Melton railway station, Melbourne explained

Melton
Type:PTV regional rail station
Style:V/Line
Address:Staughton Street,
Melton South, Victoria 3338
Borough:City of Melton
Country:Australia
Map Type:Australia Melbourne
Distance:37.32 kilometres from
Southern Cross
Line:
(Ararat)
Other: Bus
Structure:Ground
Platform:2 side
Tracks:2
Parking:167
Bicycle:Yes
Accessible:Yes
Code:MEL
Owned:VicTrack
Operator:V/Line
Zone:Myki Zone 2
Status:Operational, staffed
Website:Public Transport Victoria

Melton railway station is a regional railway station on the Ararat line, part of the Victorian railway network. It serves the outer-western suburb of Melton South, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Melton Station is a ground level premium station, featuring two side platforms. It opened on 2 April 1884.

The station is planned to be rebuilt by 2026 as part of the Level Crossing Removal Project.

History

19th century

Melton Station opened when the railway line from Braybrook Junction (Sunshine) was extended to the town. Like the town itself, the station was named after Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire, England.[1] [2]

In 1886, the line was extended westward to Parwan and, being on a single track section, the station was the site of a crossing loop from that time. By 1889, the station had an interlocked signal box, single passenger platform, and a three-track yard. There was a goods shed opposite the passenger platform.[3]

20th century

In 1962, flashing light signals were provided at the Exford Road level crossing, located nearby in the up direction from the station.[4] In 1987, the yard was rationalised, being reduced to a main line and crossing loop. Boom barriers were provided in 1990, and a second platform was added in 1991.[5] In 1998, the station building was refurbished.

21st century

In 2005, as part of the Regional Fast Rail project, control of the signals was transferred to the Ballarat signal box.[6] The station retains the lever frame for historical purposes.

As part of the Regional Rail Revival project, 18 km of track was duplicated between the Deer Park West junction and Melton.[7] [8] The duplication was completed in late 2019, coinciding with the opening of the newly-built Cobblebank Station.[9] [10]

Future

On 6 October 2022, the Andrews Government announced that four level crossings will be removed in Melton and Truganina by the Level Crossing Removal Project. As part of these removals, Melton Station will be rebuilt by 2026.[11] [12]

Throughout 2024, concept designs for the new Melton Station were released.[13] The rebuilt station will include four platforms; Platforms 2 and 3 as an island platform with two faces, and Platforms 1 and 4 as side platforms.[14] The platforms will be long enough to accommodate 9-carriage V/Line VLocity DMUs in the future, set to be introduced to the line by 2028.[15] [16]

Electrification and quadruplication of the Ararat line up to Melton was announced by the Andrews Government as part of the Western Rail Plan. In 2023, it was reported that quadruplication of the line had been cut, and there is no current plan to electrify the line.[17]

Platforms and services

Melton has two side platforms. It is served by V/Line Ballarat and Ararat line trains.[18] [19]

Platform 1:

Platform 2:

Transport links

Transit Systems Victoria operates six bus routes to and from Melton station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Melton . Victorian Places . 25 February 2023 . 25 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230225102139/https://www.victorianplaces.com.au/melton . live.
  2. News: Jamie . First . The A-Z story of Melbourne's suburbs . . 7 January 2014 . 25 February 2023 . 26 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221226135637/https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/the-az-story-of-melbournes-suburbs/news-story/6f7611b7df20e55ad02f5e9615885e21 . live.
  3. Web site: Victorian Station Histories - Melton . www.vrhistory.com . 2008-05-26 . 16 May 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080516065135/http://www.vrhistory.com/Locations/A023-Melton.pdf . live.
  4. Web site: Melton . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211108042106/https://vicsig.net/infrastructure/location/Melton . 8 November 2021 . 25 February 2023 . vicsig.net.
  5. October 1991. Works. Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division) . 338.
  6. Web site: Melton - Interlocking Information . vicsig.net . 25 February 2023 . 29 August 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160829111321/http://vicsig.net/index.php?page=infrastructure&interlocking=Melton . live.
  7. Web site: $518 Million Ballarat Line Upgrade Released To Market . Minister for Public Transport . Premier of Victoria website . 1 March 2017 . 2 February 2019 . 19 April 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170419080031/https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/518-million-ballarat-line-upgrade-released-to-market/ . live.
  8. Web site: Ballarat Line Upgrade . Rail Projects Victoria . 2 February 2019 . 2 February 2019 . 30 January 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190130070028/http://regionalrailrevival.vic.gov.au/ballarat . live .
  9. Web site: Cobblebank Station opening community event . 7 November 2021 . Victoria's Big Build . 24 June 2021 . 8 November 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211108033005/https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/news/regional-rail-revival/cobblebank-station-opening-community-event . live.
  10. Web site: Celebrating Cobblebank Station opening . 7 November 2021 . Victoria's Big Build . 24 June 2021 . 8 November 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211108061112/https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/news/regional-rail-revival/celebrating-cobblebank-station-opening . live.
  11. Web site: Build . Victoria's Big . 2022-10-06 . Making Melton level crossing-free . 6 October 2022 . Victoria’s Big Build . en . 6 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221006013408/https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/news/level-crossing-removal-project/making-melton-level-crossing-free . live .
  12. Web site: 7 June 2023 . Fast-tracking level crossing removals . 18 May 2024 . Victoria's Big Build . en.
  13. Web site: 23 March 2024 . New Melton Station designs as part of massive upgrades . 18 May 2024 . Victoria's Big Build . en.
  14. Web site: 2 October 2024 . Final designs for Melton level crossing removals . 2 October 2024 . Victoria's Big Build . en.
  15. Web site: Build . Victoria’s Big . 2023-06-26 . Fast tracking level crossing removals in Melton . 2024-10-22 . Victoria’s Big Build . en.
  16. Web site: Melton level crossing removals . 2024-10-22 . Engage Victoria . en.
  17. News: 2023-08-05 . Confusion and plummeting confidence in rail promises for regional Victoria . 2024-10-22 . ABC News . en-AU.
  18. https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/route/1728 Ballarat - Melbourne timetable
  19. https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/route/1837 Ararat - Melbourne
  20. https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/route/13685/454-melton-station-to-cobblebank-station 454 Melton Station to Cobblebank Station