Echuca railway station
{{Short description|Railway station in Victoria, Australia}}
{{Use Australian English|date=June 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox station
| name = Echuca
| type = PTV regional rail station
| style = V/Line
| image = Echucastation.jpg
| caption = Southbound view of station platform and building with a VLocity train at the platform, August 2007
| address = 116 Sturt Street,
Echuca, Victoria 3564
| borough = Shire of Campaspe
| country = Australia
| coordinates = {{Coord|display=inline,title|-36.131138|144.753387|format=dms|type:railwaystation_region:AU-VIC}}
| map_type = Australia Victoria
| map_overlay =
| AlternativeMap =
| map_alt =
| map_caption =
| map_size =
| map_dot_label =
| map_label_position =
| owned = VicTrack
| operator = V/Line
| line = {{plainlist|
- {{rcb|V/Line|Echuca|croute}} (Deniliquin)
- Toolamba–Echuca
}}
| distance = 249.99 kilometres from
Southern Cross
| platforms = 1
| tracks = 5
| train_operators =
| connections = {{plainlist|
- {{rint|victoria|coach}} V/Line coach
- {{rint|nsw|coach}} NSW TrainLink coach
}}
| structure = At-grade
| depth =
| levels =
| parking = Yes
| bicycle =
| accessible = Yes
| electrified =
| status = Operational, staffed part-time
| code = ECH
| zone = Myki not available. Paper ticket only.
| website = {{URL|https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/stop/1523|Public Transport Victoria}}
| opened = {{start date and age|1864|September|19|df=y}}
| closed =
| former =
| mpassengers =
| services = One per weekday to Southern Cross (two on weekends).
Trains travelling in the opposite direction terminate here.
{{Adjacent stations|system=V/Line|line=Echuca|left=Rochester}}
| services_collapsible =
| services_state =
| other_services_header = Former services
| other_services = {{s-rail|title=Disused}}
{{rail line|col={{rcr|Australian closed station}}|route=Deniliquin line|term1=Deniliquin|previous=Moama|next=Line open}}
{{rail line|col={{rcr|Australian closed station}}|route=Toolamba–Echuca line|previous=|next={{stnlnk|Tongala}}|term2={{stnlnk|Toolamba}}}}
| other_services_collapsible = yes
| other_services_state =
| embedded = {{Infobox designation list
| embed = yes
| designation1 = VICHR
| designation1_offname = Echuca Railway Station Complex
| designation1_type =
| designation1_criteria =
| designation1_date = 20 August 1982
| delisted1_date =
| designation1_partof =
| designation1_number = H1059{{cite web|title=Echica Railway Station Complex|url=http://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/4721|website=Victorian Heritage Database|publisher=Government of Victoria|accessdate=28 September 2019|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180515192035/http://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/4721|archivedate=15 May 2018|language=en|url-status=live}}
| designation1_free1name =
| designation1_free1value =
| designation1_free2name =
| designation1_free2value =
| designation1_free3name =
| designation1_free3value = }}
}}
Echuca railway station is located on the Deniliquin line in Victoria, Australia. It serves the town of the same name, and opened on 19 September 1864.[https://vicsig.net/infrastructure/location/Echuca Echuca] Vicsig
It is the northern-most operating passenger railway station on the Deniliquin line, and is the terminus for Echuca line services. It also serves as the terminus of the freight-only Toolamba–Echuca line. The Deniliquin line extends northwards, over the New South Wales state border, and is open for freight traffic. Freight sidings and a silo are located opposite the station.
History
The railway reached Echuca in 1864 and, with the opening of the Echuca Wharf, the town was transformed into a major river port, encouraging substantial urban growth in the 1870s.{{cite web|url=http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/heritageapp/ViewHeritageItemDetails.aspx?ID=4301047|title=Echuca-Moama Road Rail Bridge over Murray River|website=Office of Environment & Heritage|publisher=NSW Government|accessdate=3 January 2009}} In 1876, the Deniliquin and Moama Railway Company opened its {{convert|71|km|mi|abbr=on}}-long private railway northwards to Deniliquin.{{cite web|url=http://www.abs.gov.au/Ausstats/abs@.nsf/dc057c1016e548b4ca256c470025ff88/73d48ba2d3c1bb9bca2569de0028b417!OpenDocument|title=Private Railways|work=Year Book Australia, 1921|author=Australian Bureau of Statistics|publisher=www.abs.gov.au|accessdate=20 July 2008}}
The brick station building at Echuca was provided with the opening of the line, along with a double-gabled brick goods shed, and a three-road locomotive depot. The station building was expanded in 1877, and a large water tower was erected in the same year (demolished in 1977).{{cite magazine |date=August 1977 |title=Works |magazine=Newsrail |publisher=Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division) |page=182}} An iron footbridge was added in 1880.{{Cite AHPI|VICH1059|Echuca Railway Station Complex|accessdate=3 January 2009}} In June 1974, the former northern waiting room section of the station building was demolished.{{cite magazine|date=August 1974|title=Items of Interest|magazine=Newsrail|publisher=Australian Railway Historical Society|page=185}} A concrete rail bridge over the Murray River, to the north of the station, was opened in February 1989, replacing a combined road and rail bridge that had opened in 1878.
A short branch line between Echuca and the port opened with the line, but was closed in 1971. In 2000, $150,000 was provided to fund the reconstruction of the line.{{cite web |url=http://www.dpc.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/MediaRelArc02.nsf/3a3fd087b7891fcc4a25688e00141c97/38e95eac039b96e74a2568ee00178102?OpenDocument |title=Minister Announces Funding for the Port of Echuca Rail Link |date=29 May 2000 |work=Media Release: Minister for Transport |publisher=www.dpc.vic.gov.au |accessdate=3 January 2009}}{{Dead link|date=August 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}} By 2002, work was under way, with the cost having increased to $330,000. However, by 2007, the branch was again out of use and was disconnected from the main line.{{cite web|url=http://www.transport.vic.gov.au/DOI/DOIElect.nsf/%24UNIDS%2Bfor%2BWeb%2BDisplay/54E33823FAE1EF29CA2573B7001B1E96/%24FILE/RFNR-FinalReport.pdf|title=Switchpoint: Victorian Rail Freight Network Review|publisher=|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110304131140/http://www.transport.vic.gov.au/DOI/DOIElect.nsf/$UNIDS+for+Web+Display/54E33823FAE1EF29CA2573B7001B1E96/$FILE/RFNR-FinalReport.pdf|archivedate=4 March 2011|page=70|accessdate=3 January 2009}}
The branch line from Echuca to Toolamba closed in 2007, but was reopened in October 2013.[http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/7985-coalition-government-reopens-echuca-to-toolamba-line-for-rail-freight.html Coalition government reopens Echuca to Toolamba line for rail freight] Premier of Victoria 3 October 2013[http://www.railexpress.com.au/archive/2013/october-2013/october-9-2013/other-top-stories/echuca-to-toolamba-line-reopens Echuca to Toolamba reopens] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140512220020/http://www.railexpress.com.au/archive/2013/october-2013/october-9-2013/other-top-stories/echuca-to-toolamba-line-reopens |date=2014-05-12 }} Rail Express 9 October 2013 Services on the line were suspended in January 2020.[https://vicsig.net/infrastructure/line/Toolamba-Echuca Toolamba-Echuca Line] Vicsig
Platforms and services
Echuca has one platform and is the terminus for Echuca line trains from Southern Cross station.[https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/route/1849 Echuca/Moama - Melbourne timetable] Public Transport Victoria
Platform 1:
- {{RouteBox|Echuca line|Deniliquin railway line#Echuca services|#{{rcr|V/Line}}|white}} services to and from Southern Cross
Transport links
Gallery
File:Echuca railway station building.jpg|Station building and entrance, June 2015
References
{{Reflist|2}}
External links
- {{commons category-inline|Echuca railway station, Victoria|Echuca railway station}}
- [http://www.vicrailstations.com/Echuca/Echuca/Echuca.html Victorian Railway Stations gallery]
- [http://www.street-directory.com.au/sd3/map.php?x=144.7532184182779&y=-36.13108240582743&l=14&mt=4 Melway map] at street-directory.com.au
{{Public Transport Victoria railway stations|Northern=y|state=collapsed}}