Laburnum railway station

Laburnum railway station is a commuter railway station on the Belgrave and Lilydale lines, which are both part of the Melbourne railway network. It serves the eastern suburb of Blackburn, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It opened on 13 July 1958,^[4][5] with the current station provided in 2007.^[4]

Laburnum
PTV commuter rail station
Eastbound view from Platform 1, with a Comeng train departing Platform 2, January 2007
General information
Location	Laburnum Street, Blackburn, Victoria 3130 City of Whitehorse Australia
Coordinates	37°49′15″S 145°08′27″E
Owned by	VicTrack
Operated by	Metro Trains
Line(s)	Lilydale Belgrave
Distance	17.83 kilometres from Southern Cross
Platforms	2 side
Tracks	2
Connections	Bus
Construction
Structure type	Ground
Parking	Yes
Accessible	Yes—step free access
Other information
Status	Operational, unstaffed
Station code	LAB
Fare zone	Myki Zone 2
Website	Public Transport Victoria
History
Opened	13 July 1958; 67 years ago (1958-07-13)
Rebuilt	29 January 2007
Electrified	January 1923 (1500 V DC overhead)
Passengers
2005–2006	313,114[1]
2006–2007	322,793[1]  3.09%
2007–2008	406,707[1]  25.99%
2008–2009	410,312[2]  0.88%
2009–2010	442,678[2]  7.89%
2010–2011	443,045[2]  0.082%
2011–2012	374,282[2]  15.52%
2012–2013	Not measured[2]
2013–2014	350,078[2]  6.46%
2014–2015	354,269[1]  1.19%
2015–2016	392,272[2]  10.72%
2016–2017	372,562[2]  5.02%
2017–2018	403,302[2]  8.25%
2018–2019	414,700[2]  2.82%
2019–2020	340,950[2]  17.78%
2020–2021	153,150[2]  55.08%
2021–2022	167,650[3]  9.27%
2022–2023	208,400[3]  24.31%
2023–2024	291,150[3]  39.97%
Services
Preceding station Metro Trains Following station Box Hill towards Flinders Street Lilydale line Blackburn towards Lilydale Belgrave line Blackburn towards Belgrave
Track layout Legend to Box Hill 1 2 to Blackburn
Location

History

Laburnum station was named after the locality of Laburnum, itself named after the shrub of the same name.^[6][7] The original station had two side platforms, with a substantial brick building on Platform 1, and a small brick shelter on Platform 2.^[4] In that year the hand-operated gates at the former Middleborough Road level crossing were replaced by with boom barriers.^[8] The crossing was in the up direction from the station.^[4]

The Middleborough Road grade separation project involved lowering the line eight metres below the road. That required the rebuilding of the station, and the removal of the bend in Laburnum Street beneath it. In October 2006, the station buildings were demolished and, on 29 January 2007, the rebuilt station opened.^[9] As part of the project, provision was made for the future installation of a third track.^[10][11]

Toot Toot – drive slowly sign

Laburnum was once known for having a sign reading "Toot Toot – drive slowly" under the railway bridge which crosses Laburnum Street, because the street was narrow and had a sharp bend at that point.^[12] Drivers would often sound their car horns, as instructed by the sign, to warn oncoming, and possibly unseen, traffic that might be approaching the narrow underpass. Infuriated neighbours frequently attempted to remove the sign by painting over it, but to no avail, because the local council would restore the sign every time.^[13][14]

When the station was rebuilt following the 2007 grade separation, the road underpass was substantially widened, so the sign was deemed unnecessary and was removed. A plaque was erected which commemorated the sign and outlined its history,^[12] although that has since been removed.

Platforms and services

Laburnum has two side platforms and is served by Lilydale and Belgrave line trains.^[15][16]

Platform 1:

•  Lilydale line  all stations and limited express services to Flinders Street
•  Belgrave line  all stations and limited express services to Flinders Street

Platform 2:

•  Lilydale line  all stations and limited express services to Lilydale
•  Belgrave line  all stations and limited express services to Belgrave

Transport links

Kinetic Melbourne operates two bus routes via Laburnum station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:

•  271 : Box Hill station – Ringwood station^[17]
•  279 : Box Hill station – Westfield Doncaster (deviation)^[18]

Gallery

• 
  Plaque commemorating the Laburnum Railway Station 'Toot-Toot' sign, January 2008