Flinders Street Railway Station, Melbourne (1854) (Greater Melbourne)

 train station  Add category

Flinders Street Station is the central railway station of the suburban rail network of Melbourne, Australia. It is on the corner of Flinders and Swanston Streets next to the Yarra River in the heart of the city, stretching from Swanston Street to Queen Street and covering two city blocks.

Each weekday, over 110,000 commuters and 1,500 trains pass through the station. Flinders Street is serviced by Connex's suburban services, and V/Line regional services to Gippsland.


www.youtube.com/watch?v=lb16kaiMNTg


www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXUIV_twe7k

The first railway station to occupy the Flinders Street site was called Melbourne or City Terminus, and was a collection of weatherboard train sheds. It was completed in 1854 and was officially opened on 12 September by the Lieutenant-Governor, Sir Charles Hotham. The terminus was the first city railway station in Australia, and the opening day saw the first steam train trip in the country. It travelled to Sandridge (now Port Melbourne), over the now redeveloped Sandridge Bridge, travelling along the now light rail Port Melbourne line.

Melbourne's two other early central-city stations, Spencer Street Station (now Southern Cross Station) and Princes Bridge, opened in 1859. Spencer Street was isolated from the rest of the network until a ground level railway was built connecting it to Flinders Street in 1879, this track being replaced by the Flinders Street Viaduct in 1889.

Princes Bridge was originally separated from Flinders Street, even though it was only on the opposite side of Swanston Street. Once the railway line was extended under the street to join the two, Princes Bridge slowly became amalgamated into Flinders Street. Federation Square now occupies its site.

The Melburnian idiom "I'll meet you under the clocks" refers to the row of clocks above the main entrance, which indicate the departure time of the next train on each line. This is a popular meeting place, at the intersection of two of the city's busiest thoroughfares. The station is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.

The station was built in 1854 (being the oldest railway station in Australia) and the current building was built between 1900 and 1909. The station has 15 railway lines and 13 passenger platforms.

www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/stop/view/19854

www.cv.vic.gov.au/blog/archive/the-flinders-street-stat...