Clifton Hill railway station is a commuter railway station and the junction point on the Mernda and Hurstbridge lines, which are both part of the Melbourne railway network. It serves the north-eastern suburb of Clifton Hill, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Clifton Hill station is a ground-level premium station, featuring two side platforms. It opened on 8 May 1888, with the current station provided in 1990.[4]

Clifton Hill
PTV commuter rail station
Southbound view from Platform 1, August 2024
General information
LocationHoddle Street,
Clifton Hill, Victoria 3068
City of Yarra
Australia
Coordinates37°47′19″S 144°59′43″E / 37.7887°S 144.9954°E / -37.7887; 144.9954
Owned byVicTrack
Operated byMetro Trains
Line(s)
Distance6.60 kilometres from
Southern Cross
Platforms2 side
Tracks2
ConnectionsList of bus routes in Melbourne Bus
Construction
Structure typeGround
Parking90
Bicycle facilities17
AccessibleNo—steep ramp
Other information
StatusOperational, premium station
Station codeCHL
Fare zoneMyki Zone 1
WebsitePublic Transport Victoria
History
Opened8 May 1888; 136 years ago (1888-05-08)
Rebuilt1990
ElectrifiedJuly 1921 (1500 V DC overhead)
Passengers
2005–2006772,225[1]
2006–2007802,205[1]Increase 3.88%
2007–2008842,750[1]Increase 5.05%
2008–20091,001,215[2]Increase 18.8%
2009–20101,029,502[2]Increase 2.82%
2010–20111,087,791[2]Increase 5.66%
2011–2012982,055[2]Decrease 9.72%
2012–2013Not measured[2]
2013–2014964,101[2]Decrease 1.82%
2014–2015916,334[1]Decrease 4.95%
2015–2016911,537[2]Decrease 0.52%
2016–20171,066,417[2]Increase 16.99%
2017–20181,264,801[2]Increase 18.6%
2018–2019990,096[2]Decrease 21.71%
2019–2020709,000[2]Decrease 28.39%
2020–2021347,000[2]Decrease 51.05%
2021–2022454,200[3]Increase 30.89%
Services
Preceding station Railways in Melbourne Metro Trains Following station
Victoria Park Mernda line Rushall
towards Mernda
Hurstbridge line Westgarth
towards Hurstbridge
Track layout
Ramsden Street
1
2

Immediately to the north of the station, the Mernda and Hurstbridge lines diverge.

History

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Clifton Hill station opened on 8 May 1888, when a railway line between Collingwood and Heidelberg was provided.[4][5] Like the suburb itself, the station was named after the farm Clifton, which was named in 1841 by early landowner John Docker.[6] Land speculator John Knipe later named the area Clifton Hill.[6]

 
The disused signal box, previously used for the hand gates at Ramsden Street level crossing

In December 1981, the station building was damaged by fire, although the heritage-registered verandah escaped serious damage. In 1990, the station was renovated, with a matching verandah built on the western platform (Platform 2).[7] In 1992, boom barriers replaced interlocked gates at the Ramsden Street level crossing, located nearby in the up direction of the station.[8] Signal boxes "A" and "B" were also abolished in May of that year, with semaphore signals replaced by coloured light signals.[8] On 25 June 1996, Clifton Hill was upgraded to a premium station.[7]

 
The level crossing's current boom gates, which were used since 1992, succeeding the hand gates, which were put back for show

Clifton Hill is listed on the Register of the National Estate[9] as an intact example of a Victorian Tudor-style suburban railway station, and is one of eleven that were originally built between 1887 and 1889. It is the only example that still retains the original corrugated iron wings on either side of the main building. The timber verandah on the eastern platform (Platform 1) is also considered architecturally rare. Other features of the complex include two timber-framed gabled roofed signal boxes (built in 1888 and 1901 respectively), located on either side of Platform 2, and the original swinging railway gates (out of use since 1992).[10] One signal box was for the operation of the former level crossing gates across Heidelberg Road, which was replaced by a road overpass in 1957. The other signal box controlled the level crossing gates at Ramsden Street.

Clifton Hill was once part of the Inner Circle line. The Hurstbridge line, between Clifton Hill and Westgarth, was duplicated during late 2008 and early 2009, and included a second bridge over the Merri Creek. On 27 January 2009, it was opened by former premier, John Brumby, and former transport minister, Lynne Kosky.[11]

In the early hours of 25 December 2011, a corrugated iron extension to the Platform 2 station building was damaged by fire.[12] By 12 January 2012, the extension was demolished and removed.[12]

Platforms and services

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An X'Trapolis train on a Hurstbridge-bound service arrives at Platform 2, August 2024

Clifton Hill has two side platforms, connected by an underpass. Platform 1 contains an enclosed waiting area, while Platform 2 contains a semi-enclosed waiting area and toilets.

 
A PID on Platform 2 displaying a Hurstbridge-bound service, August 2024

The station is serviced by Metro Trains' Mernda and Hurstbridge line services.[13][14]

Platform 1:

Platform 2:

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

Kinetic Melbourne operates one route via Clifton Hill station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d Estimated Annual Patronage by Network Segment Financial Year 2005–2006 to 2018–19 Department of Transport
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Railway station and tram stop patronage in Victoria for 2008–2021 Philip Mallis
  3. ^ Annual metropolitan train station patronage (station entries) Data Vic
  4. ^ a b "Clifton Hill". vicsig.net. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  5. ^ "THE NORTH SUBURBAN RAILWAY LINES". The Argus. No. 12, 677. Victoria, Australia. 11 February 1887. p. 9. Retrieved 17 March 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ a b "Clifton Hill". Victorian Places. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  7. ^ a b "Upgrading Eltham to a Premium Station". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. October 1997. pp. 303–315.
  8. ^ a b "Works". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. November 1992. p. 370.
  9. ^ Clifton Hill Railway Station Department of the Environment
  10. ^ Clifton Hill Railway Station Complex Heritage Victoria
  11. ^ Rapattoni, Frank (January 2010). "Engineering and Architecture Unite for Railway Bridge". IABSE Symposium Report. IABSE Symposium, Venice 2010: Large Structures and Infrastructures for Environmentally Constrained and Urbanised Areas. 97 (33): 190–191. doi:10.2749/222137810796024222. ISBN 978-3-85748-122-2. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  12. ^ a b "Works". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. February 2012. p. 58.
  13. ^ "Mernda Line". Public Transport Victoria.
  14. ^ "Hurstbridge Line". Public Transport Victoria.
  15. ^ "504 Moonee Ponds - Clifton Hill via East Brunswick". Public Transport Victoria.
  16. ^ "546 Heidelberg Station – Melb Uni – Queen Victoria Market via Clifton Hill and Carlton". Public Transport Victoria. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  17. ^ "246 Elsternwick - Clifton Hill via St Kilda". Public Transport Victoria.
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