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This is a general guide on improving operating metropolitan Melbourne and regional victorian train station articles. Plenty of articles could see further improvement with the majority of articles being stubs and start class to Good Article (GA) or even Featured Article (FA) status. This guide combines my personal opinion on how these articles should be structured, the structure of other GAs from Perth and Singapore, as well as aspects currently used in Melbourne (and Victorian) train station articles. Please note that this is just a guide, and it does not have to be adhered to strictly. By following this guide, it isn't guaranteed that an improved article may attain GA status, and as always, check the criteria for Good Aritcles.
Each article should include the same headings as one another. Alongside headings, each article should include an infobox and appropriately sized lead section. Headings included in each article should included:
Description
History
Platforms and services
Transport links
References
External links
In contrast, the following headings shouldn't be included:
Gallery (images should be placed next to article text)
Incidents (should be included in the history section as its own subheading if significant enough)
Architectural features (should be included under the Description heading)
Every article should include an infobox with appropriate, factual information. Caulfield station is a good example of an infobox with appropriate information. Each infobox should, at minimum include:
Station name (e.g. Malvern)
Type of station (e.g. PTV commuter)
Style (must be Melbourne or V/Line)
An image (shows the station platforms or main entrance)
The lead section should "identify the topic" and "summarise the body of the article" with appropriate weight. In short, whatever is in the article body (and the infobox) should be mentioned in the lead. There is no standardised format for writing station leads, though I recommend two or three paragraphs. Typically, the first paragraph could mention the station and its location, heritage status, opening date, platform layout and design, and accessibility status. In the second section I typically include the train services, transport connections (trams followed by buses and coaches), and the journey time to Southern Cross or Flinders Street (doesn't really matter).
Here's a good example from the Caulfield railway station article:
Caulfield railway station is a commuter railway station on the northern boundary of Caulfield East, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Opened in 1879 and rebuilt from 1913 to 1914, the station complex is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register and is noted as an example of Federation Free Style architecture. It is named after the nearby suburb of Caulfield, located southwest of the station.
The station consists of an island platform and two side platforms, all accessed by a pedestrian underpass. There are three principal station buildings located on the platforms, including a small brick building located on Platform 1, near the main platform building. This building was provided in 1974 and originally served as a ticket office for the Caulfield Racecourse, which is directly adjacent. The station complex also features a rare "horse platform" used when horses were delivered to the racecourse. The station is only partially accessible due to a steep access ramp.
Here's another example from the Glen Iris railway station article:
Glen Iris railway station is a commuter railway station in Glen Iris, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The station opened on 24 March 1890 as part of the branch line from Burnley to Waverley Road station. The station consists of one island platform accessed by a pedestrian underpass. There is one principal station building located the platform. The single-story building, constructed in 1975 as part of the station's rebuilding, acts as a shelter and has toilet facilities. The station is only partially accessible due to steep access ramps.
Following the infobox and lead comes the description part of the article. This section aims to define basic information about the station structure, as opposed to its services. This section should always include three or more paragraphs with images that describe what is mentioned.
Paragraph 1
The suburb it is located in (e.g Armadale, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria)
Nearby landmarks
Owner of the station and who operated it (e.g. the station is owned by VicTrack, a state government agency, and the station is operated by Metro Trains)
The distance (distance and time) from Flinders Street or Southern Cross station
Armadale railway station is located in the suburb of Armadale, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria. The station is located nearby to the High Street shopping precinct and the heritage listed Kings Arcade. The station is owned by VicTrack, a state government agency, and the station is operated by Metro Trains. The station is approximately 7.3 kilometres (4.5 mi), or a 14-minute train journey, from Flinders Street station.The adjacent stations are Toorak stationup towards Melbourne, and Malvern stationdown towards Frankston.
The heritage listed station structure on Platforms 2 and 3 in 2004.
The station consists of a single island platform and two side platforms with a total of four platform edges. Standard in Melbourne, the platform has an asphalt surface with concrete on the edges. The platforms are approximately 160 metres (524.93 Ft) long, enough for a Metro Trains 7 car HCMT. The station features a pedestrian bridge, accessed from the centre of the platforms by a ramp. The station features two principal station buildings, both former ticketing offices which are now heritage listed staff facilities. Distinct Edwardian architectural features of the red brick station buildings include ornate parapets, cement banding, tall chimneys with terracotta pots, tiled hip roof with terracotta finials, and stucco walls. An additional station building is present onsite, 14 Cheel Street. This building is a single-storey Edwardian-era shop listed as 'A2' grade on the Victorian heritage register.
The station building, platform, and underpass are largely the same as when originally built, with the main change being updated signage, technology, and the addition of one new platform canopy amongst other minor building and platform upgrades. There is no car parking available at the station. The station is listed as an "assisted access" station on the Metro Trains website, as the access ramp is too steep and would require assistance for wheelchair customers to traverse.
Subheadings may be introduced for articles with significant information about the station structure. Subheadings may include architectural features like clocks, signal boxes, etc.
As a large amount of stations in Melbourne are more than 130 years old, gathering details and information on their history may be difficult. At minimum, the history section should include:
Opening date
Initial structure
How the station was named
Station rebuilds (in chronological order and why)
Electrification, signalling upgrades
Platform extensions
Closures of station infrastructure (signal boxes, goods siding, point works)
Significant incidents (crashes, accidents)
Any appropriate images
This information should be structured appropriately, with subheadings introduced if required (e.g fires, station rebuilds (Level Crossing Removal Project)). If the station was rebuilt or upgraded as part of the LXRP, a large portion of the history should be dedicated to documenting the works as information is widely available.
Armadale railway station was opened on 7 May 1879 with the station consisting of a single platform and track for commuter and freight service. Like the suburb itself, the station was named after Armadale House the residence of former premier and attorney-generalJames Munro. The house was named after Armadale, Scotland, where Munro was born. The first station buildings were opened on the site between 1881 and 1883 to coincide with the duplication of track between the city and Oakleigh. The current station was constructed in 1914 to provide improved and additional facilities to what had become an increasingly busy and important location on the train network. The station rebuild was part of level crossing removal works that removed all level crossings, rebuilt all stations, and quadruplicated the corridor between South Yarra and Caulfield by 1914. Later in 1922, the line was electrified using 1500 V DC overhead wires with three position signalling also introduced.
The station has mostly stayed the same since 1914, with only minor upgrades taking place. In 1972, the island platform (Platforms 2 and 3) was extended at both ends. In 1978, a former goods siding and associated point work were permanently closed before being removed. In 1993, major re-signalling works occurred between Toorak and Caulfield stations. The station underwent minor upgrades with the installation of a new shelter on Platform 1 in the 2010s. In 2021, resignalling works occurred to upgrade the corridor to high capacity signalling as part of the Metro Tunnel project.
14 Cheel Street
Located next to the station entrance on 14 Cheel Street is a class A2 heritage listed single-storey Edwardian-era shop. This building was previously a general store, however, in 2015 structural problems emerged inside the building forcing the closure of the store and eviction of the tenants. The structure has been reenforced due to the inability to demolish the building, due to its "high local significance that act as an important milestone in the development of the region or the municipality, and that it may illustrate one or more of the key local historical themes."
Caulfield railway station was opened on 7 May 1879 with the station consisting of a single platform and track for commuter and freight service. The first station buildings were opened on the site between 1881 and 1883 to coincide with the duplication of track between the city and Oakleigh. The current station was constructed in 1913–14 to provide improved and additional facilities to what had become an increasingly busy and important location on the train network. The station rebuild was part of level crossing removal works that removed all level crossings, rebuilt all stations, and quadruplicated the corridor between South Yarra and Caulfield by 1914. Later in 1922, the line was electrified using 1500 V DC overhead wires with three position signalling also introduced.
The station has mostly stayed the same since 1914, with only minor upgrades taking place. In 1977, the goods yard and loading platform was closed to traffic. This platform had been used for cargo, postal, farming, and Caulfield Racecourse horse deliveries during its operational life, however was decommissioned after the reduction in use. In 1985, a number of sidings and their associated points and signals were abolished. The station underwent minor upgrades in 1994 and 2015–16, and in June 1996, it was upgraded to a Premium Station. In July 2022, the signal box at the station was closed with operations handelled remotely from the Kananook signal control centre.
In conjunction with the Metro Tunnel project, Caulfield station has received upgrades to its heritage structures, platforms, ticketing facilities, and signage. These projects have been undertaken to make Caulfield station into a hub and major interchange station. Despite these upgrades, many news outlets and public transport commentators have called for more drastic upgrades to the station, including making the station fully accessible, increasing connectivity to other modes of transport, and the reduction in overcrowding that is often faced at the station.
Caulfield Railway Disaster (an image was included in the original article)
On 26 May 1926 the 6:02 pm Oakleigh-bound train crashed into the rear of a stationary train at Platform 4 of Caulfield Station. Three people were killed and 170 injured in the first fatal accident to occur on Melbourne's electrified rail system. A highly politised story at the time, the Coroners verdict found that "the weight of evidence is certainly against the driver in a more serious degree, and perhaps to a lesser degree against the guard. I find that deceased died from injuries received in a collision between two electric trains at Caulfield on May 26, and I find William Stevenson Milvain and James Hargreaves guilty of manslaughter in the first degree." The court found that the two men not guilty with "the opinion of the jury, from the evidence given regarding the running of electric trains, the precautions taken to safeguard the public at this particular point are inadequate, and should be rectified immediately." A plaque was unveiled on Platform 4 in 2011 by the Friends of Cheltenham and Regional Cemeteries to commemorate the crash.
Here's a good example from the Gardiner railway station article (images were included in the original article):
Gardiner railway station opened on 24 March 1890 with the line through the station originally built to link Burnley to the Outer Circle line at Waverley Road, before continuing onto Oakleigh. The station was named after local pastoralist John Gardiner, who settled near the junction of the Yarra River and Gardiners Creek in 1836. The line to Kooyong was duplicated in 1955, with the duplication to Glen Iris occurring in 1957. Also at this time, three-position signalling was provided along the length of the rail line.
The station was rebuilt in 1975 to coincide with the construction of the South Eastern Arterial link and other station rebuilds along the corridor at the time. This was the first station rebuild since its opening, however, not its last with the station being rebuild in 2016 to coincide with level crossing removal works. In 1986, manually controlled boom barriers replaced interlocked gates at the former Burke Roadlevel crossing, which was located at the down end of the station. Also at this time, level crossing safety upgrades occurred, with power operated pedestrian gates provided.
Level Crossing Removal Project
After numerous accidents at the Burke Road level crossing, the Liberal-NationalNapthine government announced the crossing was to be grade-separated by mid-2017. This crossing was one of the last 4 remaining tram-train level crossings in Melbourne. These crossings are notorious for accidents and collisions, as trains and trams have to intersect at different electrical voltages. In 2011, Transport Minister Terry Mulder said the government planned to remove the Burke Road level crossing, however, no commencement/conclusion date was announced.
In May 2014, the government announced a $524 million package to remove three level crossings across Melbourne, to be delivered by VicRoads. The funding package included lowering the rail line underneath Burke Road, the redevelopment of Gardiner station north of its existing location, the construction of a tram super-stop, and the expansion of car parking facilities located south of their current location. The Napthine government lost the state election later that year, however, construction still went ahead under the Andrews government. This project was incorporated into the newly formed Level Crossing Removal Project in 2015.
During 2015, construction began on the project with piling works and service relocations to create the rail trench. Major construction ramped up throughout July, with closures of the Glen Waverley line to facilitate further piling and excavation works. In September 2015, demolition of the original station occurred with the opening of a temporary station to continue to facilitate rail services. Once the temporary station opened, major excavation works were able to begin. Construction of the station also occurred during this time, with the prefabricated station buildings installed and platforms installed. With works continuing throughout the rest of 2015, the level crossing was removed in early 2016 with the reopening of Burke Road and Gardiner station. The station opened in a basic state, with elevators, paving, additional exits, and other facilities opening later in early 2016. In April 2016 the opening of the newly resurfaced carpark, the new tram super-stop located 100m north of the station, landscaping, and the rebuilt Gardiner Park—used by the project team as vehicle storage and site office facilities throughout the duration of the project. The redevelopment of Gardiner Park included the construction of a new clubhouse, the instiallion of a fake grass playing field, public realm upgrades, and a new playground.
As part of level crossing removal works, the Gardiner station signal box, located on Platform 2, was restored into public space after it was no longer needed to control the former road and tramway crossing. It was closed on 2 January 2016, 16 days before grade separation works concluding and the station reopened. Also build in conjunction with removal works is the presence of an eleven storey high communication tower, aimed at improving identification of trains, and emergency management, around the network. Gardiner station is one of 16 stations across the network to feature these installations.
This section should provide information and description on what train services stop or express through the station. A paragraph describing the services should include information on the number and type of platforms, the services and who operate them, and a minor description of the route. Any future services should also be mentioned.
After the description, a list of platforms with their services and stopping patterns (stopping all stations, express) should be included. The line name should be mentioned using the RouteBox template with colouring matching the official PTV train map.
Caulfield has two side platforms and one island platform with four faces. The station is currently served by Pakenham, Cranbourne, and Frankston line trains, and is also served by V/LineTraralgon and Bairnsdale services. Caulfield station is served by the Pakenham, Cranbourne, and Frankston lines on the metropolitan train network, and the Gippsland line on the regional V/Line network. The Pakenham line runs between Pakenham station and Flinders Street station via the City Loop. Similarly, the Cranbourne line also follows a similar route joining the Pakenham line at Dandenong before continuing to the city. The Frankston line runs from Frankston station south east of Melbourne, joining the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines at Caulfield station before continuing onto the Werribee or Williamstown lines via Flinders Street station. The station is also serviced by V/Line's Gippsland line heading up towards Southern Cross station or down towards Traralgon or Bairnsdale stations. From 2025, the Pakenham and Cranbourne lines will run via the Metro Tunnel before continuing onto the Sunbury line to Sunbury. From 2029, Airport services will stop at Caulfield station.
Here's a good example from the Hawksburn railway station article, showing how it should be formatted when services express through the station:
Hawksburn has two side platforms and one island platform with four faces. The station is currently served by the Frankston line—a service on the metropolitan rail network. The Frankston line runs from Frankston station south east of Melbourne, joining the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines at Caulfield station before continuing onto the Werribee or Williamstown lines via Flinders Street station. Despite the Pakenham and Cranbourne lines operating through the station, these services do not stop at the station due to low station patronage, instead running express through the station.
A list of transport links should be included in the article with a description of each. I define 'Transport links' as connecting forms of public transport operated by Public Transport Victoria within 200m of the station. A description of all routes should be included at the top of the section. This section should include a list of the number of connections, a small description of each individual connection (destinations and route number), wether or not the station has a bus interchange or accessible tram stop, and the fact that the station has replacement bus/coach stops (and if it is or isn't a hub for these services). The list should be show bold headings for trams, followed by buses, coaches, and other forms of public transport. For trams, the route icon should be placed at the beginning of the dot point, and for buses, coaches, and ferries a colour box should be included. If the station has multiple transport connections on different roads surrounding the station, then it should look like this:
Here's a good example from the Caulfield railway station article, showing how it should be formatted with buses and trams:
Caulfield station has one tram connection and two bus connections. The route 3/3a tram service operates from nearby Derby road up towards the city and down towards Malvern East. The station has two bus connections, route 624 from Kew to Oakleigh station and the route 900 SmartBus from Caulfield station to Stud Park Shopping Centre in Rowville. The station does not have an accessible tram platform or a bus interchange, and instead is operated through on-street bus and tram stops. Caulfield station is also a major hub for train replacement bus and coach services due to the junction located east of the station. The station has numerous train replacement bus and coach stops located north and south of the station, with the ability for the southern carpark to be converted into a transfer point.
Here's a good example from the Armadale railway station article, showing how it should be formatted with buses and trams:
Armadale station has one tram and bus connection. The route 6 tram service operates from nearby High Street up towards the city and down towards Glen Iris. The station also connects to the route 605 bus service from Gardenvale to the Melbourne CBD (on Queen Street). The station does not have an accessible tram platform or a bus interchange, and instead is operated through on-street bus and tram stops. Armadale station also has train replacement bus stops located adjacent to the station.
Hierarchy is important in these lists. It should have any tram services first, followed by bus services, then coach, ferry, and any remaining ones (if there even are such ones).
References should be correctly formatted, inline during the article, and placed at the end of the article. If any notes need to be included, place them before the references section.
: Melbourne University – Malvern East (operates as 3a on weekends and Public Holidays)
Media related to Gardiner railway station, Melbourne at Wikimedia Commons
