Marshall Station
Lines: Geelong and Warrnambool, Geelong Racecourse
Distance from Melbourne: 79.600 km
Track Diagram: View
Google Maps: Satellite / Map
Opened: July 14, 1879
Marshall today is a busy commuter station, with a single platform on steel stilts on the east side of the main line, with a run around loop opposite. A cement sheeting clad station building is provided, with a booking office window and toilets for passengers, but no waiting room.
Marshall the First
Marshall Station first opened in 1879 as 'Connewarra' on the up side of the Marshalltown Road level crossing. The year previous had seen the opening of the Geelong Racecourse branch, which left the main line a few hundred metres further down the line. The branch to the racecourse was two miles in length and was only opened for special race trains.
A siding was installed between December 1885 and April 1886 to service the tanneries and other industries then existing along the Barwon River. A carriage dock had also been provided some time after 1887, with it removed in June 1897. The last use of the racecourse branch was in 1906, the line being lifted in 1908, and closed in 1909. The station was renamed Marshall in 1907.
In 1912 more changes came to the station, with a pipemaking factory opening in the station yard. Operated by Stone and Siddeley Co, they had won the contract to build Geelong's outfall sewer to Black Rock (near Barwon Heads). They built a light tramway to assist in the construction process, hauling pipes from the factory, along the alignment of the now-closed racecourse line, to the route of the sewer a kilometre or so away. At Marshall Station itself the remains of the branch line was converted into a loop siding off the main line. By late 1915 the sewer was complete, and the tramway and pipemaking factory removed.
The loop siding itself was left behind, forming a goods yard where a small shed and stock race was erected. By 1953 Marshall as worked under no-one-in-charge conditions, and by 1957 was open to goods in wagon loads only. The passenger platform was removed in 1958, and Marshall was closed to all traffic in 1964.
See also:Rebirth
The site of Marshall laid empty until the early 2000s where the government of the day made an election promise to provide a 'Grovedale' station to serve the growing southern suburbs of Geelong with commuter trains. After a number of surveys and consultations, it was decided that the new station would be built at Marshalltown Road on the site of the former Marshall goods yard. A competition was held to decide the name of the new station, with 'Marshall' being declared the winner. The new station cost $5 million, with $500,000 spent in the 2003-04 financial year.
Construction commenced in 2003, with a station building, six car platform, 100 space carpark, bus terminus, run around loop, and associated signalling being provided. The new station opened to passengers on April 26th 2004. It was initially only served by trains running to and from Warrnambool, until July 2005 when the run around loop and signalling was commissioned, allowing trains to terminate at Marshall. September 2005 saw a limited number of South Geelong trains extended to Marshall, and September 2006 saw even more again.
In September / November 2008 the platform was extended in order to fit 7 car VLocity trains. About 5 metres were added at the down end, and 2 metres was added at the up end, the latter being narrower than the rest of the platform.
In March 2010 work started on expansion of the carpark, adding 300 spaces on land acquired from the adjacent egg farm to the south-east of the station. A new secure cage for 30 bikes was also added, as well as a second platform entrance at the down end to provide easier access from the new carpark. Completed by July 2010, it was not until August 2011 that Myki equipment was provided at the new entrance.
Events
| July 14, 1879 | Opened as 'Connewarre' |
| April 1, 1907 | Renamed 'Marshall' |
| (February 16, 1914) | Stone and Siddley’s Siding opened (most likely in early 1912, but no evidence) |
| July 22, 1958 | Passenger platform removed |
| February 17, 1964 | Closed to all traffic |
| June 22, 1964 | Staff locks removed |
| June 30, 1982 | Flashing lights provided at Marshalltown Road |
| April 26, 2004 | Current station opened, served by 3 Warrnambool trains each way each day. |
| December 16, 2004 | Boom barriers and pedestrian gates provided at Marshalltown Road |
| July 20, 2005 | Run around loop and signalling commissioned |
| September 26, 2005 | Commuter services extended to Marshall - 5 trains per weekday each way, 3 being Warrnambool trains. |
| September 3, 2006 | Approximately half of all Geelong services extended to Marshall under new timetable. |
Line Opened
| November 25, 1876 | Line opened Geelong to Winchelsea |
Safeworking
| July 20, 2005 | Marshall opened. Train Order Working section now South Geelong - Marshall - Winchelsea |
| December 1, 2005 | Track Block provided South Geelong - Marshall |
| February 22, 2009 | Winchelsea closed. Train Order Working section now Marshall - Camperdown |
| February 22, 2009 | Moriac Block Point opened. Train Order Working section now Marshall - Moriac Block Point |
| 2014 | Track Block provided Marshall - Waurn Ponds |
Diagrams
NOTE: Diagrams are not to scale.
Photos
Nine of 95 images found displayed. Click them to enlarge.
 Current station building at Marshall viewed from the platform sideFebruary 2, 2024 |
 Concrete pier inside formwork for the future second platformFebruary 2, 2024 |
 Concrete pier with conduit inside for the future second platformFebruary 2, 2024 |
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 Excavator parked at the up end of Marshalltown RoadFebruary 2, 2024 |
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Related Locations
Sources
- ARHS Tour Notes - 'South Western Steam Supreme' 1997
- http://www.vrhistory.com/ - Andrew Waugh
- Light Railways Magazine
- Marshall Station car park open for business (Friday, 16 July 2010)
- Marshall Station boosted with 300 new car parks (Monday, 15 March 2010)
- State Government of Victoria - Public Sector Asset Investment Program 2004-05 - Budget Information Paper No. 1