Heatherdale 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 Ringwood, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Heatherdale station is a below ground host station, featuring two side platforms. It opened on 7 September 1958, with the current station provided in 2017.[5]
History
Heatherdale station opened on 7 September 1958,[5] and was named after the locality of the same name, itself named after Heatherdale, a farm that was owned by William Witt.[6]
When the station opened, it was located west of the former Heatherdale Road level crossing, which was provided with boom barriers in that year.[7]
In 2007, Heatherdale was upgraded as part of the EastLink tollway project, with the works funded by ConnectEast. Upgrades included extra parking spaces, upgraded lighting and security measures, a new pedestrian crossing at Heatherdale Road and construction of new station buildings. The original station buildings were demolished and new shelters built. New lighting and signage was also installed along the platforms.[8] The station buildings from 2007 were demolished nine years later, due to the level crossing removal works.[5]
In mid-2015, the Level Crossing Removal Authority announced its intention to proceed with the grade separation of the Heatherdale Road level crossing, together with the rebuilding of the station.[9] In September of that year, an alliance including Leighton Contractors, Aurecon and Hyder Consulting was formally awarded the contract. In early 2016, construction started on the project and, by early February 2017, the level crossing was removed.[10] On 6 February of that year, the rebuilt station opened, and was relocated to the east of the former level crossing.[11]
Platforms, facilities and services
Heatherdale has two side platforms. There are three separate car parking areas that serve the station. One is just to the north of Platform 2 and is accessible from Heatherdale Road. A second car park is beside the railway line on the eastern side of Heatherdale Road, stretching towards EastLink and was redeveloped as part of the Level Crossing Removal Project. The Heatherdale Road entrance no longer serves as an exit, but a new section has been added between the railway line and Maroondah Highway, and provides as the exit and entrance. A third parking area surrounds the power transmission pylons on Molan Street. A fourth car park, accessed from Newman Street, opened in June 2013, to replace the car parks that were removed at Mitcham during the Mitcham Road crossing removal works.[12]
