Riversdale railway station

Riversdale
PTV commuter rail station
Northbound view from Platform 1, showing the platform's station building, March 2003
General information
LocationWandin Road,
Camberwell, Victoria 3124
City of Boroondara
Australia
Coordinates37°49′53″S 145°04′11″E / 37.8315°S 145.0697°E / -37.8315; 145.0697
Owned byVicTrack
Operated byMetro Trains
Line(s)Alamein
Distance11.73 kilometres from
Southern Cross
Platforms2 side
Tracks2
Connections
Construction
Structure typeGround
Parking32
Bicycle facilitiesYes
AccessibleNo—steep ramp
Other information
StatusOperational, unstaffed
Station codeRIV
Fare zoneMyki Zone 1
WebsitePublic Transport Victoria
History
Opened30 May 1890; 134 years ago (1890-05-30)
ElectrifiedOctober 1924
(1500 V DC overhead)
Previous namesProspect Hill (provisionally)
Passengers
2005–2006235,092[1]
2006–2007268,875[1] Increase 14.37%
2007–2008299,017[1] Increase 11.21%
2008–2009257,490[2] Decrease 13.88%
2009–2010256,467[2] Decrease 0.39%
2010–2011265,925[2] Increase 3.68%
2011–2012242,225[2] Decrease 8.91%
2012–2013Not measured[2]
2013–2014234,983[2] Decrease 2.98%
2014–2015230,318[1] Decrease 1.98%
2015–2016224,223[2] Decrease 2.64%
2016–2017224,328[2] Increase 0.046%
2017–2018231,450[2] Increase 3.17%
2018–2019214,700[2] Decrease 7.23%
2019–2020161,750[2] Decrease 24.66%
2020–202173,250[2] Decrease 54.71%
2021–202285,550[3] Increase 16.79%
2022–2023169,350[3] Increase 97.95%
Services
Preceding station Railways in Melbourne Metro Trains Following station
Camberwell
Weekday peak only
towards Flinders Street
 Alamein line Willison
towards Alamein
Camberwell
Weekday off-peak & weekends
Terminus
Former services
Preceding station   Disused railways   Following station
Shenley
towards Fairfield 		  Outer Circle line   Burwood
towards Oakleigh
East Camberwell
towards East Kew 		  Alamein line   Wilison
towards Ashburton
  List of closed railway stations in Melbourne  

Riversdale railway station is a commuter railway station on the Alamein line, which is part of the Melbourne railway network. It serves the eastern suburb of Camberwell, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Riversdale station is a ground level unstaffed station, featuring two side platforms. It opened on 30 May 1890.[4]

The station was provisionally named as Prospect Hill. However, during construction, it was given the name "Riversdale".

A number of services terminate at Riversdale after the morning and evening peaks and return to Camberwell for stabling.

History

Riversdale station opened on 30 May 1890, along with the first section of the Outer Circle line.[4] Prior to opening, it was provisionally called Prospect Hill, however, it has been named Riversdale since it opened. The name derives from the nearby Riversdale Road, itself named by parliamentarian and local resident Matthew O'Grady.[5] O'Grady named it after the fact that the road leads to the valley of the Yarra River.[5]

Though it was closed for a year in 1897 and 1898, when the Outer Circle line closed, it reopened soon after due to a public outcry.[6]

In 1915, the current down platform (Platform 2) was provided, as well as two goods sidings.[4] In 1922, a siding for Camberwell Council was provided.[4]

By 1948, the council siding was removed and, by 1953, all remaining sidings were abolished.[4] On 31 July 1955, the line was duplicated to Hartwell[4] and, on 29 November 1959, the line was duplicated to Camberwell. The duplication to Camberwell included a flyover for the down line, which crosses over the Belgrave and Lilydale lines,[4][7][8] and the replacement of hand gates with boom barriers at the Prospect Hill Road level crossing, located nearby in the up direction of the station.[9]

The level crossing at Riversdale Road, located at the down end of the station, features unusual manually-operated boom barriers, which are controlled by a signal box. The boom barrier arms are divided into two sections, so as not to make contact with the overhead tram wires. These boom barriers were provided in 1963,[10] and replaced interlocked gates.[9]

In 1972, both platforms were extended at the up end.[11]

Platforms and services

Riversdale has two side platforms. It is serviced by Metro Trains' Alamein line services.[12]

Platform 1:

Platform 2:

CDC Melbourne operates one bus route via Riversdale station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:

  •  612 : Box Hill station – Chadstone Shopping Centre[13]

Yarra Trams operates one route via Riversdale station:

References

  1. ^ a b c d Estimated Annual Patronage by Network Segment Financial Year 2005–2006 to 2018–19 Department of Transport
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Railway station and tram stop patronage in Victoria for 2008–2021 Philip Mallis
  3. ^ a b Annual metropolitan train station patronage (station entries) Data Vic
  4. ^ a b c d e f g "Riversdale". vicsig.net. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  5. ^ a b First, Jamie (7 January 2014). "The A-Z story of Melbourne's suburbs". Herald Sun. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  6. ^ David Beardsell & Bruce Herbert (1979). The Outer Circle: A history of the Oakleigh to Fairfield Park Railway. Australian Railway Historical Society. p. 68. ISBN 0-85849-024-2.
  7. ^ "Rail Fly-over to Open Soon". The Age. 14 November 1959. p. 3.
  8. ^ "Camberwell Fly-over Electrified". The Age. 16 November 1959. p. 11.
  9. ^ a b John Sinnatt (January 1990). "Level Crossing Protection". Somersault. Signalling Record Society Victoria. pp. 9–17.
  10. ^ "New Boom Gates Speed Traffic". The Age. 11 October 1963. p. 8.
  11. ^ "Way and Works". Divisional Diary. Australian Railway Historical Society. May 1972. p. 6.
  12. ^ "Alamein Line". Public Transport Victoria.
  13. ^ "612 Box Hill - Chadstone via Surrey Hills & Camberwell & Glen Iris". Public Transport Victoria.
  14. ^ "70 Waterfront City Docklands - Wattle Park". Public Transport Victoria.

Media related to Riversdale railway station, Melbourne at Wikimedia Commons