Benalla railway station

Benalla

Eastbound view in November 2008
Location Mackellar Street, Benalla
Australia
Coordinates 36°32′41″S 145°59′02″E / 36.5447°S 145.9838°E / -36.5447; 145.9838Coordinates: 36°32′41″S 145°59′02″E / 36.5447°S 145.9838°E / -36.5447; 145.9838
Owned by VicTrack
Operated by V/Line
Line(s) North East
Oaklands
Tatong
Distance 195.25 kilometres from Southern Cross
Platforms 2 (1 island)
Tracks 9
Construction
Structure type Ground
Disabled access Yes
Other information
Status Staffed
Station code BEN
Fare zone Myki Zone 16
Website Public Transport Victoria
History
Opened 18 August 1873
Services
Preceding station   V/Line   Following station
North East line
toward Albury
Preceding station   NSW TrainLink   Following station
towards Melbourne
NSW TrainLink Southern
Melbourne XPT
towards Sydney

Benalla railway station is located on the North East line, in Victoria, Australia. It serves the town of Benalla, and opened on 18 August 1873, as the temporary terminus of the line from Violet Town, before it was extended to Wangaratta on 28 October 1873.[1]

A goods shed and sidings are located to the west of the station, whilst a locomotive depot was formerly located to the north. A turntable remains, and, until the broad gauge was converted to standard gauge, was occasionally used by steam locomotives.

To the north of the station, the Oaklands line, towards Yarrawonga, branches off. Benalla was also the junction for the now closed Tatong line.

Former station Baddaginnie was located between Benalla and Violet Town, while former stations Winton and Glenrowan were located between Benalla and Wangaratta.

History

The site of the station was a controversial decision at the time, guided by the 1870 flood of the Broken River to the south that engulfed the town. The railway line opened on 18 August 1873, but only temporary facilities were provided. The first permanent building was provided in 1874, of identical design to that at Seymour. It was extended in 1888, including dining and refreshment room facilities and administrative offices, all topped by a large tower, all of which were demolished by late 1974.[2][3]

The bridge over the Broken River, of iron plate-girder construction, was the longest metal girder bridge in Australia at the time of construction, totalling 241.7 metres. Listed on the Victorian Heritage Register, it was the second bridge of its type built in Victoria, and the first metal railway bridge both designed and fabricated within the colony.[4]

The Oaklands branch line to St James opened in 1883, and was extended to Yarrawonga in 1886. The goods yard was expanded for this extra traffic in 1885, with more sidings added in 1902. Around this time, the original goods shed was demolished and replaced. The Tatong branch line followed in 1913, and remained until closure in 1947.[2]

In 1913, Benalla gained a second and third platform, these being a wide island platform, with a cantilevered verandah, located to the west of the main station building. The platforms were linked by an iron footbridge, which was provided in 1888, and was located across the station yard. The island platform was removed in 1937, leaving the main platform only.[2] Two signal boxes were built in 1888, both being extended in 1914.[2] Only the Up end signal box remains today, unused.

A locomotive shed was provided at Benalla early on, located at the Down end of the station yard. Of corrugated iron construction, it could house six engines. In 1899, a roundhouse shed was erected, with the old shed used for wagon repairs. In 1908, a 70 feet (21 m) long turntable was provided, replaced in 1953 by an electrically driven unit. After the demise of steam locomotives, usage declined, with several stalls removed in 1960, to permit the passage of the parallel standard gauge track.[2]

An underpass was provided at the Up end of the station in 1979, to replace a footbridge that was located at the Down end of the station.

In 1985, the former Way & Works area was replace with a new camp site. During this time, the former office and crew rooms of the locomotive depot were also demolished.[5] The passenger facilities in the main station building were also refurbished during this time.[6]

On 27 April 1988, the former BP and Mobil oil sidings were abolished.[7]

Further alterations occurred in May 1991, including the removal of a number of sidings, crossovers, disc signals and signal posts, and the sleeving of a number of levers.[8] Also during 1991, the electric staff sections Benalla - Glenrowan - Wangaratta were abolished, and was replaced with electric staff section Benalla 'B' Box - Wangaratta.[9]

The locomotive depot was hit by a severe storm on 22 November 1994, leaving the shed damaged and destroying two Tait carriages stored inside. The shed was later demolished.[10]

Platforms & services

Benalla has one island platform with two faces. It is serviced by V/Line Albury line services and NSW TrainLink XPT Sydney to Melbourne services.[11][12]

Platform 1:

Platform 2:

Gallery

References

  1. ↑ Benalla Vicsig
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Turton, Keith W (1973). Six And A Half Inches From Destiny. Australian Railway Historical Society. pp. 99, 127. ISBN 0-85849-012-9.
  3. ↑ "Way & Works". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. February 1975. p. 44.
  4. ↑ "Railway Bridge over Broken River - Benalla". National Trust of Australia. Retrieved 2008-12-24.
  5. ↑ "Works". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. September 1985. p. 281.
  6. ↑ "Works". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. May 1985. p. 147.
  7. ↑ "Works". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. July 1988. p. 220.
  8. ↑ "Works". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. August 1991. p. 253.
  9. ↑ "Works". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. October 1991. p. 338.
  10. ↑ "Operations". Newsrail. Australian Railway Heritage Society: 55. February 1995.
  11. ↑ Albury - Melbourne Public Transport Victoria
  12. ↑ "Southern timetable" (PDF). NSW Trainlink. 20 October 2013 [Updated 30 June 2014].

External links

Closed station navigation
Oaklands line
Junction | Goorambat Next station →
Tatong line
Junction | Towards Tatong
Closed stations
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