Aircraft railway station

Aircraft
PTV commuter rail station
South-west bound view from Platform 1, June 2019
General information
Location	Triholm Avenue, Laverton, Victoria 3027 City of Hobsons Bay Australia
Coordinates	37°52′00″S144°45′39″E / 37.8666°S 144.7609°E / -37.8666; 144.7609
Owned by	VicTrack
Operated by	Metro Trains
Line(s)	Werribee
Distance	22.23 kilometres from Southern Cross
Platforms	2 (1 island)
Tracks	2
Connections	Bus
Construction
Structure type	Ground
Parking	140
Bicycle facilities	Yes
Accessible	Yes—step free access
Other information
Status	Operational, unstaffed
Station code	ACF
Fare zone	Myki Zone 2
Website	Public Transport Victoria
History
Opened	7 March 1925;99 years ago (1925-03-07)
Electrified	November 1983 (1500 V DC overhead)
Previous names	Aviation Siding (1925-1927) Aircraft Siding (1927-1963)
Passengers
2005–2006	199,449 [1]

Preceding station	Metro Trains			Following station
Williams Landing towards Werribee		Werribee line		Laverton towards Frankston via Flinders Street

Track layout
Legend to Laverton 1 2 to Williams Landing Broad gauge, electrified Standard gauge, non-electrified

Aircraft railway station is located on the Werribee line in Victoria, Australia. It serves the western Melbourne suburb of Laverton, and opened on 7 March 1925 as Aviation Siding. It was renamed Aircraft Siding on 10 May 1927, and Aircraft on 19 March 1963. ^{[4] [5]}

The Western standard gauge line passes to the north of platform 1.

History

Aircraft station opened for passengers on 7 March 1926, ^[4] being provided to serve the former Royal Australian Air Force Laverton base. In the following year, on 10 May 1927, a platform was provided. ^[4] On 10 May 1932, the station was relocated in the up direction. ^[4]

In 1964, the station was rebuilt when it was relocated in the down direction, just beyond the former Aviation Road level crossing. ^[4] In that year, flashing light signals were provided at the level crossing ^[4] and, in 1968, in conjunction with the duplication of the railway line to Werribee, Aircraft was converted to an island platform. ^[5] In 1979, boom barriers were provided at the level crossing. ^{[6] [7]}

Doubt was cast on the future of the station after the announcement that Williams Landing would be built just a kilometre down the line. ^[8] In June 2010, a spokesman for then Public Transport Minister, Martin Pakula, said only that Aircraft would remain open until 2012, the opening date of Williams Landing. ^[9] At the same time, the construction of 100 new car-parking spaces was cancelled, and railway sources confirmed that the government's plans were to close Aircraft. However, in September 2010, the Public Transport Minister ended speculation by pledging that the station would not be closed. ^[10]

In March 2018, it was announced by the Level Crossing Removal Project that the level crossing would be grade separated with a road-over-rail bridge, and the entrance of the station would be reconstructed. ^[11] In September 2019, the level crossing was abolished. ^[12]

In March 2022, a new pedestrian underpass opened at the up end of the station, replacing a pedestrian crossing. ^[13] In April of that year, a new car-park opened to the south of the station. ^[14]

Platforms and services

Aircraft has one island platform with two faces. It is served by Werribee line trains. ^[15]

Platform 1:

•   Werribee line   all stations and limited express services to Flinders Street and Frankston

Platform 2:

•   Werribee line   all stations services to Werribee

Transport links

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

•  415 : Laverton station – Williamstown ^[16]
•  417 : Laverton station – Laverton station (loop service via Laverton North) ^[17]
•  496 : Laverton station – Sanctuary Lakes (Point Cook) ^[18]

References

1. Estimated Annual Patronage by Network Segment Financial Year 2005-2006 to 2018-19 Archived 17 April 2022 at the Wayback Machine Department of Transport
2. Railway station and tram stop patronage in Victoria for 2008-2021 Archived 17 December 2022 at the Wayback Machine Philip Mallis
3. Annual metropolitan train station patronage (station entries) Archived 6 March 2023 at the Wayback Machine Data Vic
4. "Aircraft". vicsig.net. Archived from the original on 1 March 2023. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
5. "Aircraft Station". Rail Geelong. Archived from the original on 2 January 2023. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
6. "Works". Newsrail . Australian Railway Historical Society. August 1979. p. 174.
7. Sinnatt, John (January 1990). "Level Crossing Protection". Somersault. Signalling Record Society Victoria. pp. 9–17.
8. Twining, James (7 September 2010). "Aircraft station flies on". Hobsons Bay Leader. Archived from the original on 7 March 2011. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
9. "Doubts persist on Aircraft station". Wyndham Weekly. www.wyndhamweekly.com.au. 30 June 2010. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 23 October 2010.
10. Lucas, Clay (9 September 2010). "Stopping all stations as minister backs down". The Age. Archived from the original on 13 October 2010. Retrieved 23 October 2010.
11. "Aviation Road-over-rail design selected | Level Crossing Removal Authority". levelcrossings.vic.gov.au. Archived from the original on 19 July 2018. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
12. "Level crossing out, new Aviation Road bridge in | Level Crossing Removal Authority". levelcrossings.vic.gov.au. Archived from the original on 24 September 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
13. "New underpass now open at Aircraft Station". Victoria's Big Build. Archived from the original on 6 May 2022. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
14. "New Aircraft Station car park now open". Victoria's Big Build. Archived from the original on 6 May 2022. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
15. "Werribee Line". Public Transport Victoria.
16. "415 Laverton Station - Williamstown via Altona". Public Transport Victoria.
17. "417 Laverton Station - Laverton Station via Laverton North". Public Transport Victoria.
18. "496 Laverton Station - Sanctuary Lakes via Sanctuary Lakes SC". Public Transport Victoria.

External links

• Melway map at street-directory.com.au