Royal Park railway station, Melbourne
Encyclopedia
Royal Park is a railway station in Melbourne
, Victoria
, Australia
, located in the suburb of Parkville
, on the Upfield railway line. Royal Park is unmanned and in Metcard
Zone 1.
, at the eastern end of the Poplar Road level crossing, which provides station access. It is the nearest station to the Melbourne Zoo
.
The station consists of two side platform
s; Platform 1 has a large weatherboard building, while platform 2 has a small pebblemix shelter. A large Metcard
ticket 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. A coin-only Metcard ticket vending machine is located at the entrance to platform 2. Myki
ticket vending machines are also located at the entrances to platform 1 & platform 2.
A disused signal box
is located on platform 1, at the Flinders Street
end of the station.
. The original plan for the route of the line through Royal Park was to be east of the Zoological Gardens, but after local protests against the destruction of the park, a decision was made to build the line to the west for "reasons of economy". On opening only temporary station buildings were provided, along with a signal box and gatekeepers cottage.
On 8 May 1888 Royal Park became a junction with the opening of the Inner Circle line towards Fitzroy
and Rushall
. At the same time a timber station building and station masters residence were erected. Between 1889 and 1912 there was a goods siding near the station, named Royal Park Cutting Siding.
The current station building on the up platform was opened in 1920, with a tile roof in the 'Gisborne style
', and in 1936 a new waiting shed and ticket office replaced earlier structures on platform 2. Boom barriers replaced interlocked gates at Poplar Road in 1971 when automatic signaling reached the station from Jewell, with automatic signaling extended to Macaulay in 1972. The Inner Circle line (by now a goods only stub to Fitzroy) was closed in 1981, and the waiting shed on the down platform was destroyed by arson in 1989. The signal box on platform 1 closed in 1994.
Platform 2:
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...
, located in the suburb of Parkville
Parkville, Victoria
Parkville is an inner city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Melbourne. At the 2006 Census, the population was 4,980....
, on the Upfield railway line. Royal Park is unmanned and 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
Royal Park is located in the park of the same nameRoyal Park, Melbourne
Royal Park is the largest of Melbourne's inner city parks . It is located north of the Melbourne Central Business District, Victoria, Australia, in the suburb of Parkville....
, at the eastern end of the Poplar Road level crossing, which provides station access. It is the nearest station to the Melbourne Zoo
Melbourne Zoo
The Royal Melbourne Zoological Gardens, commonly known as the Melbourne Zoo, contains more than 320 animal species from Australia and around the world. The zoo is north of the centre of Melbourne. It is accessible via Royal Park station on the Upfield railway line, and is also accessible via tram...
.
The station consists of two side platform
Side platform
A Side platform is a platform positioned to the side of a pair of tracks at a railway station, a tram stop or a transitway. A pair of side platforms are often provided on a dual track line with a single side platform being sufficient for a single track line...
s; Platform 1 has a large weatherboard building, while platform 2 has a small pebblemix shelter. A large 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...
ticket 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. A coin-only Metcard ticket vending machine is located at the entrance to platform 2. 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 also located at the entrances to platform 1 & platform 2.
A disused signal box
Signal box
On a rail transport system, signalling control is the process by which control is exercised over train movements by way of railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, over the correct route and to the proper timetable...
is located on platform 1, at the Flinders Street
Flinders Street Station
Flinders 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...
end of the station.
History
Royal Park station opened on 9 September 1884 at the same time as the line to CoburgCoburg railway station, Melbourne
Coburg is a railway station in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, located in the suburb of Coburg, on the Upfield railway line. Coburg is classed as a Premium Station, and is in Metcard Zone 1.-Facilities:...
. The original plan for the route of the line through Royal Park was to be east of the Zoological Gardens, but after local protests against the destruction of the park, a decision was made to build the line to the west for "reasons of economy". On opening only temporary station buildings were provided, along with a signal box and gatekeepers cottage.
On 8 May 1888 Royal Park became a junction with the opening of the Inner Circle line towards Fitzroy
Fitzroy, Victoria
Fitzroy is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 2 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Yarra. Its borders are Alexandra Parade , Victoria Parade , Smith Street and Nicholson Street. Fitzroy is Melbourne's...
and Rushall
Rushall railway station
Rushall railway station was a station on the South Staffordshire Line. It was opened in 1849. It was the first station to fall on the line, closing in 1909...
. At the same time a timber station building and station masters residence were erected. Between 1889 and 1912 there was a goods siding near the station, named Royal Park Cutting Siding.
The current station building on the up platform was opened in 1920, with a tile roof in the 'Gisborne style
Gisborne railway station, Victoria
Gisborne is a railway station on the Echuca and Swan Hill railway lines in Victoria, Australia. It is 66km from Southern Cross station. The station is located in New Gisborne.-Services:...
', and in 1936 a new waiting shed and ticket office replaced earlier structures on platform 2. Boom barriers replaced interlocked gates at Poplar Road in 1971 when automatic signaling reached the station from Jewell, with automatic signaling extended to Macaulay in 1972. The Inner Circle line (by now a goods only stub to Fitzroy) was closed in 1981, and the waiting shed on the down platform was destroyed by arson in 1989. The signal box on platform 1 closed in 1994.
Platforms
Platform 1:- Upfield line - all stations services to Flinders Street.
Platform 2:
- Upfield line - all stations services to Upfield.