Westgarth railway station

Westgarth railway station is a commuter railway station on the Hurstbridge line, which is part of the Melbourne railway network. It serves the north-eastern suburb of Northcote, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Westgarth station is a ground level unstaffed station, featuring two side platforms. It opened on 8 May 1888.<ref name="vicsigwestgarth">Template:Cite web</ref>

Initially opened as Westgarth Street, the station was renamed two times. It was renamed to Northcote South on 1 August 1888 and then given its current name of Westgarth on 10 December 1906.<ref name="vicsigwestgarth">Template:Cite web</ref>

History

Westgarth station opened on 8 May 1888 as Westgarth Street, along the newly opened railway line between Collingwood and Heidelberg.<ref name="vicsigwestgarth"/> Westgarth station, like the locality itself, was named after William Westgarth, a merchant, historian and a member of both the New South Wales Legislative Council and the Victorian Legislative Council.<ref name="vpwestgarth">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="heraldsun">Template:Cite web</ref> Shortly after, on 1 August 1888 the station's name was changed to Northcote South.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On 10 December 1906, the station was renamed from Northcote South to its current name, Westgarth. This was done to prevent confusion as there were several train stations in Northcote named after the suburb at the time.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In late 1912, whilst the line was being duplicated between Westgarth and Alphington.<ref name="vicsigwestgarth" /> Westgarth was relocated from the up end to the down end; directly north of Westgarth Street where it remains today.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The current weatherboard station buildings were also built at this time.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 1913, complaints arose regarding the substandard facilities and the lack of staff and pedestrian crossing at the newly constructed station.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Described as "an island in a sea of mud"<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> commuters were said to "climb the fence and walked along the railway reserve, to save a walk a quarter of a mile."<ref name=":0" /> This prompted a timber footbridge to be constructed, which remains in the same place today.

In 1968, boom barriers replaced interlocked gates at the Westgarth Street level crossing, located at the up end of the station.<ref name="barriers">Template:Cite web</ref> The signal box for the level crossing was also abolished at that time.<ref name="vicsigwestgarth" />

During late 2008 and early 2009, 750 meters of single track between Westgarth and Clifton Hill was duplicated. This included a second bridge over the Merri Creek running parallel to the original 1888 rail bridge. On 27 January 2009, the duplicated track and bridge opened.<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref>

Platforms and services

A PID on Platform 1 displaying a Flinders Street-bound service, September 2024

Westgarth has two side platforms. It is served by Hurstbridge line trains.<ref>Template:Cite PTV route</ref>

Current

colspan="5" style="background:#Template:Rcr;background-image: linear-gradient(to right, #Template:Rcr); " |Westgarth platform arrangement
Platform	Line	Destination	Service Type
1	Template:RouteBox	Flinders Street	All stations and limited express services
2	Template:RouteBox	Macleod, Greensborough, Eltham, Hurstbridge	All stations

Transport links

Dysons operates one route to and from Westgarth station:

• Template:Color box: to Moonee Ponds Junction<ref>Template:Cite PTV route</ref>

Kinetic Melbourne operates two bus routes via Westgarth station:

• Template:Color box: Queen Street (Melbourne CBD) – La Trobe University Bundoora campus<ref>Template:Cite PTV route</ref>
• Template:Color box: Queen Street (Melbourne CBD) – Northland Shopping Centre<ref>Template:Cite PTV route</ref>

Yarra Trams operates one route via Westgarth station:

• File:Melbourne tram route 86 icon.svg: Bundoora RMIT – Waterfront City (Docklands)<ref>Template:Cite PTV route</ref>

Gallery

• 
  North-east bound view from Platform 2, May 2014
• 
  South-west bound view from Platform 1 at night, March 2018
• 
  South-west bound view of Platform 2 and footbridge, July 2020
• 
  South-west bound view from Platform 2, with the Westgarth Street level crossing seen ahead, November 2024
• 
  South-west bound view of the station platforms, November 2024
• 
  Station building and entrance to Platform 1, November 2024
• 
  Station building and entrance to Platform 2, November 2024

External links

• Melway map at street-directory.com.au