Ballarat railway station, Victoria

VlineRailwayStation1
NAME= Ballarat
IMAGELINK=Ballarat railway station train hall.jpg
CAPTION=Inside the train shed
CODE=BAL
DISTANCE=121.80 km
LINES=Ballarat Ararat
PLATFORMS=2
TRACKS=2
STATUS=Staffed Station
FACILITIES= [http://www.viclink.com.au/stop/view/20293 Link]
TIMETABLES= [http://www.viclink.com.au/stop/view/20293 Link]
MELWAYORVICROADS=VicRoads
MELWAY=

Ballarat railway station is a railway station serving the city of Ballarat in Victoria, Australia. The station is located on Ballarat line and is the origin and terminus of most V/Line services to and from Melbourne Southern Cross Station, except for some commuter services that originate and terminate at Bacchus Marsh. Train services originating and terminating at Ararat also pass through the station on the journey to or from Melbourne.

History

The building and surrounds which were built in 1862, at a cost of almost 22,000 pounds. A bluestone engine shed was built to the south and the goods shed to the north were built in 1863.cite web
url=http://www.ballarathistory.org/transrlh.html
title=Ballarat Australia History - Rail Heritage
publisher=www.ballarathistory.org
accessdate=2008-04-23] In 1877 the footbridge and waiting rooms on the south side were added, with the clock tower and portico added in 1891, the clock being being fitted in the tower until 1984. Noted for their historic architecture, the building is classified by Heritage Victoria and the National Trust of Victoria. The station is one of only three in Victoria to have a train shed (along with Geelong and St Kilda).cite web
url=http://www.skhs.org.au/SKHSbuildings/19.htm
title=St Kilda Railway Station & Metropol Apartments
work=St Kilda Historical Society
publisher=www.skhs.org.au
accessdate=2008-07-05]

The station is located at the Lydiard Street level crossing, that is different to other level crossings due to traffic lights signals and motorised swing gates, instead of the normal level crossing lights and boom gates.
* The traffic lights turn yellow
* Traffic lights turn red and the swing gates close.
* Train uses the crossing.
* The lights turn green and the swing gates move back to their normal position.

Connections

Ballarat station services coaches to and from:
*Bendigo
*Halls Gap & the Grampians National Park (via Ararat & Stawell)
*Horsham, Dimboola, Nhill & Adelaide
*Geelong
*Hamilton & Mt.Gambier
*Ouyen, Donald & Mildura

Gallery

References

Further reading

cite web
url=http://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=424514391388736;res=IELENG
title=The Ballarat Railway Station and Yards
author=Martin, RL; Ford, RJ; Albazzaz, AJ
date=5-7 October 1992
ISBN=0858255677
publisher=search.informit.com.au
accessdate=2008-04-23

VlineStations
Line=Ballarat and Ararat lines
Previous=Ballan
VICORMELB=Victoria
Next=BeaufortVictorianClosedStations
Line1=Mildura line
Previous1plain=Junction
Next1=Creswick
Line2=Geelong-Ballarat line
Next2plain=Junction
Previous2=Warrenheip

Between Ballarat and Ballan, closed stations include (from Melbourne) Gordon , Bungaree, Warrenheip and Ballarat East.