A cultural icon of Melbourne rises before us Flinders Street Railway Station. It stands proud on the corner of Flinders and Swanston Streets. This station serves the entire metropolitan rail network. Flinders Street Railway Station also connects fifteen tram routes. V/Line services to Gippsland start here.
Flinders Street Railway Station is more than just a transport hub. It is a landmark. Its history is as rich as its architecture is striking.
Opened in 1854 as Melbourne Terminus Flinders Street Railway Station was a collection of weatherboard sheds. It was Australia’s first city railway station. The first steam train journey in Australia began here. It travelled to Sandridge now Port Melbourne.
By the 1880s a new station was needed. A design competition was held. Railway employees James Fawcett and H. P. C. Ashworth won. Their design featured a dome and clock tower. Construction began in 1901. It finished in 1909.
Flinders Street Railway Station has thirteen platforms. Platform numbers run from north to south. Platform 1 is the farthest north. Each platform serves specific lines.
Platform 1 serves the Mernda and Hurstbridge lines. Platforms 2 and 3 serve Belgrave Glen Waverley Alamein and Lilydale lines. Platforms 4 and 5 serve Alamein Blackburn Cragieburn Sunbury and Upfield lines. Platforms 6 and 7 serve Cranbourne and Pakenham lines. Platforms 8 and 9 serve Frankston Werribee and Williamstown lines. Platform 10 and 12 serve various Werribee and Williamstown services. Platform 13 serves the Sandringham line. Platform 14 is out of use.
The main steps of Flinders Street Railway Station have electrical circuits. These keep them dry. They were fitted in June 1985. Platform No. 1 is Australia’s longest railway platform. It is the fourth longest in the world at 708 metres.
The building once housed a ballroom. It is not currently in use. A Day Care centre once operated inside the main dome. It included an open-air playground.
Flinders Street Railway Station became a sister station of Mojiko Station in Japan. This happened on November 14 1993.
The clocks above the main entrance are iconic. People often say I’ll meet you under the clocks. This refers to the indicator clocks. They show the next departure for each line. The alternative is I’ll meet you on the steps. This refers to the wide staircase.
In the 1920s Flinders Street Railway Station was reputedly the world’s busiest passenger station. This was due to the concentration of services here. Services dispersed after the construction of the City Loop in the 1970s.
Flinders Street Railway Station is undergoing redevelopment. This includes cleaning repair and improved accessibility. There will be new escalators lighting and a relocated V/Line booking office. The roof will be waterproofed. Vacant space may be redeveloped.
The station’s architecture is Edwardian. It features a prominent dome arched entrance tower and clocks. It is one of the city’s most recognisable landmarks.
Flinders Street Railway Station stands as a testament to Melbourne’s rich history and enduring spirit. It is a place where stories converge and journeys begin a true icon of the city.