Newmarket railway station, Melbourne

Updated on Nov 15, 2023

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Owned by VicTrack Line(s) Craigieburn Opened 1 November 1860 Connection Tram Tracks 2		Operated by Metro Platforms 2 side Owner VicTrack Rebuilt 9 October 1871

Location Pin Oak Crescent, Flemington Distance 4.30 kilometres from Southern Cross Address Flemington VIC 3031, Australia Similar Flemington Bridge railway st, Kensington railway station - M, Flemington Racecourse railway st, Melbourne Showgrounds, Ascot Vale railway station

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

History

A permanent station building was built in 1886, with the present buildings provided in 1925. The bridge over Racecourse Road is the third on the site. Interlocking and a signal box, for the Flemington Racecourse line junction, were brought into use in 1880, and became remotely controlled from Kensington in 1969.

The station was used during construction of CityLink in 1997/1998, for passengers to shuttle to and from Flemington Bridge station, on the Upfield line, due to trains not running between Flemington Bridge and North Melbourne, and the temporary closure of Macaulay station. This was to allow elevated roads, linking the West Gate Freeway and the Tullamarine Freeway, to be constructed.

More recently, it became obvious that structural problems were affecting the building on Platform 1, which is elevated and on concrete piers, on which cracks and concrete cancer were evident. The retaining wall at the back of the platform was also exhibiting extensive concrete cancer. Metal props were inserted to shore up the piers, and the cantilevered awning over the platform was demolished, and replaced by a temporary timber structure. Half of the large ramp from street level to the station entrance was removed, partly to allow three steel straps to be bolted to the outside of the building, to support the wall. Parts of the building were eventually demolished in 2014.

Special services to Flemington Racecourse and Showgrounds stations run though the station, but do not stop, with signs on the platform advising passengers of the fact. The junction for the Flemington Racecourse line is located immediately north of the station.