Zone:Myki Zone 1
Status:Operational, premium station
Website:Public Transport Victoria
Map State:expanded

Balaclava railway station is located on the Sandringham line in Victoria, Australia. It serves the south-eastern Melbourne suburb of Balaclava, and opened on 19 December 1859.[1]

Balaclava is an elevated station, and is located above the Carlisle Street rail overpass.

History

Balaclava station opened on 19 December 1859, when the railway line from Windsor was extended to North Brighton.[1] Like the suburb itself, the station was named after the Battle of Balaclava, which occurred during the Crimean War in 1854.[2] [3]

On 3 December 1977, the station was damaged by fire.[1] In 1981, the station buildings were rebuilt.[4]

In 1996, two men found $200,000 in a drum buried beneath one of the platforms.[5] They handed the money in to the police and the find was reported in the media. In the same week, another man found a second drum under the platform, containing a similar quantity of money, which he also turned in to the police. Because no one claimed it, the men were granted ownership of the money they found, despite being considered trespassers on land owned by the then Public Transport Corporation.[6]

In June 2012, a $13.3 million upgrade to the station was announced. It involved widening the platforms, improving stair and ramp access, signage, booking office facilities, waiting rooms, wheelchair shelters and toilets, and the provision of new station canopies to increase weather protection.[7] CCTV cameras were added, as well as provision for future lifts. In October 2014, construction works were completed, with Balaclava upgraded to a premium station.[8] [9] [10] [11]

Following a 2019 commitment by the Federal Government, the station was due to receive an upgraded commuter car-park. However, this was scrapped by the same government in 2021.[12]

Platforms and services

Balaclava has two side platforms. It is served by Sandringham line trains.[13]

Platform 1:

Platform 2:

Transport links

Yarra Trams operates two routes via Balaclava station:

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Balaclava. vicsig.net. 20 January 2023.
  2. Web site: Balaclava. Victorian Places. 20 January 2023.
  3. Web site: Jamie. First. The A-Z story of Melbourne's suburbs. Herald Sun. 7 January 2014. 20 January 2023.
  4. Book: Vincent Adams Winter. VR and VicRail: 1962 - 1983. 1990. 0-9592069-3-0. 107.
  5. Web site: ABC Radio National - The Law Report Transcript. 6 February 1996. www.abc.net.au. 2008-08-03.
  6. Web site: ABC Radio National - The Law Report Transcript. 13 July 1996. www.abc.net.au. 2008-08-03. https://web.archive.org/web/20080726111342/http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/lawrpt/lstories/lr990713.htm. 26 July 2008 . live.
  7. http://stkildanews.com/a-new-look-for-balaclava-station/ A new look for Balaclava station
  8. http://ptv.vic.gov.au/assets/PTV/PTV%20docs/Balaclava-Station/Balaclava-Station-Upgrade-Project-information-flyer.pdf Balaclava Station Upgrade Project
  9. http://ptv.vic.gov.au/projects/railway-stations/balaclava-station-upgrade/ Balaclava Station Upgrade
  10. http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/11033-premium-experience-coming-soon-to-balaclava-station.html Premium experience coming soon to Balaclava station
  11. "Premium experience comes to refurbished Balaclava Station" Railway Digest November 2014 page 25
  12. Web site: Morrison government pulls $50m promised for station car parks. 17 May 2021.
  13. train.
  14. tram.
  15. tram.