Whittlesea railway line

Whittlesea
Overview
Status
  • Operational with passenger services from Flinders Street to Mernda
  • Dismantled beyond Mernda
Owner
LocaleMelbourne, Victoria, Australia
Termini
Connecting linesAll metropolitan, regional, and interstate
Former connectionsInner Circle
Stations
  • 29 current stations
  • 11 former stations
Service
ServicesMernda
History
Commenced8 October 1888 (1888-10-08)
Opened
  • Flinders Street to Princes Bridge on 18 December 1865 (1865-12-18)
  • Collingwood to Inner Circle South Junction on 8 May 1888 (1888-05-08)
  • Inner Circle North Junction to Reservoir on 8 October 1889 (1889-10-08)
  • Reservoir to Whittlesea on 23 December 1889 (1889-12-23)
  • Princes Bridge to Collingwood on 21 October 1901 (1901-10-21)
  • Rushall to Merri on 5 December 1904 (1904-12-05)
Completed5 December 1904 (1904-12-05)
Reopened
  • Lalor to Epping on 29 November 1964 (1964-11-29)
  • Epping to South Morang on 27 November 2011 (2011-11-27)
  • South Morang to Mernda on 2 July 2018 (2018-07-02)
Electrified
  • Princes Bridge to Reservoir on 31 July 1921 (1921-07-31)
  • Reservoir to Thomastown on 16 December 1929 (1929-12-16)
  • Thomastown to Lalor on 30 November 1959 (1959-11-30)
  • Lalor to Epping on 30 November 1964 (1964-11-30)
  • Epping to South Morang on 27 November 2011 (2011-11-27)
  • South Morang to Mernda on 2 July 2018 (2018-07-02)
ClosedLalor to Whittlesea on 29 November 1959 (1959-11-29)
Technical
Line length41.468 km (25.77 mi)
Number of tracksDouble track
Track gauge1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)
Electrification1500 V DC overhead
Operating speed80 km/h (50 mph) – Electric
SignallingAutomatic block signalling
Maximum incline1 in 40 (2.5%)
Route map

km
Multiple lines
via North Melbourne
1.2
Southern Cross
2.5
Flagstaff
3.1
Melbourne Central
4.3
Parliament
0.0
Flinders Street
0.1
Princes Bridge
(closed)
Multiple lines
via Richmond
1.7
Jolimont
2.0
Jolimont Tunnel
2.2
West Richmond Tunnel
2.4
West Richmond
2.9
North Richmond
3.0
3.6
Collingwood
4.1
Johnston Street
4.2
Victoria Park
4.5
5.4
Clifton Hill
5.6
5.8
High Street
6.1
Rushall
6.4
6.6
Merri Parade
6.8
Merri
7.7
Northcote
8.4
Croxton
9.4
Thornbury
Miller Street (tram only)
10.5
Bell
10.5
11.2
Preston
12.4
Regent
13.7
Reservoir
13.9
High Street
14.7
Ruthven
16.2
Keon Parade
(Removing by 2025)
16.3
Keon Park
17.3
17.9
Thomastown
~18.9
RMSP 8 (2nd)
(demolished)
19.6
Lalor
~20.5
RMSP 8 (1st)
(demolished)
21.6
Epping
21.9
24.7
South Morang
24.9
McDonalds Road
~24.9
RMSP 39
(demolished)
26.7
Middle Gorge
27.9
~28.2
RMSP 33
(demolished)
29.5
Hawkstowe
~30.5
RMSP 9
(demolished)
30.7
Mernda
32.0
Bridge Inn Road
32.9
end of Metro area
~33.8
RMSP 26
(demolished)
35.4
Yan Yean
(platform intact)
~37.0
RMSP 10
(demolished)
~42.6
RMSP 17
(demolished)
41.5
Whittlesea
(demolished)
km

The Whittlesea railway line is a former railway line operating in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The line was opened in 1889, with part of the line now the modern day Mernda line.