Essendon railway station

Essendon
Northbound view from Platform 1
Location	Russell Street, Essendon Australia
Coordinates	37°45′22″S 144°54′58″E / 37.7560°S 144.9161°E / -37.7560; 144.9161Coordinates: 37°45′22″S 144°54′58″E / 37.7560°S 144.9161°E / -37.7560; 144.9161
Owned by	VicTrack
Operated by	Metro
Line(s)	Craigieburn
Distance	8.01 kilometres from Southern Cross
Platforms	3 (1 side, 1 island)
Tracks	3
Connections	Bus Tram
Construction
Structure type	Ground
Parking	444
Bicycle facilities	Yes
Other information
Status	Premium station
Station code	ESD
Fare zone	Myki Zone 1
Website	Public Transport Victoria
History
Opened	1 November 1860
Closed	1 July 1864
Rebuilt	9 October 1871
Electrified	Yes
Services
Preceding station   Metro Trains   Following station Moonee Ponds toward Flinders Street Craigieburn line Glenbervie toward Craigieburn Preceding station   V/Line   Following station North Melbourne toward Southern Cross Shepparton line Broadmeadows toward Seymour

Essendon railway station is located on the Craigieburn line, in Victoria, Australia. It serves the northern Melbourne suburb of Essendon, and opened on 1 November 1860, as the terminus of the private Melbourne and Essendon Railway Company line. The station closed with the line on 1 July 1864, but was reopened on 9 October 1871, under government ownership.

The line to the north was opened in 1872, as part of the North East railway to Wodonga. A completely new station, with a single platform, was provided in 1878, on the site of the present island platform, with passenger subways and footbridges added in 1886, along with conversion of the island platform to the current layout. It was also at this time that a road overpass was provided at Mount Alexander Road, in what was one of the first grade separation projects to be carried out in the state. In 1909, the present buildings were provided, along with a centre track between platforms 1 and 2.

Electric train services between the city and Essendon were inaugurated in 1919, with electrification extended to Broadmeadows in 1921. However, Essendon remained the terminus of most suburban services, with a shuttle service operating beyond until 1925, with all day through services to Broadmeadows not provided until 1941. The station took the layout it has today in 1969, with the abolition of the centre track, closure of the stand-alone signal box, provision of automatic signalling along the line, and replacement of the Buckley Street interlocked crossing gates with boom barriers.

Stabling of suburban trains at Essendon ceased on 8 June 1987, with the overhead wiring of all sidings removed just over a year later. The former sidings near Rose Street were removed on 1 September 1988.

Essendon has one island platform with two faces and one side platform. It is serviced by Metro Trains' Craigieburn line services and V/Line Seymour services. Platform 1 is rarely used, but it is used by V/Line services to overtake Metro Trains services, or when 3 car trains are terminating.