Little River Station
Line: Geelong and Warrnambool
Distance from Melbourne: 47.561 km
Track Diagram: View
Google Maps: Satellite / Map
Opened: January 1, 1857
Little River has two side platforms, located between the level crossing and the river. The station is unstaffed and a mere wayside stop for Geelong trains. A pedestrian crossing at the down end links the platforms, with a disused bluestone station building and lamp room on the Geelong bound platform, and a boarded up bluestone goods shed opposite. The standard gauge track slews around the shed. On the broad gauge a crossover at each end allows trains from either direction to access the southern platform.
History
Opened with the line in 1857, the original station was opened 300 metres to the west on the other side of the Little River. The present station building and goods shed at Litter River were erected in 1864. Little River was known as Bulban between 1910 and 1912. Serving the township of the same name, the station also served as an important crossing point in the single line section.
On the night of April 2, 1884 the station was the site of a head on collision between an up Ballarat via Geelong passenger train and a down Geelong goods. The drivers of both trains were killed, as well as a passenger. The line was using 'staff and ticket' rules at the time. The station master at Werribee had gone away without leave, with an employee without telegraph experience being left in charge, while the SM's daughter had knowledge of the system. The employee gave the train staff to the driver of the down goods and was sent down the line, while the SM's daughter telegraphed 'line clear' to Little River, who then despatched the passenger train into the same section in the opposite direction.
The siding through the goods shed was disconnected in 1970. A second platform (platform 1) was provided on duplication to Lara in 1981. Additional platform shelters were provided to platform 1 (Melbourne bound) in 2006. Purple Viclink signage was installed in June 2008.
Events
| January 1, 1857 | Opened |
| December 9, 1912 | Renamed Little River (formerly Bulban) |
| March 5, 1914 | Dead end siding extensions provided |
| June 27, 1965 | Siding B connected to main line at down end as running line |
| October 8, 1970 | Mechanical interlocking replaced by local panel. Up end crossover replaced with high speed crossover in reversed orientation. |
| October 25, 1970 | No 3 road abolished |
| December 7, 1973 | Remote control from Werribee provided |
Line Opened
| January 1, 1857 | Line opened Little River to Lara |
| June 25, 1857 | Line officially opened between Geelong and at temporary terminus at Greenwich. A ferry was used the complete the journey to Melbourne |
| October 3, 1857 | Temporary Greenwich terminal and stub line closed. Geelong line now connected to the partially completed Williamstown line. A ferry complete the journey from Williamstown to Melbourne |
| January 17, 1859 | Williamstown line finally completed to Melbourne. Geelong trains can now operate direct to Spencer Street Station |
Track Amplified
| October 25, 1970 | Line duplicated Werribee to Little River |
| June 4, 1981 | Line duplicated Little River to Lara |
Safeworking
| August 5, 1898 | Large Electric Staff provided Werribee - Little River - Lara |
| February 2, 1911 | Manor opened. Large Electric Staff section now Manor - Little River |
| (April 27, 1914) | Miniature Electric Staff provided Manor - Little River - Lara |
| July 15, 1928 | Automatic and Track Control provided Manor - Little River - Lara |
| October 25, 1970 | Manor closed. Automatic and Track Control section now Werribee - Little River |
Diagrams
NOTE: Diagrams are not to scale.
Photos
Nine of 38 images found displayed. Click them to enlarge.
 Timber transom deck on the broad gauge bridge over Little RiverOctober 29, 2019 |
 Rebuilt section of platform 2It used to be hollow underneath, presumably for point running to pass October 13, 2019 |
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 Signals LTR16 and LTR4 at the up end of Little RiverOctober 3, 2018 |
 Looking down the platforms at Little RiverOctober 3, 2018 |
 Sunrise at Little River stationJune 22, 2015 |
 To infinity and beyondApril 25, 2008 |
 Past the You YangsApril 25, 2008 |
 Running through Little RiverApril 25, 2008 |
