Heathcote Junction railway station

Heathcote Junction railway station is a regional railway station on the Tocumwal line. It serves the town of the same name, in Victoria, Australia. Heathcote Junction is a ground level unstaffed station, featuring two side platforms. It opened on 17 March 1890, with the current station provided in 1990.^[1]

Heathcote Junction
PTV regional rail station
Southbound view from Platform 1, October 2017
General information
Location	Epping-Kilmore Road, Heathcote Junction, Victoria 3758 Shire of Mitchell Australia
Coordinates	37°22′05″S 145°01′33″E
Owned by	VicTrack
Operated by	V/Line
Line(s)	Seymour Shepparton (Tocumwal)
Distance	53.45 kilometres from Southern Cross
Platforms	2 side
Tracks	3
Construction
Structure type	Ground
Bicycle facilities	Yes
Accessible	Yes
Other information
Status	Operational, unstaffed
Station code	HCJ
Fare zone	Myki Zone 2
Website	Public Transport Victoria
History
Opened	17 March 1890; 135 years ago (1890-03-17)
Rebuilt	1990
Previous names	Kilmore Junction (1890-1922)
Services
Preceding station V/Line Following station Wallan towards Southern Cross Seymour line Wandong towards Seymour Shepparton line Limited service Wandong towards Shepparton
Former services Preceding station   Disused railways   Following station Junction   Heathcote line   Towards Kilmore, Heathcote and Bendigo
Location Heathcote Junction Location within Victoria

Initially opened as Kilmore Junction, the station was given its current name of Heathcote Junction on 15 May 1922.^[1]

History

A crossing loop, named Summit, was opened at the location in November 1885, but closed in January 1886, after duplication works on the North East line were completed. Soon afterwards, surveyors planning the route of a branch line to Kilmore, and later to Heathcote, selected the site as the junction of the branch.^[2]

In 1887, a junction was provided for construction trains on the new Kilmore line, which branched off to the west of the station, passing behind the down platform, with the points facing Melbourne. In 1888, a signal box, named Kilmore Junction, opened on the eastern side of the main line, but a station was not provided until March 1890. It had only small passenger shelters and no goods facilities.^[3] Even though the branch line north-west to Heathcote, and thence to Bendigo, was opened in 1890, the station was not renamed Heathcote Junction until 15 May 1922.^[2][3]

In 1950, flashing light signals were provided at Escrites Road level crossing, located nearby in the down direction from the station.^[1] By 1958, the up platform (Platform 1) had been reduced in length, from 376 to 150 feet (115 to 46 m).^[3]

In 1962, the Melbourne-Albury standard gauge line opened. It ran behind Platform 1, so the signal box had to be replaced by a new structure to the west of the main lines. It was located at the up end of Platform 2, between the main line and the branch line.^[3] The Heathcote branch line closed in 1968,^[2] with the signal box following in 1970. It was demolished in February 1973,^[4] although the foundations can still be seen.^[3]

In 1990, the present station shelters were provided. In 1998, boom barriers were installed at the Escrites Road level crossing.^[3]

The pedestrian crossing at the up end of the station was upgraded in 2006-2007.^[5]

Platforms and services

Heathcote Junction has two side platforms. It is served by V/Line Seymour line trains and selected Shepparton line trains, with most Shepparton services running express through the station.^[6]

Platform 1:

•  Seymour line  services to Southern Cross
•  Shepparton line  two weekday and weekend services to Southern Cross

Platform 2:

•  Seymour line  services to Seymour
•  Shepparton line  three weekday and two weekend services to Shepparton