History Upfield railway line

macaulay station, under citylink freeway



flemington bridge station, citylink in background



royal park station

the line north melbourne coburg opened in september 1884, , in october 1889 extended somerton. meanwhile, duplication had started, being provided royal park in september 1888, south brunswick (jewell) in may 1889, brunswick coburg in december 1891, , south brunswick brunswick in august 1892.

coburg somerton closed in july 1903, reopened far fawkner in december 1906, funeral trains only, in conjunction opening of fawkner cemetery adjacent station. full services extended fawkner in 1915.

in december 1920 line electrified, in march 1928, section fawkner somerton reopened passenger services provided aec railmotor connecting electric trains @ fawkner.

north melbourne macaulay converted automatic signalling in june 1928, rest of line remained double line block , staff , ticket until more recent times.

in may 1956, fawkner somerton again closed, 3 years later, upfield somerton reopened (in july 1959) goods trains, , on same date coburg fawkner duplicated. following month, fawkner upfield reopened , electrified, cater workers , new ford factory next station. 1 train each way provided, although second train added following month. shortly before this, however, (in september 1958), sunday evening services after 6 p.m. withdrawn, being replaced rail tickets being accepted on adjacent tram routes, particularly north coburg line, and, outer end of railway line, bus service connecting trams @ north coburg. in june 1971, arrangement extended apply whole of sundays, , in october 1981, further extended include services after 7:30 p.m. on mondays saturdays.

in january 1963 somerton ford factory @ upfield converted dual gauge, 1 year after north east standard gauge line opened, , in october 1968 upfield somerton converted electric staff working.

automatic signalling crept little further along line, royal park jewell being converted in august 1971 , macaulay royal park in april 1972.

closure of tinning street manual gate last time on 6 sept 1998

by may 1988, proposals underway convert line light rail, following conversion of st kilda , port melbourne railway lines in 1987. after discussions local councils, unions , met, number of ideas floated, included converting entire line light rail, partial conversion, or closing parts of line , running light rail via sydney road. these proposals put rest in april 1995 when announced $23 million spent upgrading line. work included provision of power signalling rest of line, , boomgates @ level crossings, except few crossings closed instead. many of level crossings @ time still under control of gate keepers opened , closed gates manually every train.

automatic signalling extended jewell brunswick in september 1998, moreland batman in october, , batman upfield in november. last section coincided extension of duplication fawkner gowrie.