Preston railway station is a commuter railway station on the Mernda line, serving the north-eastern Melbourne suburb of Preston in Victoria, Australia. Preston is a premium status elevated structure station featuring two platforms, on an island platform. The station opened on 8 October 1889 as Preston-Murray Road, before being shortened to Murray on 1 August 1905, and finally renamed Preston on 1 December 1909.[7]

History

Opening on 8 October 1889, when the Inner Circle line was extended from North Fitzroy to Reservoir,[7] Preston station, like the suburb itself, was named after Preston in Sussex, England.[8][9] The name was chosen by Edward Wood, who was originally from Sussex and, in 1850, opened a general store at the corner of the current day intersection of High and Wood Streets.[8]

In 1967, boom barriers replaced hand gates at the former Cramer Street and Murray Road level crossings, which were located in the up and down directions respectively.[10] In 1973, the former ground level station buildings were provided, replacing the original 1889 structures.[11] In 1998, Preston was upgraded to a premium station.[12]

On 30 November 2018, the Level Crossing Removal Project announced that the Murray Road and Cramer Street level crossings would be removed by grade separation,[13][14][15] with the rail line to be elevated over both roads.[16] On 4 October 2020, designs for the rebuilt station were released,[17] with major construction starting in February 2021.[18] On 30 May 2022, the station was closed to allow demolition and construction of the new station. On 5 September of that year, the rebuilt station opened.[2]

Platforms and services

Preston has one island platform with two faces. It is serviced by Metro Trains' Mernda line services.[19]

Platform 1:

Platform 2:

Transport links

Dysons operates two bus routes via Preston station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:

Kinetic Melbourne operates one SmartBus route via Preston station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:

Ventura Bus Lines operates one route via Preston station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:

Gallery

  • Northbound view from the former ground level Platform 2, August 2015
    Northbound view from the former ground level Platform 2, August 2015
  • Southbound view from Platform 1, with the station underneath an under construction elevated rail viaduct, May 2022
    Southbound view from Platform 1, with the station underneath an under construction elevated rail viaduct, May 2022
  • Preston station east facing facade, July 2023
    Preston station east facing facade, July 2023
  • Entry to the rebuilt Preston station, with signs denoting the re-opening, September 2022
    Entry to the rebuilt Preston station, with signs denoting the re-opening, September 2022
  • The view of Melbourne CBD from Preston station Platform 2, June 2023
    The view of Melbourne CBD from Preston station Platform 2, June 2023
  • New Platform 1 signage at Preston, September 2022
    New Platform 1 signage at Preston,
    September 2022
  • Elevated rail and landscaping leading to Preston station built by the Level Crossing Removal Project, July 2023
    Elevated rail and landscaping leading to Preston station built by the Level Crossing Removal Project, July 2023
  • Staircase from platform to concourse at Preston, September 2022
    Staircase from platform to concourse at Preston, September 2022

References

  1. ^ "New Preston Station fact sheet". Victoria's Big Build. Archived from the original on 31 March 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Modern stations at Preston just weeks away". Victoria's Big Build. Archived from the original on 1 March 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d Estimated Annual Patronage by Network Segment Financial Year 2005-2006 to 2018-19 Archived 17 April 2022 at the Wayback Machine Department of Transport
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Railway station and tram stop patronage in Victoria for 2008-2021 Archived 17 December 2022 at the Wayback Machine Philip Mallis
  5. ^ Annual metropolitan train station patronage (station entries) Archived 6 March 2023 at the Wayback Machine Data Vic
  6. ^ Annual metropolitan train station entries 2022-23 Data Vic
  7. ^ a b "Preston". vicsig.net. Archived from the original on 1 November 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  8. ^ a b "Preston". Victorian Places. Archived from the original on 17 March 2023. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  9. ^ First, Jamie (7 January 2014). "The A-Z story of Melbourne's suburbs". Herald Sun. Archived from the original on 26 December 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  10. ^ John Sinnatt (January 1990). "Level Crossing Protection". Somersault. Signalling Record Society Victoria. pp. 9–17.
  11. ^ "Way and Works". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. February 1973. p. 34.
  12. ^ "Upgrading Eltham to a Premium Station". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. October 1997. pp. 303–315.
  13. ^ "More level crossing removals on the way". Victoria's Big Build. Archived from the original on 28 January 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  14. ^ "Murray Road, Preston". Victoria's Big Build. Archived from the original on 23 March 2022. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  15. ^ "Cramer Street, Preston Level Crossing Removal Project". levelcrossings.vic.gov.au. Level Crossing Removal Project. Archived from the original on 23 January 2020. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  16. ^ "Eight crossings set to go in the north". Victoria's Big Build. Archived from the original on 2 June 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  17. ^ "First look at new Bell and Preston stations". Victoria's Big Build. Archived from the original on 16 May 2022. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  18. ^ "Full steam ahead at Preston". Victoria's Big Build. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  19. ^ "Mernda Line". Public Transport Victoria.
  20. ^ "552 North East Reservoir - Northcote Plaza via High Street". Public Transport Victoria. Archived from the original on 29 April 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  21. ^ "553 Preston - West Preston via Reservoir". Public Transport Victoria.
  22. ^ "903 Altona - Mordialloc (SMARTBUS Service)". Public Transport Victoria. Archived from the original on 25 March 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  23. ^ "527 Gowrie - Northland via Murray Road". Public Transport Victoria.

External links