Ascot Vale railway station

Ascot Vale railway station is a commuter railway station on the Craigieburn line, which is part of the Melbourne railway network. It serves the northern suburb of Ascot Vale, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Ascot Vale station is a ground level unstaffed station, featuring two side platforms. It opened on 1 November 1860, with the current station provided in 1871. It initially closed on 1 July 1864, then reopened on 9 October 1871.^[4]

Ascot Vale
PTV commuter rail station
Southbound view from Platform 2 with partial views of the Melbourne CBD, October 2024
General information
Location	The Crescent, Ascot Vale, Victoria 3032 City of Moonee Valley Australia
Coordinates	37°46′31″S 144°55′19″E
Owned by	VicTrack
Operated by	Metro Trains
Line(s)	Craigieburn
Distance	5.81 kilometres from Southern Cross
Platforms	2 side
Tracks	2
Connections	Bus Tram
Construction
Structure type	Ground
Parking	Yes
Accessible	No—steep ramp
Other information
Status	Operational, host station
Station code	ASV
Fare zone	Myki Zone 1
Website	Public Transport Victoria
History
Opened	1 November 1860; 164 years ago (1860-11-01)
Closed	1 July 1864
Rebuilt	9 October 1871
Electrified	May 1919 (1500 V DC overhead)
Passengers
2005–2006	444,804[1]
2006–2007	474,958[1]  6.77%
2007–2008	519,740[1]  9.42%
2008–2009	570,532[2]  9.77%
2009–2010	587,112[2]  2.9%
2010–2011	548,968[2]  6.5%
2011–2012	544,282[2]  0.85%
2012–2013	Not measured[2]
2013–2014	556,453[2]  2.23%
2014–2015	556,387[1]  0.01%
2015–2016	602,822[2]  8.34%
2016–2017	621,809[2]  3.15%
2017–2018	630,411[2]  1.38%
2018–2019	594,300[2]  5.73%
2019–2020	488,800[2]  17.75%
2020–2021	202,200[2]  58.7%
2021–2022	241,200[3]  19.28%
Services
Preceding station Metro Trains Following station Newmarket towards Flinders Street Craigieburn line Moonee Ponds towards Craigieburn
Track layout Legend to Newmarket 1 2 to Moonee Ponds

History

Ascot Vale station opened on 1 November 1860, just over a week after the railway line to Essendon opened as part of the private Melbourne and Essendon Railway Company.^[4] The station closed with the line on 1 July 1864, but was reopened on 9 October 1871, under government ownership.^[5] Like the suburb itself, the station was named after Ascot Racecourse in England, given its proximity to Flemington Racecourse.^[6][7]

In 1882, a temporary station building was provided, after duplication of the line, with the present building on Platform 1 dating from 1889. A signal box was provided in the same year, but was closed with the abolition of mechanical signalling in 1918.^[5]

Platforms and services

A PID on Platform 1 displaying a Flinders Street-bound service, October 2024

A Comeng train on a Craigieburn-bound service arrives at Platform 2, October 2024

Ascot Vale has two side platforms. It is serviced by Metro Trains' Craigieburn line services.^[8]

Platform 1:

•  Craigieburn line  all stations services to Flinders Street

Platform 2:

•  Craigieburn line  all stations services to Craigieburn

Transport links

Transit Systems Victoria operates two bus routes via Ascot Vale station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:

•  404 : Footscray station – Moonee Ponds Junction^[9]
•  472 : Williamstown – Moonee Ponds Junction^[10]

Yarra Trams operates one route via Ascot Vale station:

• : Moonee Ponds Junction – Footscray station^[11]

Gallery

• 
  Station building and entrance to Platform 1, January 2005
• 
  Northbound view from Platform 1, showing directly at the station platforms' building and a Comeng train at the platform, April 2005
• 
  Northbound view from Platform 2, showing station building on Platform 1, March 2012
• 
  Northbound view from Platform 2, October 2024
• 
  Southbound view from Platform 1, October 2024
• 
  Station building and entrance to Platform 1, October 2024
• 
  Station building and walkthrough to Platform 1, October 2024
• 
  Station building on Platform 1, October 2024
• 
  Station building on Platform 2, October 2024
• 
  The ramp and entrance from The Cresent to Platform 2, October 2024
• 
  The pedestrian underpass on the Platform 2 side at Ascot Vale railway station, connecting to both platforms, October 2024

References

1. Estimated Annual Patronage by Network Segment Financial Year 2005-2006 to 2018-19 Department of Transport
2. Railway station and tram stop patronage in Victoria for 2008-2021 Philip Mallis
3. Annual metropolitan train station patronage (station entries) Data Vic
4. "Ascot Vale". vicsig.net. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
5. Turton, Keith W (1973). Six And A Half Inches From Destiny. The first hundred years of the Melbourne-Wodonga Railway 1873-1973. Australian Railway Historical Society. pp. 23, 86. ISBN 0-85849-012-9.
6. "Ascot Vale". Victorian Places. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
7. First, Jamie (7 January 2014). "The A-Z story of Melbourne's suburbs". Herald Sun. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
8. "Craigieburn Line". Public Transport Victoria.
9. 404 Footscray - Moonee Ponds via Newmarket Public Transport Victoria
10. "472 Williamstown - Moonee Ponds via Footscray". Public Transport Victoria.
11. "82 Moonee Ponds - Footscray". Public Transport Victoria.

External links

• Melway map at street-directory.com.au