Flinders Street Station

Flinders Street Station (usually just called Flinders Street) is the central station of the suburban rail network of Melbourne, Australia. It is located on the corner of Flinders and Swanston Streets next to the Yarra River in the heart of the city.

Melbourne's 14 radial electrified train lines all originate from the station.

History

The first railway building to occupy the Flinders Street site was simply called the Melbourne Terminus, and was a collection of weatherboard train sheds. This first station was completed in 1854 and was officially opened on September 12 by the Lieutenant-Governor Charles Hotham. The Terminus was the first steam rail station in Australia, and the opening day saw the first public steam train trip in the country's history. It travelled to Sandridge (now Port Melbourne), over the now derelict Sandridge Bridge.

Melbourne's two other early central-city stations, Spencer Street Station and Princes Gate, opened in 1859. Princes Gate was later amalgamated into the Flinders Street site practically across the road.

In 1882 the decision was made by the government to build a new central passenger station to replace the existing ad-hoc construction. A world-wide design competition was held, with 17 entries received. The 500 pound first prize went to J. W. Fawcett and H. P. C. Ashworth. Building work began in 1901 and ended in 1910.

Interesting Facts

• Approximately 105,000 passengers use the station each day.
• Each weekday, approximately 1,500 train movements occur at the station.
• The main steps are embedded with electrical circuits to keep them dry. (Fitted in June 1985).
• Platform No. 1 is the longest rail platform in Australia, and the 4th longest in the world.
• The concourse building contains a ballroom (now no longer in use), and a creche existed inside the main dome when the station's offices were still in use. The creche included an open-air playground on an adjoining roof.
• One of the original platform verandahs from the Melbourne Terminus building was dismantled and re-erected at Hawthorn station, in the inner-eastern suburbs.
• Plans were created in the 1970s to demolish the station and replace it with an office tower. These were dropped after a public outcry.