Sunshine railway station, Melbourne

Sunshine
PTV commuter and regional station
North-west bound view from Platform 2 in May 2014
General information
Location	Station Place, Sunshine, Victoria 3020 City of Brimbank Australia
Coordinates	37°47′17″S144°49′57″E / 37.7881°S 144.8325°E / -37.7881; 144.8325
Owned by	VicTrack
Operated by	Metro Trains
Line(s)	Sunbury Ballarat Ararat Maryborough Geelong (Serviceton)
Distance	12.25 kilometres from Southern Cross
Platforms	4 (1 island, 2 side)
Tracks	5
Connections	Bus
Construction
Structure type	Ground
Parking	250
Bicycle facilities	Yes
Accessible	Yes—step free access
Other information
Status	Operational, premium station
Station code	SUN
Fare zone	Myki Zone 1/2 overlap
Website	Public Transport Victoria
History
Opened	7 September 1885;137 years ago (1885-09-07)
Rebuilt	2012-2014
Electrified	October 1921 (1500 V DC overhead)
Previous names	Braybrook Junction (1885-1907)
Passengers
2005–2018 numbers 2005–2006 1,341,488 [1] Preceding station Metro Trains Following station Tottenham towards Flinders Street Sunbury line Albion towards Sunbury or Watergardens Footscray towards Flinders Street Sunbury line Express services Tottenham towards Dandenong, Pakenham or Cranbourne Sunshine–Dandenong corridor (under construction) Footscray towards Dandenong, Pakenham or Cranbourne Melbourne Airport (under construction) Keilor East towards Melbourne Airport Preceding station V/Line Following station Footscray towards Southern Cross Ballarat line Ardeer towards Wendouree Ballarat line (Melton line) Ardeer towards Melton or Bacchus Marsh Ararat line Ardeer towards Ararat Maryborough line One daily service Ardeer One-way operation Geelong line Deer Park towards Wyndham Vale, Geelong or Waurn Ponds

Sunshine railway station is located on the Sunbury line in Victoria, Australia. Originally named Braybrook Junction for the convergence of the major railways from central Melbourne to Ballarat and Bendigo, it was renamed when the suburb of Sunshine, which it serves, took its name from the nearby Sunshine Harvester Works. With the expansion of the railway network in Melbourne's west, Sunshine grew in importance, with cross-suburban goods routes constructed to Newport and from the adjacent Albion to Jacana line. From the mid-20th century, it became an interchange for the main interstate routes to South Australia and New South Wales, when the through line from Melbourne to Sydney was completed, although the main line to Adelaide was later diverted. In the early 21st century, the station was demolished and reconstructed to serve the diversion of the main passenger route to Geelong and beyond. It has been identified as a possible route for a future line to Melbourne Airport and as an interchange for the orbital Suburban Rail Loop.

Today, Sunshine is served by Metro Trains' services on the Sunbury line, and V/Line services on the Geelong and Ballarat lines. Bendigo and freight services to northern Victoria and towards Sydney also pass through the station. A large bus interchange at the station is a hub for surrounding suburbs.

History

Sunshine station opened on 7 September 1885 as Braybrook Junction. It was renamed Sunshine on 15 July 1907. ^[4]

19th century

The Melbourne & Murray River Railway (now named the Bendigo line), originating from Spencer Street station, was built in the late 1850s, from Footscray to Sunbury and Bendigo, however, no station was built at that time on the current site; the closest station was Albion and Darlington, on the site of the current Albion station. ^[5]

In 1885, the Serviceton line from Melbourne to Ballarat, via Bacchus Marsh, was provided, branching off from the Bendigo line, and a station at the junction of the two lines was built. The station opened on 7 September 1885 as Braybrook Junction, named such as it was at the junction of the two lines, and was within the Shire of Braybrook.

In 1887, the Sunshine – Newport line, connecting the new station at Braybrook Junction to Newport and Williamstown, Victoria's major cargo port at the time, was opened.

20th century

In 1907, Braybrook Junction station was renamed Sunshine, when Hugh McKay moved his Sunshine Harvester Works adjacent to the station. ^[4]

On 20 April 1908, Sunshine was the scene of the worst train crash in Victorian railway history, the Sunshine train disaster. 44 persons were killed and over 400 passengers were injured.

The Albion – Jacana line opened in 1929, connecting Sunshine with the North East line, allowing freight trains to avoid the steeper grades and suburban traffic on the suburban line between North Melbourne, Essendon and Broadmeadows.

The road level crossing at Sunshine was removed when grade separation was carried out in 1961. ^[6] The works took place as part of the project to construct a standard gauge line from Sydney to Melbourne. ^[7] In that same year, boom barriers were provided at the nearby former Anderson Road level crossing, on the Bendigo line. ^[8]

In January 1963, a fourth platform was provided on the adjacent Melbourne – Sydney standard gauge line, to enable passengers to transfer between the interstate Sydney and Adelaide expresses. ^[6] In 1965, control of signals at Albion was transferred to the signal box at Sunshine. ^[6] Also in that year, the Grain Elevator Board sidings, that serve the nearby grail silos, opened for traffic. ^[4] In 1976, a signal panel was provided to replace an existing panel ^[4] and, in 1977, boom barriers were provided at the nearby former Anderson Road level crossing, on the Serviceton line. ^[8]

Demolished station White City was located between Sunshine and Tottenham. It closed on 4 October 1981. ^[9]

On 5 February 1985, Harris trailer carriage 830T was destroyed by fire in a vandalism attack, whilst stabled in the former down end siding. ^{[10] [11]}

In 1988, the sidings leading to Massey Ferguson were booked out of use. The lead to the sidings, which crossed the standard gauge line, was removed in February of that year. ^[12]

In 1994, the former station underpass, which connected the platforms to nearby City Place, was completed, ^[13] and replaced an earlier underpass. ^[14] It was removed during the station upgrades between 2012 and 2014. Also in that year, the track leading to the former goods shed was removed, ^[14] and a number of semaphore signals were replaced with automatic colour signals. ^[15]

On 26 July 1996, Sunshine was upgraded to a premium station. ^[16]

21st century

In mid 2004, the platform on the standard gauge line was removed. ^[17] The waiting room on the platform was demolished five years earlier, in 1999. ^[18]

From 2012 to 2014, the station was rebuilt as part of the Regional Rail Link project. ^[19] Works included:

• a new bus interchange, completed in September 2013; ^[20]
• construction of a new footbridge and concourse, completed in January 2014; ^[21]
• upgrading Platforms 1 and 2 with new canopies;
• rebuilding Platform 3 and a new Platform 4, both completed in April 2014; ^{[22] [23]}

On 28 April 2014, the completed station was opened to the public.^{[ citation needed ]}

The standalone signal box to the north of the station, commissioned in 1914, was closed in 2016, and its control of the Sunshine and Albion areas transferred to Metrol. ^[24] The former signal box is one of the largest surviving examples of a tappet and lever frame box on the Victorian network, having once housed 80 levers. Although mechanical signalling was replaced with electronic interlocking before the box was finally taken out of service, it remains relatively intact as an example of Victorian Railways signal box architecture. ^[25]

In early 2020, construction commenced on a new signal control centre south of the station, which will share control of the Sunshine–Dandenong corridor with an existing facility at Dandenong, after completion of the Metro Tunnel. ^[26]

Expansion and precinct masterplan

Map showing the Melbourne Airport Rail link route. After the link is complete, Sunshine will be a major interchange for Airport passengers travelling to and from Melbourne and Victoria's west.

On 22 July 2018, the Victorian State Government announced that the Melbourne Airport rail link will be funded with state and Commonwealth money, and that it will operate from the Melbourne CBD to Melbourne Airport via Sunshine. ^[27] Sunshine would become an important interchange station under this plan, providing a connection between western regional and metropolitan rail lines and the new service to Melbourne Airport. As part of this project, the state government committed to building a "super hub" at Sunshine for passengers transferring between V/Line services, metropolitan services and airport trains. ^[28]

Immediate works at Sunshine, funded as part of the airport link, include the construction of a second accessible concourse for interchanging, extra ticket gates, new lifts, a new regional platform and extensions of existing regional platforms. ^{[28] [29]} A large 18m high flyover is also being built north of Sunshine, above the Albion rail junction. ^[30]

In 2022, construction commenced on the Airport link. ^[31] In October of that year, the State Government released a masterplan for the Sunshine station precinct, which envisioned a significant expansion of the station and its surrounds to cater for expected growth in patronage. ^{[32] [33]} The long-term masterplan envisioned multiple new entrances to the station, a new integrated bus interchange, new open spaces, new high-density developments surrounding the station and the creation of new pedestrian and cycling links across the rail lines. ^[34]

The state government committed $143 million to the first stage of the masterplan to be delivered alongside the Airport rail link works, which included the new bus interchange, new pedestrian paths, new open-space, establishing future development sites and preparation for future stages. ^[35]

Facilities, platforms and services

v t e Sunshine railway station track layout
Legend
to Tottenham to Newport-Sunshine line Stony Creek to Newport-Sunshine line 4 1 2 3 to Ardeer to Albion
Broad gauge, Electrified Broad gauge, Non-electrified Standard gauge, Non-electrified

Sunshine has two side platforms and a centre island platform with two faces. Access is provided to the platforms using stairs, lifts and ramps from an overhead footbridge and concourse, which features a customer service window, an enclosed waiting room and toilets.

It is serviced by Metro Trains' Sunbury line and V/Line Ballarat and Geelong line services. ^{[36] [37] [38]}

Platform 1:

•   Sunbury line   all stations and limited express services to Flinders Street

Platform 2:

•   Sunbury line   all stations services to Watergardens and Sunbury

By late 2025, it is planned that trains on the Sunbury line will be through-routed with those on the Pakenham and Cranbourne lines, via the new Metro Tunnel.

Platform 3:

•   Ballarat line   V/Line services to Southern Cross (set down only)
•   Ararat line   V/Line services to Southern Cross (set down only)
•   Geelong line   V/Line services to Southern Cross (set down only)
•   Maryborough line   one daily V/Line service to Southern Cross (set down only)

Platform 4:

•   Ballarat line   V/Line services to Melton, Bacchus Marsh and Wendouree (pick up only)
•   Ararat line   V/Line services to Ararat (pick up only)
•   Geelong line   V/Line services to Wyndham Vale, Geelong and Waurn Ponds (pick up only)

Transport links

There are 14 bus services that use the bus interchange at Sunshine station.

CDC Melbourne operates three routes via Sunshine station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:

•  400 : to Laverton station (via Robinsons Road, shared with Transit Systems Victoria) ^[39]
•  408 : St Albans station – Highpoint Shopping Centre ^[40]
•  410 : to Footscray (via Ballarat Road) ^[41]

Kinetic Melbourne operates four routes via Sunshine station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:

•  216 : to Melbourne CBD (Queen Street) (via Dynon Road) ^[42]
•  220 : to Melbourne CBD (Queen Street) via (Footscray Road) ^[43]
•  429 : to Sunshine South (loop service) ^[44]
• SmartBus  903 : Altona station – Mordialloc ^[45]

Transit Systems Victoria operates eight routes to and from Sunshine station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:

•  400 : to Laverton station (via Robinsons Road, shared with CDC Melbourne) ^[39]
•  420 : to Watergardens station (via Deer Park) ^[46]
•  422 : to Brimbank Central Shopping Centre ^[47]
•  427 : to Sunshine West (via Forrest Street) ^[48]
•  428 : to Sunshine West ^[49]
•  456 : to Woodgrove Shopping Centre (Melton) (via Rockbank) ^[50]
•  471 : to Williamstown (via Newport and Altona Gate Shopping Centre) ^[51]
• Night Bus  941 : to Watergardens station (Saturday and Sunday mornings only) ^[52]

Gallery

• 
  Westrans Volgren bodied Volvo B7L at Sunshine station in December 2013
• 
  South-east bound view from Platform 3 in May 2014

References

1. Estimated Annual Patronage by Network Segment Financial Year 2005-2006 to 2018-19 Department of Transport
2. Railway station and tram stop patronage in Victoria for 2008-2021 Philip Mallis
3. Annual metropolitan train station patronage (station entries) Data Vic
4. "Sunshine". vicsig.net. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
5. Brimbank City Council - Travelling: Roads, Railways and Bridges
6. SE Dornan & RG Henderson (1979). Electric Railways of Victoria. Australian Electric Traction Society. p. 68. ISBN   0-909459-06-1.
7. Going Ahead (PDF). Melbourne: Victorian Railways. 1960. p. 12. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
8. Andrew Waugh. "VR History by Andrew Waugh - Bendigo Line" (PDF). vrhistory.com. Retrieved 24 February 2009.
9. "Works". Newsrail . Australian Railway Historical Society. November 1981. p. 274.
10. "Train blaze". The Herald . 6 February 1985. p. 3.
11. "Rollingstock". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. May 1985. p. 152.
12. "Works". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. April 1988. p. 123.
13. "Works". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. April 1994. p. 121.
14. "Works". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. May 1994. p. 153.
15. "Works". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. July 1994. p. 219.
16. "Upgrading Eltham to a Premium Station". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. October 1997. pp. 303–315.
17. "Works". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. September 2004. p. 290.
18. Banger, Chris (May 2014). "The Standard Way to Albury - Part 7". Newsrail . Australian Railway Historical Society. pp. 134–137.
19. Sunshine railway station Regional Rail Link
20. Sunshine bus interchange Regional Rail Link
21. Commuters have new concourse at Sunshine The Courier 3 January 2014
22. Ballarat services now stopping at new, dedicated platforms at Sunshine station Premier of Victoria 28 April 2014 Retrieved 03-05-2014
23. "Ballarat services now stopping at new, dedicated platforms at Sunshine station" Railway Digest June 2014 page 21
24. "Sunshine Signal Box". Vicsig. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
25. Brimbank City Council (8 September 1998). "Sunshine Railway Signal Box". Victorian Heritage Database. Heritage Council Victoria. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
26. Papworth, Tate (30 March 2020). "Metro construction creates local jobs". Brimbank & North West Weekly. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
27. "Melbourne airport rail up and away with Andrews government $5b pledge". The Age . Retrieved 28 July 2018.
28. "Sunshine supercharged as Melbourne Airport Rail Link targets take off | Premier of Victoria". www.premier.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
29. Build, Victoria’s Big (31 October 2022). "Sunshine Station transport superhub". Victoria’s Big Build. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
30. Build, Victoria’s Big (5 October 2022). "Albion Station rebuild and flyover". Victoria’s Big Build. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
31. Eddie, Rachel (22 July 2018). "What the Melbourne Airport Sunshine Route rail link means for you". The New Daily . Retrieved 28 July 2018.
32. jimjin (31 October 2022). "Masterplan to help transform Sunshine". Brimbank & North West. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
33. Planning, Department of Transport and. "Sunshine Precinct". dtp.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
34. Department of Transport, Victoria (October 2022). "Sunshine precinct: Sunshine station masterplan" (PDF). Department of Transport and Planning.
35. Build, Victoria’s Big (15 December 2022). "Start of works, Sunshine Masterplan and Contract announcements". Victoria’s Big Build. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
36. "Sunbury Line". Public Transport Victoria.
37. Ballarat - Melbourne timetable Public Transport Victoria
38. Geelong - Melbourne timetable Public Transport Victoria
39. "400 Sunshine Station - Laverton Station via Robinsons Road". Public Transport Victoria.
40. "408 St Albans Station - Highpoint SC via Sunshine Station". Public Transport Victoria.
41. "410 Sunshine Station - Footscray via Ballarat Road". Public Transport Victoria.
42. "216 Sunshine Station – City via Dynon Rd". Public Transport Victoria.
43. "220 Sunshine Station - City via Footscray Rd". Public Transport Victoria.
44. "429 Sunshine Station - Sunshine South Loop". Public Transport Victoria.
45. "903 Altona - Mordialloc (SMARTBUS Service)". Public Transport Victoria.
46. "420 Sunshine Station - Watergardens Station via Deer Park". Public Transport Victoria.
47. "422 Sunshine Station - Brimbank Central SC via Deer Park". Public Transport Victoria.
48. "427 Sunshine Station - Sunshine West via Forrest St". Public Transport Victoria.
49. "428 Sunshine Station - Sunshine West via Wright St". Public Transport Victoria.
50. "456 Sunshine Station - Melton". Public Transport Victoria.
51. "471 Williamstown - Sunshine Station via Newport & Altona Gate SC". Public Transport Victoria.
52. 941 Sunshine Station - Watergardens Station via Keilor Downs Public Transport Victoria

External links

• Media related to Sunshine railway station at Wikimedia Commons
• Rail Geelong gallery
• Melway map