South Kensington Station

South Kensington Station
Station
Line: Geelong and Warrnambool
Distance from Melbourne: 3.492 km
Track Diagram: View
Google Maps: Satellite /  Map
Opened: March 11, 1891

South Kensington was once an important freight centre and junction. Today it it a minor suburban station, junction to the broad gauge freight lines, and a run around location for V/Line services from the Eastern line.

Facilities


The station has four tracks going through it, with the platforms located on the southern pair. Crossovers between the track pairs are located at each end of the platforms. A subway links the platform at the up end, with a signal box on the down platform, and a disused station building at street level beside the subway entrance to the north.

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History


Private sidings around South Kensington included the Four and Twenty Pies factory to the north east (now demolished and an industrial park), a warehouse and silos the the east as Sidings 'B' (now with rail service), and two sidings to the north: Kensington Abattoirs and Kenstore (the first in the process of demolition, the second now residential).

According to the 1953 General Appendix the Abattoirs line terminated 1340 feet on the down side of Footscray Road (now known as Kensington Road) level crossing, with sidings for the Commonwealth Government provided at the terminus. The line ran parallel to the main line at least as far as the level crossing. It was known as Siding 'C' and used a Train Staff lettered for 'South Kensington - Abattoirs Line' with shunting not permitted beyond dwarf signal 13 without it. This signal was for up trains from the siding, and was located behind the up platform.

Freight lines went off the the east towards Weighbridge Junction and Melbourne Yard, while to the west was the line to Sims Street Junction, the Bunbury Street Tunnel, and South Dynon. The North Dynon sidings were located to the south of the station platforms and goods lines, and remain in use today.

Until quadruplication of the lines to Footscray, it was also where the suburban and country lines from the city merged. With the track upgrade the station was rebuilt, with the up platform (number 1) rebuilt on stilts, the other platform left as is. It is also believed that the subway and station building were provided at this time. The station building is to the south-west of the subway entrance, and is of brick construction and tucked up against the retaining wall.

A local signal box once existed at the up end of the down platform, but could switch out with the telephone connected to North Melbourne Junction box. In 1993 control of the area passed to Metrol, along with the rest of the inner suburban area.

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Events


March 11, 1891 Opened
Line Opened
January 17, 1859 Williamstown line finally completed to Melbourne. Geelong trains can now operate direct to Spencer Street Station
Track Amplified
(July 1, 1898) Line duplicated South Kensington to Footscray
November 21, 1976 Line quadruplicated South Kensington to Footscray
Safeworking
(July 1, 1898) Double Line Block provided South Kensington - Footscray
August 7, 1927 Automatic Block System provided South Kensington - Footscray
November 21, 1976 Footscray closed. Automatic Block System section now South Kensington - Newport
(September 3, 1991) Yarraville closed. Automatic Block System section now South Kensington - Newport

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Photos


Nine of 26 images found displayed. Click them to enlarge.

Mural at South Kensington painted over in plain beige

A mural by Mike Maka used to cover this wall, funded by the Regional Rail Link -- City to Maribyrnong River project team. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUEngzDqReE

June 6, 2020

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Aerial Photos


1945 photo map of Melbourne, produced by the Victorian Department of Lands and Survey, now accessable via the University of Melbourne:

1945 aerial photo of South Kensington Station

Related Locations


Sources