Thornbury railway station, Melbourne

Thornbury
Southbound view from Platform 1, September 2025
General information
Location	Ethel Street, Thornbury, Victoria 3071 City of Darebin Australia
Coordinates	37°45′19″S144°59′54″E / 37.7552°S 144.9983°E / -37.7552; 144.9983
System	PTV commuter rail station
Owned by	VicTrack
Operated by	Metro Trains
Line	Mernda
Distance	10.62 kilometres from Southern Cross
Platforms	2 side
Tracks	2
Connections	Tram
Construction
Structure type	Ground
Bicycle facilities	Yes
Accessible	Yes—step free access
Other information
Status	Operational, unstaffed
Station code	TBY
Fare zone	Myki Zone 1
Website	Public Transport Victoria
History
Opened	8 October 1889;136 years ago (1889-10-08)
Electrified	July 1921 (1500 V DC overhead)
Passengers
2005–2006	317,260 [1]

Preceding station	Metro Trains			Following station
Croxton towards Flinders Street		Mernda line		Bell towards Mernda

Track layout
Legend to Croxton Normanby Avenue Hutton Street 1 2 to Bell

Location

Thornbury railway station is a commuter railway station on the Mernda line, which is part of the Melbourne railway network. It serves the north-eastern suburb of Thornbury, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Thornbury station is a ground-level unstaffed station, featuring two side platforms. It opened on 8 October 1889. ^[5]

History

Thornbury station opened on 8 October 1889, when the Inner Circle line was extended from North Fitzroy to Reservoir, ^[5] Thornbury station, like the suburb itself, is named after the Thornbury Park Estate, named after a farm owned by settler Job Smith. ^{[6] [7]} Smith named the farm after his birthplace in England. ^{[6] [7]}

In 1973, both platforms were extended at the down end of the station. ^[5]

During October 1987, the double line block system between Thornbury and Northcote was abolished, and replaced with three-position signalling, ^[8] with all two position signals between Thornbury and Merri also abolished. ^[8] A number of signal posts were also abolished during this time. ^[5]

In early 1988, boom barriers replaced interlocked gates at the Hutton Street level crossing, located at the up end of the station. ^[9]

Announced as part of a $21.9 million package in the 2022/23 Victorian State Budget, Thornbury, alongside other stations, will receive accessibility upgrades, the installation of CCTV, and platform shelters. ^[10]

Platforms and services

A PID on Platform 1 displaying a Flinders Street service, July 2024

Thornbury has two side platforms. It is serviced by Metro Trains' Mernda line services. ^[11]

Current

Thornbury platform arrangement
Platform	Line	Destination	Service Type
1	Mernda line	Flinders Street	All stations and limited express services
2	Mernda line	Mernda	All stations

Transport links

Yarra Trams operates two routes via Thornbury station:

• : West Preston – Victoria Harbour (Docklands) ^[12]
• : Bundoora RMIT – Waterfront City (Docklands) ^[13]

Gallery

• 
  Southbound view from Platform 2 looking at a shelter, December 2013
• 
  Southbound view from Platform 1, January 2023
• 
  Southbound view of the station platforms, November 2023
• 
  Station building and entrance to Platform 1,
  July 2024
• 
  Westbound view of station sub-building and Platform 1, July 2024
• 
  Hutton Street level crossing, located south of Thornbury station, next to the platforms,
  July 2024
• 
  The new style station entrance signage with new fonts and appearance, July 2024
• 
  One of the new style white background and red line signage at Platform 1, July 2024

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. Annual metropolitan train station entries 2022-23 Data Vic
5. "Thornbury". vicsig.net. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
6. "Thornbury". Victorian Places. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
7. First, Jamie (7 January 2014). "The A-Z story of Melbourne's suburbs". Herald Sun . Retrieved 4 February 2023.
8. "Works". Newsrail . Australian Railway Historical Society. January 1988. p. 27.
9. David Langley (March 1992). "Flashing Lights and Boom Barriers Dates of Installation". Somersault. Signalling Record Society Victoria. pp. 26–32.
10. "Improving transport accessibility across the state". Department of Transport (Victoria). Retrieved 7 September 2022.
11. "Mernda Line". Public Transport Victoria.
12. "11 West Preston - Victoria Harbour Docklands". Public Transport Victoria.
13. "86 Bundoora RMIT - Waterfront City Docklands". Public Transport Victoria.

External links

• Melway map at street-directory.com.au