Narre Warren railway station explained

Narre Warren
Type:PTV commuter rail station
Style:Melbourne
Address:Webb Street,
Narre Warren, Victoria 3805
Borough:City of Casey
Country:Australia
Owned:VicTrack
Operator:Metro Trains
Distance:40.80 kilometres from
Southern Cross
Platforms:2 side
Tracks:2
Connections: Bus
Structure:Elevated
Parking:573 spaces
Bicycle:10 racks
Accessible:Yes — step free access
Electrified:July 1954 (1500 V DC overhead)
Status:Operational, premium station
Code:NWA
Zone:Myki Zone 2
Rebuilt:2 June 1995
28 March 2024 (LXRP)

Narre Warren railway station is a commuter railway station on the Pakenham line, which is part of the Melbourne railway network. It serves the south-eastern suburb of Narre Warren, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Narre Warren station is an elevated hybrid structure premium station, featuring two side platforms. It opened on 10 March 1882, with the current station provided in 2024.[1]

History

Narre Warren station opened on 10 March 1882 as a single platform, just over four years after the railway line from Dandenong was extended to Pakenham.[1] Like the suburb itself, the station carries the name of an Aboriginal word believed to mean 'small hills'.[2]

In 1956, the line between Dandenong and Narre Warren was duplicated,[1] with duplication to Berwick provided in 1962.[1] As part of the duplication to Berwick, an island platform was provided, as well as boom barriers replacing interlocked gates at the former Webb Street level crossing which, at the time, was located at the down end of the station.[1] [3]

In 1970, a crossover between No. 2 and No.3 roads was abolished.[1] In 1974, flashing light signals were provided at the former Cranbourne Road level crossing,[1] which was located nearby in the down direction of the station. In 1978, the waiting room at the original station was demolished.[4]

In 1986, boom barriers were provided at the Cranbourne Road level crossing.[3] By 1988, No. 2 road was booked out of use, as well as points at each end of the road and a crossover at the up end of the station.[1] In 1989, the signal box was abolished.[1]

On 2 June 1995, the station was relocated to the east side of the Webb Street level crossing, and reopened to the public the following day.[5]

In October 2003, Narre Warren was upgraded to a premium station. In 2004, the Cranbourne Road level crossing was grade separated, being replaced with a road underpass.[6] [7]

On 29 July 2021, the Level Crossing Removal Project announced that the Webb Street level crossing would be grade separated by 2025, with a rail over road "hybrid" design.[8] [9] [10] [11] [12] Webb Street was to be lowered and a rail bridge built over the road,[13] with the station to be rebuilt as part of those works.[14] [15] However, on 14 January 2022, the LXRP announced that the "hybrid" design would be replaced with a rail over road design, removing the need to lower Webb Street.[16] On 23 August of that year, final designs for the level crossing removal and rebuilt station were released.[17] [18] [19]

On 24 November 2023, a 'construction blitz' began, which saw the station close and demolished, while trains stopped running on sections of the Pakenham line.[20] On 10 December of that year, the construction blitz ended, with trains on the Pakenham line resuming the following day, operating on the rail-over-road bridge without stopping at Narre Warren.[21] Services resumed stopping at the station as it reopened on 28 March 2024.[22]

Platforms, facilities and services

Narre Warren has two side platforms. It is located on top of Webb Street, which also provided station access. The 2003 station featured a semi-large fibro building was located at the Flinders Street (Up) end of the station, which housed an enclosed waiting area, toilets and ticket facilities. There was a myki ticket vending machine inside the waiting area. There was also a small café located next to the entrance of the building, which was open during the morning peak-hour, selling coffee and newspapers. A Protective Service Officers' (PSO) pod was located next to the station building, which was used from 6:00 pm until the last service every day.

Narre Warren is served by Pakenham line trains.[23] On average, there are three off-peak services per hour on weekdays, travelling to and from Flinders Street, with more frequent services during peak-hours, and three services an hour on weekends.

Platform 1:

Platform 2:

By June 2025, it is planned that trains on the Pakenham line will be through-routed with those on the Sunbury line, via the new Metro Tunnel.

Transport links

Cranbourne Transit operates one bus route via Narre Warren station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:

Ventura Bus Lines operates two routes via Narre Warren station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:

Gallery

After rebuild

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Narre Warren. vicsig.net. 27 January 2023. 10 December 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221210111616/https://vicsig.net/infrastructure/location/Narre-Warren. live.
  2. Web site: Narre Warren. Victorian Places. 27 January 2023. 14 December 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221214104518/https://www.victorianplaces.com.au/narre-warren. live.
  3. January 1990. Level Crossing Protection. John Sinnatt. Somersault. Signalling Record Society Victoria. 9–17.
  4. December 1978. Works. Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. 267.
  5. July 1995. Signalling Alterations. Somersault. Signalling Record Society Victoria. 75.
  6. November 2004. Signalling Alterations. Somersault. Signalling Record Society Victoria. 96.
  7. Web site: Narre Warren . 2023-11-17 . www.vicrailstations.com.
  8. Web site: Sneak Peek At Narre Warren Level Crossing Removal Premier of Victoria . 2023-11-17 . www.premier.vic.gov.au . en-AU.
  9. Web site: Engage Victoria . 2023-11-17 . engage.vic.gov.au.
  10. Web site: DeLorenzo . Lauren . 2022-03-07 . FIRST LOOK: Narre Warren Station rail bridge design unveiled . 2023-11-17 . Infrastructure Magazine . en-US.
  11. Web site: Build . Victoria’s Big . 2023-09-27 . Webb Street, Narre Warren . 2023-11-17 . Victoria’s Big Build . en.
  12. Web site: Build . Victoria’s Big . 2023-09-12 . Webb Street bridge takes shape in Narre Warren . 2023-11-17 . Victoria’s Big Build . en.
  13. Web site: Webb Street, Narre Warren. Victoria's Big Build. 30 April 2023. 23 March 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220323021302/https://levelcrossings.vic.gov.au/projects/webb-street-narre-warren. live.
  14. Web site: 10 more level crossings to go by 2025. Victoria's Big Build. 29 July 2021 . 30 April 2023. 30 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210730004647/https://levelcrossings.vic.gov.au/media/news/10-more-level-crossings-to-go-by-2025. live.
  15. Web site: Pakenham line level crossing removal fact sheet. Victoria's Big Build. 30 April 2023. 29 March 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220329164536/https://levelcrossings.vic.gov.au/media/publications/pakenham-line-level-crossing-removal-fact-sheet. live.
  16. Web site: Rail bridge for Webb Street, Narre Warren. Victoria's Big Build. 14 January 2022 . 30 April 2023. 18 May 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230518063454/https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/news/level-crossing-removal-project/rail-bridge-for-webb-street-narre-warren. live.
  17. Web site: Webb Street final designs released. Victoria's Big Build. 23 August 2022 . 30 April 2023. 18 May 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230518063424/https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/news/level-crossing-removal-project/webb-street-final-designs. live.
  18. Web site: Webb Street Level Crossing Removal . 2023-11-17 . Casey Conversations . en.
  19. Web site: Hui . Jin . 2022-09-26 . Site preparation works start at Narre Warren Station . 2023-11-17 . Berwick Star News . en-US.
  20. Web site: Hansard details Parliament of Victoria . 2023-11-23 . new.parliament.vic.gov.au . en.
  21. Web site: 2023-11-22 . Construction blitz for Webb Street level crossing removal . 2023-11-23 . Victoria's Big Build . en.
  22. Web site: New Narre Warren Station opens. Victoria's Big Build. 28 March 2024. 1 April 2024.
  23. train.
  24. Web site: 895 Narre Warren South - Fountain Gate SC via Narre Warren Station. Public Transport Victoria. 17 February 2014.
  25. Web site: 835 Berwick Station - Fountain Gate SC via Narre Warren. Public Transport Victoria. 30 April 2023.