Ashburton railway station, Melbourne
Encyclopedia
Ashburton is a railway station on the Alamein railway line in Melbourne
, Victoria
, Australia
. It is located between Welfare Parade and Kelvin Grove, in the suburb of Ashburton
. It also lies adjacent to High Street, where it connects with a bus to Glen Waverley and Glen Iris
. Ashburton is the only Premium Station
on the Alamein line, being staffed from first to last train
and has toilet
facilities for passenger
s. It is in Metcard
Zone 1.
vending machine is located at the entrance to platform 1, which is able to dispense most ticketing options available and also accept notes and coins. Additional coin-only Metcard and myki
ticket vending machines are located inside the waiting area.
The Alamein train line splits from one track to two just before Ashburton station, and as such the station only features a single bi-directional
platform
. A railway siding lies adjacent to the station, but this has been largely unused in recent years.
, Ireland
.
Ashburton was part of the first section of the line to be opened. However, by 1893, the opposite end of the circle had closed, and on 9 December 1895, the stretch beyond Ashburton, connecting with Oakleigh closed. For a short period, this left the line to Ashburton (from Camberwell station
) as the last remaining stretch.
On 1 May 1897, Ashburton station closed, along with the line from Camberwell. However, after an outcry from the local community, it reopened, becoming the Ashburton line once again. It was electrified on 30 October 1924. It continued as the Ashburton line until 28 June 1948, when the line was extended 600 metres to Alamein, and became the Alamein line.
Timetabled usage of the stabling siding
ended in July 1989, due to vandalism
of trains stabled there.
Ashburton was upgraded to a Premium Station on February 1, 1996.
A walking trail has also been constructed along part of the old Outer Circle reservation called the Anniversary Trail, which allows people to follow part of the route through to Alamein station, and then several hundred metres beyond.
On 15 October 2009, a six-month-old baby in a pram
(stroller) rolled off the platform at Ashburton onto the tracks as a northbound Comeng train entered the station. The mother controlling the pram momentarily let go and by the time she noticed the pram rolling away from her, the train was already entering the station, forcing her to watch helplessly. Despite the horrific nature of the incident, the baby boy was taken to hospital
, suffering only minor injuries. The incident was caught on CCTV, and the footage was released by Connex Melbourne
(now Metro Trains) the day after. The footage shocked the world, and emphasised the point of safety near railway lines.
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It is located between Welfare Parade and Kelvin Grove, in the suburb of Ashburton
Ashburton, Victoria
Ashburton is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 12 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Boroondara...
. It also lies adjacent to High Street, where it connects with a bus to Glen Waverley and Glen Iris
Glen Iris
Glen Iris may refer to:*Glen Iris, Victoria, Australia*Glen Iris, Western Australia*Glen Iris Estate, owned by William Pryor Letchworth*Village at Glen Iris, Houston...
. Ashburton is the only Premium Station
Premium station
A premium station is a category of railway station on Melbourne's Metro Rail Network which is operated by Metro Trains Melbourne. In terms of station standards, a premium station is a high standard station which sits above the medium standard host stations and the low standard unmanned...
on the Alamein line, being staffed from first to last train
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
and has toilet
Toilet
A toilet is a sanitation fixture used primarily for the disposal of human excrement, often found in a small room referred to as a toilet/bathroom/lavatory...
facilities for passenger
Passenger
A passenger is a term broadly used to describe any person who travels in a vehicle, but bears little or no responsibility for the tasks required for that vehicle to arrive at its destination....
s. It is in Metcard
Metcard
"OneLink" redirects here. For the computer/cable company, see OneLink Communications.Metcard is the brand name of an integrated ticketing system used to access public transport in Melbourne, Australia. It is a universal ticket which allows users to ride on the city's Metlink network, consisting of...
Zone 1.
Facilities
Ashburton consists of a large brick building, centred in the middle of the platform, which houses an enclosed waiting area, toilets and a ticket office. A large MetcardMetcard
"OneLink" redirects here. For the computer/cable company, see OneLink Communications.Metcard is the brand name of an integrated ticketing system used to access public transport in Melbourne, Australia. It is a universal ticket which allows users to ride on the city's Metlink network, consisting of...
vending machine is located at the entrance to platform 1, which is able to dispense most ticketing options available and also accept notes and coins. Additional coin-only Metcard and myki
Myki
myki is the contactless smartcard ticketing system being introduced on public transport in Victoria, Australia. myki is designed to replace a number of ticket systems in Victoria, primarily the Metcard and V/Line ticketing systems...
ticket vending machines are located inside the waiting area.
The Alamein train line splits from one track to two just before Ashburton station, and as such the station only features a single bi-directional
Bi-directional
Bi-directional may refer to:* Bi-directional text* Two-way communication* Bi-directional railway signalling* Controls at each end of a tram or railcar...
platform
Railway platform
A railway platform is a section of pathway, alongside rail tracks at a train station, metro station or tram stop, at which passengers may board or alight from trains or trams. Almost all stations for rail transport have some form of platforms, with larger stations having multiple platforms...
. A railway siding lies adjacent to the station, but this has been largely unused in recent years.
History
The first station on the Ashburton site opened on 30 May 1890, as part of the short-lived Outer Circle line. At the time, the railway station was called Norwood, named after Norwood Road, the old name for Toorak Road. The station only had this name for a few months, and on 12 December 1890, the station was renamed Ashburton, named for Ashburton Terrace in County CorkCounty Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
Ashburton was part of the first section of the line to be opened. However, by 1893, the opposite end of the circle had closed, and on 9 December 1895, the stretch beyond Ashburton, connecting with Oakleigh closed. For a short period, this left the line to Ashburton (from Camberwell station
Camberwell railway station, Melbourne
Camberwell is a railway station which serves the Belgrave, Lilydale and Alamein lines in the eastern Melbourne suburb of Camberwell, Victoria, Australia...
) as the last remaining stretch.
On 1 May 1897, Ashburton station closed, along with the line from Camberwell. However, after an outcry from the local community, it reopened, becoming the Ashburton line once again. It was electrified on 30 October 1924. It continued as the Ashburton line until 28 June 1948, when the line was extended 600 metres to Alamein, and became the Alamein line.
Timetabled usage of the stabling siding
Rail siding
A siding, in rail terminology, is a low-speed track section distinct from a running line or through route such as a main line or branch line or spur. It may connect to through track or to other sidings at either end...
ended in July 1989, due to vandalism
Vandalism
Vandalism is the behaviour attributed originally to the Vandals, by the Romans, in respect of culture: ruthless destruction or spoiling of anything beautiful or venerable...
of trains stabled there.
Ashburton was upgraded to a Premium Station on February 1, 1996.
A walking trail has also been constructed along part of the old Outer Circle reservation called the Anniversary Trail, which allows people to follow part of the route through to Alamein station, and then several hundred metres beyond.
On 15 October 2009, a six-month-old baby in a pram
Baby transport
Baby transport consists of devices for transporting and carrying infants. A "child carrier" or "baby carrier" is a device used to carry an infant or small child on the body of an adult...
(stroller) rolled off the platform at Ashburton onto the tracks as a northbound Comeng train entered the station. The mother controlling the pram momentarily let go and by the time she noticed the pram rolling away from her, the train was already entering the station, forcing her to watch helplessly. Despite the horrific nature of the incident, the baby boy was taken to hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
, suffering only minor injuries. The incident was caught on CCTV, and the footage was released by Connex Melbourne
Connex Melbourne
Connex Melbourne was a wholly owned subsidiary of French company Veolia Environnement, which had a franchise from the State Government of Victoria to operate all suburban passenger rail services in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. In August 2007, Connex's contract was extended to 30 November 2009....
(now Metro Trains) the day after. The footage shocked the world, and emphasised the point of safety near railway lines.
Platforms
Platform 1:- Suburban Metro TrainsMetro Trains MelbourneMetro Trains Melbourne is the current franchise operator of the suburban railway network of Melbourne, Australia. Metro Trains Melbourne is a joint venture led by Hong Kong based MTR Corporation together with John Holland Group and United Group Rail .Metro Trains Melbourne operates a fleet of 381...
services to Flinders Street StationFlinders Street StationFlinders Street Station is the central railway station of the suburban railway network of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is on the corner of Flinders and Swanston Streets next to the Yarra River in the heart of the city, stretching from Swanston Street to Queen Street and covering two city...
(Peak only). - Suburban Metro Trains services to Camberwell.
- Suburban Metro Trains services to Alamein.