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Box Hill railway station, Melbourne

Railway station in Box Hill, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Box Hill station is a railway station operated by Metro Trains Melbourne on the Belgrave and Lilydale lines, both part of the Melbourne rail network. It serves the eastern suburb of Box Hill, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Box Hill is a below ground premium station, featuring four platforms, an island platform with two faces and two side platforms connected by a ground level precinct. It opened on 1 December 1882, with the current station provided in 1985.[3]

LocationStation Street,
Box Hill, Victoria 3128
City of Whitehorse
Australia
Coordinates37°49′09″S 145°07′17″E
SystemPTV commuter rail station
OwnerVicTrack
Quick facts General information, Location ...
Box Hill
Eastbound view from Platform 3, August 2024
General information
LocationStation Street,
Box Hill, Victoria 3128
City of Whitehorse
Australia
Coordinates37°49′09″S 145°07′17″E
SystemPTV commuter rail station
OwnerVicTrack
OperatorMetro Trains
Lines
Distance16.12 kilometres from
Southern Cross
Platforms4 (1 island, 2 side)
Tracks3 (Platform 1 has no track)
Connections
  • List of bus routes in Melbourne Bus
  • Melbourne tram route 109 Tram
  • Regional coach Coach
  • SkyBus (airport bus)#Eastern Express SkyBus
Construction
Parking500
Cycle facilities
Yes
AccessibleYes—step free access
Other information
StatusOperational, premium station
Station codeBOX
Fare zoneMyki zone 2
WebsitePublic Transport Victoria
History
Opened1 December 1882; 143 years ago (1882-12-01)
Rebuilt1983–1985
ElectrifiedDecember 1922
(1500 V DC overhead)
Passengers
2005–20062,327,976[1]
2006–20072,685,655[1] Increase 15.36%
2007–20082,913,572[1] Increase 8.49%
2008–20093,025,913[1] Increase 3.86%
2009–20103,160,572[1] Increase 4.45%
2010–20113,160,397[1] Decrease 0.01%
2011–20122,742,972[1] Decrease 13.21%
2012–2013Not measured[1]
2013–20143,253,534[1] Increase 18.61%
2014–20153,260,422[1] Increase 0.21%
2015–20163,487,764[1] Increase 6.97%
2016–20173,779,400[1] Increase 8.36%
2017–20183,660,554[1] Decrease 3.14%
2018–20193,685,483[1] Increase 0.68%
2019–20202,775,200[2] Decrease 24.7%
2020–20211,192,700[2] Decrease 57.02%
2021–20221,387,500[2] Increase 16.33%
2022–20231,924,250[2] Increase 38.68%
2023–20242,535,000[2] Increase 31.74%
2024–20252,648,350[2] Increase 4.47%
Services
Preceding station Railways in Melbourne Metro Trains Following station
Union
towards Flinders Street
 Lilydale line Laburnum
towards Lilydale
Belgrave line Laburnum
towards Belgrave
Express services
Camberwell
towards Flinders Street
 Lilydale line
Weekdays only
 Blackburn
towards Lilydale
Belgrave line
Weekdays only
 Blackburn
towards Belgrave
Future
Burwood (SRL)
towards Southland
 Suburban Rail Loop East
(under construction)
 Terminus
Former services
Preceding station   Disused railways   Following station
Mont Albert   Lilydale line   Line open
  Belgrave line  
Track layout
Legend
Up arrow Union
1
2
4
3
Down arrow Laburnum
This diagram:
Location
Close

The station is located beneath the Box Hill Central shopping centre. East of the station, towards Lilydale and Belgrave, the three tracks merge into two.

History

Box Hill station opened on 1 December 1882 when the railway line from Camberwell was extended to Lilydale.[3] When the station opened, Box Hill was a separate town with several hundred residents.[4] It was named in 1861 after Box Hill in Surrey, England, which was the birthplace of the local postmaster.[4] In 1895, a large market was opened next to the station.[4]

On 19 December 1922, the section of line from Flinders Street to Box Hill was electrified, and that was extended to Ringwood the following month.[3]

In 1971, the current centre line between East Camberwell and Box Hill was provided.[3] It was also in that year that the overpass over Elgar Road was opened, located in the up direction from the station, replacing a level crossing.[3]

On 29 December 1976, goods services to and from the station ceased.[5]

In 1979, the station was one of three used as trial sites for new bike lockers under the Melbourne Bicycle Strategy, either for occasional, monthly or quarterly hire.[6]

A plaque by VicRail commemorating 100 years of rail service to Box Hill

Beginning in early 1983, construction started on rebuilding the station below ground, as part of the project to eliminate the level crossing at Station Street, which was at the eastern end of the station.[3] Box Hill Central Shopping Centre and the bus terminus were built over the top of the station, with the complex being completed in 1985.[3] Platform 1 was used between 24 April 1983 and 9 June 1984,[3] while the rest of the new station was being built, and has been retained for possible future use. The platform has no track or lighting, and a McDonald's restaurant has been built over the ramp from the station concourse.

On 18 July 1996, Box Hill was upgraded to a premium station.[7]

During January 2007, the line was closed between Box Hill and Blackburn, to facilitate grade separation works at the Middleborough Road level crossing, near Laburnum. A rail replacement bus service operated between the two stations for the duration and, to cater for that, a temporary bus interchange was constructed at Box Hill. The interchange was built directly on top of the tracks, which had been paved between the rails to the east of the station, and was connected to Platforms 2 and 3 via a raised walkway.[8] With the completion of the major works at the end of January 2007, the bus interchange was removed.

During the 2017/2018 financial year, with 3.254 million passenger movements, Box Hill was the tenth-busiest station on Melbourne's metropolitan network, as well as being the busiest non-interchange station outside of the Melbourne CBD.[9]

Box Hill will be the northern terminus of stage one of the Suburban Rail Loop project.[10] Construction began in 2022, with the project scheduled for completion by 2032. It will connect Box Hill to the Frankston, Pakenham, Cranbourne and Glen Waverley lines, as well as other new intermediate stations.

Platforms and services

The now replaced CRT Monitor on Platform 4 displaying a Lilydale service, one year prior to being replaced, December 2017
An X'Trapolis train on a Flinders Street-bound service arrives at Platform 2, August 2024

Box Hill has one island platform with two faces and two side platforms, but Platform 1 is not in use. The station is served by Lilydale and Belgrave line trains.[11][12]

More information Platform, Line ...
Box Hill platform arrangement
Box Hill Central shopping centre
Platform Line Destination Via Service Type Notes Source
2  Belgrave line 
 Lilydale line 		 Flinders Street City Loop All stations and limited express services See City Loop for operating patterns. [13]
3  Belgrave line 
 Lilydale line 
[14]
Lilydale or Belgrave All stations
4  Belgrave line 
 Lilydale line 		 Blackburn, Ringwood, Lilydale or Belgrave All stations Weekdays only. [15]
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Transport links

Bus services

Ventura buses at the bus interchange in December 2024
Eastern side of the bus interchange in December 2024

A sheltered thirteen-bay bus terminus is located on the rooftop of the Box Hill Central Shopping Centre, two levels above the station. The terminus serves 20 bus routes operated by CDC Melbourne, Kinetic Melbourne and Ventura Bus Lines. The bus deck originally had 14 bus bays, but bay 12 was removed around 2015 to enable safer access to the lift in the office suites. In 2018, the position of bays 2 and 3 were swapped so that passengers queuing to board SmartBus route 903 southbound would not be in the way of the food kiosk.[citation needed] SkyBus also operates a service to Melbourne Airport.[16]

Bus routes serving Box Hill station:

More information Bay, Route ...
Bay Route To Via Ref
1 SmartBus  903  Altona station Westfield Doncaster, Heidelberg station, Northland Shopping Centre, Preston station, Coburg station, Essendon station and Sunshine station [17]
2  735  Nunawading station Station Street, Eley Road and Fulton Road [18]
3 SmartBus  903  Mordialloc Deakin University, Chadstone Shopping Centre, Oakleigh station and Mentone station
4  302  Melbourne CBD
(Lonsdale Street)		 Belmore Road and Eastern Freeway [19]
SkyBus Melbourne Airport Metropolitan Ring Road [16]
5  281  Templestowe Westfield Doncaster [20]
 293  Greensborough station Westfield Doncaster [21]
6  279  Westfield Doncaster/ Templestowe Middleborough Road [22]
 284  Doncaster Park & Ride Union Road [23]
7  612  Chadstone Shopping Centre Union station, Camberwell station and Glen Iris station [24]
8  270  Mitcham station Blackburn North [25]
 271  Ringwood station Park Orchards [26]
9  732  Upper Ferntree Gully station Vermont South, Westfield Knox and Mountain Gate Shopping Centre [27]
10  765  Mitcham station Blackburn station, Forest Hill Chase and Brentford Square [28]
 766  Burwood Union station [29]
11  733  Oakleigh station Mount Waverley station, Monash University Clayton Campus and Clayton station [30]
12  767  Westfield Southland Deakin University and Chadstone Shopping Centre [31]
13  201  Deakin University
Burwood Campus		 Station Street and Elgar Road [32]
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Tram services

Yarra Trams operates one route via Box Hill station:

V/Line coach services

A V/Line coach stop is located at Whitehorse Road near Watts Street, with services to:

Usage

Passenger usage at Box Hill Station between 2008 and 2024 sorted by financial year.

Box Hill is the tenth-busiest station on Melbourne's metropolitan rail network.[35]

Gallery

  • Frederick McCubbin's 1887 painting, Morning Train, shows a train leaving Box Hill station
    Frederick McCubbin's 1887 painting, Morning Train, shows a train leaving Box Hill station
  • Entrance from Box Hill Central in July 2004
    Entrance from Box Hill Central in July 2004
  • Eastbound view from Platform 4, January 2013
    Eastbound view from Platform 4, January 2013
  • Entrance from Box Hill Central Shopping Centre, July 2016
    Entrance from Box Hill Central Shopping Centre, July 2016
  • The now replaced CRT Monitor screens at the station entrance, one year prior to being replaced, January 2017
    The now replaced CRT Monitor screens at the station entrance, one year prior to being replaced, January 2017
  • Eastbound view from Platform 4, December 2017
    Eastbound view from Platform 4, December 2017
  • The station ramp to Platform 4, December 2017
    The station ramp to Platform 4, December 2017
  • Box Hill Central and station concourse, December 2017
    Box Hill Central and station concourse,
    December 2017
  • The train arrivals and departures signage at the station, December 2017
    The train arrivals and departures signage at the station, December 2017
  • The Platform markings at Box Hill station indicating directions of travel, July 2020
    The Platform markings at Box Hill station indicating directions of travel, July 2020
  • Eastbound view from Platforms 2 and 3, August 2024
    Eastbound view from Platforms 2 and 3, August 2024
  • Eastbound view from Platform 2, August 2024
    Eastbound view from Platform 2, August 2024
  • The Myki gates and main entrance and PIDS to platforms, August 2024
    The Myki gates and main entrance and PIDS to platforms, August 2024
  • The main concourse from Box Hill Shopping Centre to Box Hill station, August 2024
    The main concourse from Box Hill Shopping Centre to Box Hill station, August 2024
  • The disused Platform 1 with railway tracks removed, August 2024
    The disused Platform 1 with railway tracks removed, August 2024
  • The V/Line and Metro customer services, August 2024
    The V/Line and Metro customer services, August 2024
  • Stairs and lift at platform level from Platforms 2 and 3, August 2024
    Stairs and lift at platform level from Platforms 2 and 3, August 2024
  • Escalators to concourse from platform level, August 2024
    Escalators to concourse from platform level, August 2024

References

External links

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