Donnybrook railway station

Railway station in Victoria, Australia

Preceding station Railways in Victoria V/Line Following station
Craigieburn Seymour line Wallan
towards Seymour
Broadmeadows Shepparton line Wallan
towards Shepparton
Craigieburn
One-way operation
 Shepparton line
1 weekday early morning service
Location
Donnybrook is located in Melbourne
Donnybrook
Donnybrook
Location within Melbourne

Donnybrook railway station is a regional railway station on the North East line, which is part of the Regional railway network. It serves the northern suburb of Donnybrook, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Donnybrook station is a ground level unstaffed station, featuring two side platforms. It opened on 14 October 1872, with the current station provided in 2020.[1]

History

Donnybrook station opened on 14 October 1872, with a single platform on the west side. The railway line opened a few months earlier, as part of the North East line to School House Lane.[2]

In 1882, a second platform was provided, but duplication of the track in both directions was not completed for a few more years. A goods shed was erected in 1888, while the current station building on Platform 2 dates to 1900.[2] The last siding was abolished in 1989.[3]

In 1962, the Melbourne-Albury standard gauge line behind Platform 1 opened, along with the 900 metre Donnybrook Loop. Since 2011, the loop has been extended into a 6.8 kilometres long passing lane, as part of the Australian Rail Track Corporation's Melbourne–Sydney upgrade program,[4] but has since been cut back to 2 kilometres in length.[5][6]

In early 1976, the goods platform was abolished.[7]

From 1998, the station was the terminus for some V/Line services from Craigieburn station, because it had a crossover between the two tracks at the down end of the station.[3] That practice ceased after Seymour services were upgraded and the suburban electric services were extended to Craigieburn in 2007.

In 1961, flashing light signals replaced hand gates at the Donnybrook Road level crossing, located at the up end of the station.[1] In 1998, boom barriers were provided.[3]

A closed signal box is located on Platform 2. All signals, the crossover points and the signal control levers inside the signal box were removed in March 2011.[1][8][9]

In 2016, Platform 2 was extended at the down end of the station, to accommodate 6-car VLocity trains, allowing northbound commuters to enter and exit via any door. Southbound commuters, however, had to use the first three carriages of the train to board or alight, due to the shorter Platform 1.[10]

On 23 April 2020, upgrades to the station were completed as part of the Regional Rail Revival project. The upgrades included 150 new car parking spaces, better pedestrian and bus access to the station, upgraded CCTV and extending Platform 1 at the down end.[11]

Demolished station Beveridge was located between Donnybrook and Wallan stations.

Platforms and services

Donnybrook has two side platforms. It is serviced by V/Line Seymour and Shepparton line services, with one Shepparton line service to Shepparton running express through the station during weekends.[12]

Platform 1:

  •  Seymour line  services to Southern Cross
  •  Shepparton line  services to Southern Cross

Platform 2:

  •  Seymour line  services to Seymour
  •  Shepparton line  weekday and two weekend services to Shepparton

Dysons operates one route to and from Donnybrook station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:

Kastoria Bus Lines operates two routes to and from Donnybrook station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:

  • Northbound view from Platform 2, ten years prior to being rebuilt, January 2010
    Northbound view from Platform 2, ten years prior to being rebuilt, January 2010

References

  1. ^ a b c Donnybrook Vicsig
  2. ^ a b Turton, Keith W (1973). Six And A Half Inches From Destiny. Australian Railway Historical Society. p. 88. ISBN 0-85849-012-9.
  3. ^ a b c Andrew Waugh. "Victorian Station Histories – Donnybrook" (PDF). VR History. Retrieved 24 December 2008.
  4. ^ Donnybrook Passing Lane– Information Sheet South Improvement Alliance November 2007
  5. ^ Program of Works South Improvement Alliance
  6. ^ New Donnybrook Passing Loop Completed Minister for Infrastructure & Transport 29 July 2011
  7. ^ "Works". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. April 1976. p. 92.
  8. ^ "Dynon to Albury" (PDF). V/Line Network Access: Information Pack. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 July 2008. Retrieved 15 September 2008.
  9. ^ "Network Operating Requirements" (PDF). V/Line Network Access: Information Pack. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 July 2008. Retrieved 15 September 2008.
  10. ^ Wong, Marcus. "Donnybrook". Wongm's Rail Gallery. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  11. ^ "Donnybrook Station upgrade complete". Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  12. ^ Seymour – Melbourne Public Transport Victoria
  13. ^ "511 Donnybrook Station - Mandalay Circuit via Olivine". Public Transport Victoria.
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