Laburnum railway station explained

Laburnum
Type:PTV commuter rail station
Style:Melbourne
Address:Laburnum Street,
Blackburn, Victoria 3130
Borough:City of Whitehorse
Country:Australia
Coordinates:-37.8208°N 145.1407°W
Distance:17.83 kilometres from
Southern Cross
Line:
    Other: Bus
    Structure:Ground
    Platform:2 side
    Tracks:2
    Parking:Yes
    Closed:1 January 2007
    Rebuilt:29 January 2007
    Electrified:January 1923
    (1500 V DC overhead)
    Accessible:Yes—step free access
    Code:LAB
    Owned:VicTrack
    Operator:Metro Trains
    Zone:Myki Zone 2
    Status:Operational, unstaffed
    Website:Public Transport Victoria
    Map State:expanded

    Laburnum railway station is a commuter railway station on the Belgrave and Lilydale lines, serving the eastern Melbourne suburb of Blackburn in Victoria, Australia. Laburnum is a ground-level unstaffed station, featuring two side platforms. It opened on 13 July 1958.[1]

    History

    Laburnum station opened on 13 July 1958,[1] [2] and was named after the locality of Laburnum, itself named after the shrub of the same name.[3] [4] The original station had two side platforms, with a substantial brick building on Platform 1, and a small brick shelter on Platform 2.[1] Also occurring in that year was the replacement of hand gates at the former Middleborough Road level crossing with boom barriers.[5] The crossing was located in the up direction of the station.[1]

    The Middleborough Road grade separation project involved lowering the line eight metres below the road. That required the rebuilding of the station, and the removal of the bend in Laburnum Street beneath it. In October 2006, the station buildings were demolished and, on 29 January 2007, the rebuilt station opened.[6] As part of the project, provision was made for the future installation of a third track.[7] [8]

    Toot Toot – drive slowly sign

    Laburnum was once known for having a sign reading "Toot Toot – drive slowly" under the railway bridge which crosses Laburnum Street, as the street was both narrow and had a sharp bend at that point.[9] Drivers would often sound their car horns, as instructed by the sign, to warn oncoming, but possibly unseen, traffic that might be approaching the narrow underpass. Infuriated neighbours would frequently attempt to remove the sign by painting over it, but to no avail; the local council would restore the sign every time.[10] [11]

    When the station was rebuilt following the 2007 grade separation, the road underpass was substantially widened, so the sign was deemed unnecessary and was removed. A plaque commemorating the sign and describing its history was erected,[9] although it too has since been removed.

    Platforms and services

    Laburnum has two side platforms. It is served by Lilydale and Belgrave line trains.[12] [13]

    Platform 1:

    Platform 2:

    Transport links

    Kinetic Melbourne operates two bus routes via Laburnum station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:

    External links

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: Laburnum . 18 February 2023 . vicsig.net.
    2. July 1958. Works, Etc.. Divisional Diary. Australian Railway Historical Society. 43.
    3. Web site: Laburnum. Victorian Places. 5 January 2023.
    4. Web site: Jamie. First. The A-Z story of Melbourne's suburbs. Herald Sun. 7 January 2014. 18 February 2023.
    5. January 1990. Level Crossing Protection. John Sinnatt. Somersault. Signalling Record Society Victoria. 9–17.
    6. Web site: Middleborough Road Rail Separation. John Holland. 6 August 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080514004518/http://webadmin.johnholland.com.au/sites/jhweb/Project.asp?Action=Project&PID=28. 14 May 2008.
    7. Web site: Middleborough Road Project. vicsig.net. 18 February 2023.
    8. https://web.archive.org/web/20070929192202/http://middleboroughroad.com.au/ Home
    9. Web site: Gordon . Chris . Historic information on the Toot Toot sign for Laburnum Street at Laburnum . Vicsig . 14 July 2022.
    10. News: Money . Lawrence . Carbone . Suzanne . Look up in the sky, it's a blimp . 14 July 2022 . . 24 October 2006.
    11. News: Money . Lawrence . Carbone . Susan . Gone up in a puff of smoke . 14 July 2022 . The Age . 6 October 2006.
    12. train.
    13. train.