Richmond Railway Station, Melbourne

Richmond railway station is a commuter and regional railway station on the suburban Alamein, Belgrave, Cranbourne, Frankston, Glen Waverley, Lilydale, Pakenham, and Sandringham lines; and the regional Gippsland line, part of the Melbourne and Victorian railway networks. It serves the inner east suburb of Richmond, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Richmond station is an elevated premium station and major junction, featuring ten platforms: five island platforms with two faces each. It opened on 8 February 1859, with the current station provided in the late 1950s.

Initially opened as Punt Road, the station was renamed two times. The station was renamed to Swan Street on 12 December 1859, then it was given its current name of Richmond on 1 January 1867.

History

Richmond station has been relocated and rebuilt four times. The first station was at ground level, and opened on 8 February 1859 as Punt Road. It closed in the same year, on 12 December. On the same day, a new station called Swan Street, also at ground level, opened. It was re-named Richmond on 1 January 1867. In 1885, an elevated station was opened just north of Swan Street, with six platforms.

By the 1930s, the station was struggling to cope with patronage. The 1940 Ashworth Improvement Plan recommended that it be rebuilt, but funding problems during World War II prevented that from happening. The station had also deteriorated to the point that it was condemned by the local council. In the 1950s, work began on a replacement, as part of Operation Phoenix, the postwar rebuilding of the Victorian Railways. (VR publicity brochure) However, it was not until 26 March 1960 that the present station was completed. Located slightly west of the previous station, the bridges at each end of the station, across Punt Road and Swan Street, were also rebuilt to accommodate the ten tracks. For a time, platforms at both the old and new stations were used, before the original station was closed and demolished.

In 1973, the flyover for the down Burnley local line was built at the up end of Platforms 9 and 10, with the junction to the east of Platforms 7, 8, 9 and 10 abolished in the same year.

Richmond station was the filming location for the opening scene of the 1992 Australian film ''Romper Stomper'' where it was used as a stand-in for Footscray station.

In 1994, major re-signalling works occurred between Richmond and South Yarra. On 4 December 1996, Richmond was upgraded to a premium station.

During 2015, the verandahs on all platforms were lengthened and roofs installed over the ramps leading to the pedestrian subway at the up end of the station. The additional verandahs filled in the gaps between the existing verandahs, giving passengers coverage against inclement weather and to reduce overcrowding.

During the 2018/2019 financial year, it was the ninth-busiest station in metropolitan Melbourne, with 4.17 million boardings per year.

Platforms, facilities and services

Richmond has ten platforms: five island platforms with two faces each. It is built on an embankment immediately east of Punt Road, with platforms extending west across the Punt Road railway bridge. The station is connected by three subways, with access to the platforms by ramps. There are no lifts at the station.

The station is located in Melbourne's sporting precinct. A special-events entrance at the western end is opened during events at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne Park and AAMI Park.

It is serviced by Metro Trains' Alamein, Belgrave, Cranbourne, Frankston, Glen Waverley, Lilydale, Pakenham and Sandringham line services, and V/Line's Gippsland line services.

Platform 1:
* all stations services to Flinders Street

Platform 2:
* all stations services to Sandringham

Platform 3:
* all stations services to Flinders Street, Werribee and Williamstown

Platform 4:
* all stations and limited express services to Frankston

Platform 5:
* all stations services to Flinders Street
* all stations services to Flinders Street
* V/Line services to Southern Cross (set down only)

Platform 6:
* express services to East Pakenham
* express services to Cranbourne
* V/Line services to Traralgon and Bairnsdale (pick up only)

Platform 7 and 8:
* all stations services to Flinders Street
* all stations services to Flinders Street
* all stations services to Flinders Street
* weekday all stations services to Flinders Street

Platform 9 and 10:
* all stations and limited express services to Lilydale
* all stations and limited express services to Belgrave
* all stations and limited express services to Glen Waverley
* weekday all stations and limited express services to Alamein

Transport links

Kinetic Melbourne operates one bus route via Richmond station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:
* : Elsternwick station – Clifton Hill

Yarra Trams operates one route via Richmond station:
* : Waterfront City Docklands – Wattle Park

Usage

In 2023-24 financial year, Richmond was the sixth-busiest station on Melbourne's metropolitan network.

Gallery

File:Richmond-station-platforms.jpg, Westbound view from Platform 6, with the now replaced Sydney style blue and yellow tactile, which were replaced with the regular orange and yellow tactile in mid-2010s, March 2008
File:Platform 1 - Richmond Station.jpg, Westbound view from Platform 1, January 2021. The junction of Punt Road and Olympic Boulevard is to the left, with AAMI Park in the distance
File:Exterior building at Richmond Station September 2024.jpg, The exterior building and entrance on the southern side of the station, September 2024
File:Richmond Westbound Platform 6, July 2024.jpg, Westbound view from Platform 6, July 2024

Notes

References

External links

Melway map
at street-directory.com.au

{{Public Transport Victoria railway stations, Alamein=y, Belgrave=y, Cranbourne=y, Frankston=y, Glen Waverley=y, Lilydale=y, Pakenham=y, Sandringham=y, Eastern=y, state=collapsed

Premium Melbourne railway stations
Railway stations in Australia opened in 1859
Railway stations in the City of Yarra