Williamstown railway station

Williamstown railway station is the terminus station of the Williamstown line in Victoria, Australia. It serves the western Melbourne suburb of Williamstown, and opened on 1 February 1859.[1]

For the closed station in East Lothian, Scotland, see Williamstown railway station (East Lothian).

Williamstown
PTV commuter rail station
Northbound view in June 2014
LocationHanmer Street, Williamstown
Australia
Coordinates37°52′04″S 144°54′19″E
Owned byVicTrack
Operated byMetro
Line(s)Williamstown
Distance14.20 kilometres from Southern Cross
Platforms1
Tracks1
Construction
Structure typeGround
Disabled accessYes
Other information
StatusPremium station
Station codeWIL
Fare zoneMyki zone 1
WebsitePublic Transport Victoria
History
Opened17 January 1859
ElectrifiedYes
Services
Preceding station Metro Trains Following station
Terminus Williamstown line Williamstown Beach
towards Frankston via Flinders Street

In 2013/14, it was the 13th least used station on Melbourne's metropolitan network, with 164,000 passenger movements.[2]

History

Work on the line started under the Melbourne, Mount Alexander and Murray River Railway Company, but were taken over by the government in 1856, after work faltered. Builders Kerr, Hodgson & Billings commenced work on the timber Williamstown station building in 1858, with the station opened to traffic on 17 January 1859.[1] Arched bluestone road bridges were built over the cutting at Thompson and Cole Streets. Until 1987, the line continued around the bend to the now closed Williamstown Pier station. It was upgraded to a Premium station on 18 June 1996.[3]

The building is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register, and is the second oldest railway station in Victoria, after St Kilda. It is also the oldest timber railway station building to survive in the state, and one of the earliest surviving timber public buildings in Victoria.[4]

The central section of the station building remains today, but was originally flanked by two pavilions: one for the stationmasters residence, and on the other refreshment rooms. A now removed timber and iron veranda lined the street side of the station, while on the rail side, the original platform canopy extended along the platform much further.

The Ann Street footbridge was installed c1883, and on electrification in 1916, the Thompson Street road bridge arch was removed and replaced with girder spans, to provide increased clearance. Railway sidings, a signal box and weighbridge were once located opposite the station, but have been since removed,[4] with the majority of the sidings removed by June 1988.[5] All rails, sleepers, overhead wires and signals between Williamstown and Williamstown Pier were removed by October 1988,[6] along with a further two electrified sidings, next to the platform track.[6] The track now currently ends just under the Ann Street footbridge, at the Down end of the station.

Platforms & services

Williamstown has one platform. It is serviced by Metro Trains' Williamstown line services.[7]

Platform 1:

Sita Buslines operates one route via Williamstown station:

  • Southbound view in April 2011

References
  1. Williamstown Vicsig
  2. Station Patronage Research Public Transport Victoria
  3. "Upgrading Eltham to a Premium Station". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. October 1997. p. 310.
  4. "Williamstown railway station (listing VICH1599)". Australia Heritage Places Inventory. Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. Retrieved 15 September 2008.
  5. "Operations". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. August 1988. p. 250.
  6. "Works". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. October 1988. p. 314.
  7. "Williamstown Line". Public Transport Victoria.
  8. "471 Williamstown - Sunshine Station via Newport & Altona Gate SC". Public Transport Victoria.
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