Winchelsea Station

Winchelsea Station
Station
Line: Geelong and Warrnambool
Distance from Melbourne: 113.740 km
Track Diagram: View
Google Maps: Satellite /  Map
Opened: November 25, 1876

The station at Winchelsea was provided when the line was opened, the station building being erected in 1877. Until 2008 it could be used to cross trains, now it is just a passenger platform.

Station layout


The station building was built of polychrome brickwork, of similar design to that at Birregurra. The station master's office was extended at the up end at an unknown date, with timber additions to the residence also added at some point.

The van goods shed and cart dock was located at the up end of the platform. The original lamp room and toilet block were originally at the up end of the station building, but were later relocated to the down end of the platform. The 1929 track chart of the line showed the platform on the southern side of the line, opposite a four road yard and goods platform, where a weatherboard goods shed was provided. Number 3 road had a dead end extension at the down end, while a fifth road leading from the up end yard lead.

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Safeworking


Winchelsea was a crossing station from opening, by 1909 plunger locking of the mainline points had been provided. In 1913 the carriage dock was removed, by 1917 the up and down distant signals had been abolished. A siding for Permewan Wright Limited was provided in 1935, leading off the goods shed road at the down end. The dead end extension at the down end of number 3 road was abolished in September 1982.

Large Electric Staff was replaced by the miniature version in September 1928 to Moriac and Armytage, by 1930 the section to Birregurra was provided with a composite staff for Armytage. The composite staff was withdrawn in 1954. Automatic staff exchange apparatus was provided in September 1940 for up trains, in 1957 switch out facilities were provided to Winchelsea in the Moriac - Birregurra section. The station master was removed in January 1960.

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Rationalisation


In 1978 the switch out facilities were removed, the new section being to Colac, with a composite staff being provided for Birregurra. In November 1988 Train Order Working was brought into use, Winchelsea being established as a crossing station and needing to be attended for all trains. By January 1989 this requirement was removed for certain trains, with the up and down light signals being controlled by 5P key switches on the platform.

By 1980 the yard had been rationalised to three roads, with number 3 road lifted. The goods platform had also been shortened, and part of the loading platform removed, but the goods shed still remained. By the 1990s the wooden extension to the building had been demolished.

The goods shed was removed at an unknown data, and relocated to the Waurn Ponds campus of Deakin University (in Geelong) where it was part of a display of heritage buildings. In 2002 the university announced it was disposing of the collection, inviting offers for each of the buildings. The Victorian Goldfields Railway based at Maldon received the goods shed, the university covering the cost of transport, the shed being placed at Muckleford.

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Recent years


In recent years number 2 road often used for set back crosses of passenger trains. Four home signals were provided: two semaphores for up and down arrivals, and two colour light signals for up and down departures.

With changes to V/Line timetables by 2005 passenger trains no longer cross here, instead doing so on the double line on the up side of Geelong. On Saturday 26 / Sunday 27 July 2008 the main line points and number two road at Winchelsea were removed, effectively 'straight railing' the station. The signal were left behind, with the station still being used for the issuing of intermediate train orders, in particular for the up Warrnambool freight of an evening.

On February 22, 2009 Winchelsea was decommissioned as a block point, with the up and down semaphore home signals being removed. The up and down departure colour light signals were converted to LED automatic signals, to protect the level crossings at each end of the station. The signals are normally at proceed, with key switches provided so that the signals an be placed at stop, to prevent the operation of the level crossing lights. Moriac Block Point at the 98 km post was provided at the same time to allow for follow on moves in the section.

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Events


November 25, 1876 Opened
Line Opened
November 25, 1876 Line opened Geelong to Winchelsea
March 13, 1877 Line opened Winchelsea to Birregurra
Safeworking
December 12, 1978 Composite Electric Staff provided Moriac - Winchelsea
(November 13, 1988) Train Order Working provided South Geelong - Winchelsea - Colac
July 20, 2005 Marshall opened. Train Order Working section now Marshall - Winchelsea
February 22, 2009 Winchelsea closed. Train Order Working section now Marshall - Camperdown

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Diagrams


NOTE: Diagrams are not to scale.

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Photos


Nine of 50 images found displayed. Click them to enlarge.

Additional platform exit leading into the car park

Originally Myki was going to be rolled out to the entire V/Line network, with civil works done at stations. But there was a change of government in 2010 and incoming premier Ted Baillieu decided to cut the scope of the V/Line rollout to just the commuter belt around Melbourne.

December 13, 2014

Unused myki FPD stand in place beside the booking office

Originally Myki was going to be rolled out to the entire V/Line network, with civil works done at stations. But there was a change of government in 2010 and incoming premier Ted Baillieu decided to cut the scope of the V/Line rollout to just the commuter belt around Melbourne.

December 13, 2014

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Winchelsea resignalling


Nine of 24 images found displayed. Click them to enlarge.

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Sources