Chelsea railway station, Melbourne

Chelsea railway station is a commuter railway station on the Frankston line, which is part of the Melbourne railway network. It serves the south-eastern suburb of Chelsea, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Chelsea station is a ground level premium station, featuring two side platforms. It opened on 4 February 1907, with the current station provided in 2021.[4]

Chelsea
PTV commuter rail station
Southbound view from Platform 1 with a Frankston-bound Comeng train departing
Platform 2, May 2022
General information
LocationNepean Highway,
Chelsea, Victoria 3196
City of Kingston
Australia
Coordinates38°03′07″S 145°06′57″E / 38.0520°S 145.1159°E / -38.0520; 145.1159
Owned byVicTrack
Operated byMetro Trains
Line(s)Frankston
Distance33.37 kilometres from
Southern Cross
Platforms2 side
Tracks2
Connections
Construction
Structure typeBelow ground
Parking130
Bicycle facilitiesYes
AccessibleYes — step free access
Other information
StatusOperational, unstaffed
Station codeCSA
Fare zoneMyki Zone 2
WebsitePublic Transport Victoria
History
Opened4 February 1907; 117 years ago (1907-02-04)
Rebuilt22 November 2021 (LXRP)
ElectrifiedAugust 1922 (1500 V DC overhead)
Passengers
2005–2006493,486[1]
2006–2007506,010[1]Increase 2.53%
2007–2008552,391[1]Increase 9.16%
2008–2009602,890[2]Increase 9.14%
2009–2010590,777[2]Decrease 2%
2010–2011646,085[2]Increase 9.36%
2011–2012635,867[2]Decrease 1.58%
2012–2013Not measured[2]
2013–2014510,183[2]Decrease 19.76%
2014–2015483,888[1]Decrease 5.15%
2015–2016500,720[2]Increase 3.47%
2016–2017490,790[2]Decrease 1.98%
2017–2018511,421[2]Increase 4.2%
2018–2019488,610[2]Decrease 4.46%
2019–2020352,400[2]Decrease 27.87%
2020–2021186,300[2]Decrease 47.13%
2021–2022161,650[3]Decrease 13.23%
2022–2023316,650[3]Increase 96.06%
Services
Preceding station Railways in Melbourne Metro Trains Following station
Edithvale Frankston line Bonbeach
towards Frankston
Track layout
1
2

History

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Chelsea station opened on 4 February 1907[4] and, like the suburb itself, was named after Chelsea in London, England.[5][6] The name was suggested by local farmer Bertha Black, whose mother was originally from Chelsea.[5][6]

In 1977, boom barriers replaced interlocked gates at the former Chelsea Road level crossing, which was located at the up end of the station.[7] The interlocked frame was also abolished at this time, replaced by a control panel within the former signal box.[8]

In 1984, the overhead wire for a siding at the station was removed and, in 1987, the siding was abolished.[4]

In 2003, the control panel was permanently switched out.[9] In 2004, a crossover that was located at the Frankston end of the station was abolished.[10]

On 4 May 2010, as part of the 2010/2011 State Budget, $83.7 million was allocated to upgrade Chelsea to a premium station, along with nineteen others.[11][12] However, in March 2011, this was scrapped by the Baillieu Government.[13]

On 9 December 2019, the Level Crossing Removal Project released designs for the removal of the Chelsea Road level crossing and the rebuilding of the station,[14] with contracts for the removal of the level crossing signed two days later, on 11 December.[15] In 2020, construction started and, on 25 July 2021, the station was closed for demolition.[16] On 22 November of that year, the rebuilt station opened to passengers, along with nearby Edithvale and Bonbeach.[17][18] The line was rebuilt below in a trench, with the level crossing permanently closed to road vehicles, and nearby Thames Promenade extended to the Nepean Highway.[19]

Platforms and services

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Chelsea has two side platforms. It is serviced by Metro Trains' Frankston line services.[20]

Platform 1:

Platform 2:

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Kinetic Melbourne operates one SmartBus route to and from Chelsea station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:

  • SmartBus  902 : to Westfield Airport West[21]

Ventura Bus Lines operates three routes via Chelsea station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:

SkyBus also operates a service to Melbourne Airport via Chelsea station.[25]

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d Estimated Annual Patronage by Network Segment Financial Year 2005–2006 to 2018–19 Archived 17 April 2022 at the Wayback Machine Department of Transport
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Railway station and tram stop patronage in Victoria for 2008–2021 Archived 17 December 2022 at the Wayback Machine Philip Mallis
  3. ^ a b Annual metropolitan train station patronage (station entries) Archived 6 March 2023 at the Wayback Machine Data Vic
  4. ^ a b c "Chelsea". vicsig.net. Archived from the original on 6 February 2023. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Chelsea". Victorian Places. Archived from the original on 1 December 2022. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  6. ^ a b First, Jamie (7 January 2014). "The A-Z story of Melbourne's suburbs". Herald Sun. Archived from the original on 26 December 2022. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  7. ^ John Sinnatt (January 1990). "Level Crossing Protection". Somersault. Signalling Record Society Victoria. pp. 9–17.
  8. ^ "Works". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. January 1977. p. 14.
  9. ^ "Signalling Alterations". Somersault. Signalling Record Society Victoria. November 2003. p. 105.
  10. ^ "Signalling Alterations". Somersault. Signalling Record Society Victoria. May 2004. p. 46.
  11. ^ "New premium stations for Metro". Sydney Morning Herald. 4 May 2010. Archived from the original on 18 February 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  12. ^ "General News". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. June 2010. p. 165.
  13. ^ Gardiner, Ashley; Wright, Anne (25 March 2011). "Premier Ted Baillieu says armed guards will create 'culture of safety'". Herald Sun. Archived from the original on 6 September 2020. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  14. ^ "Station designs announced for Edithvale, Chelsea and Bonbeach". Victoria's Big Build. Archived from the original on 21 December 2019. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  15. ^ "50 level crossings under contract". Victoria's Big Build. Archived from the original on 24 March 2022. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  16. ^ "Edithvale, Chelsea and Bonbeach – station closures". Victoria's Big Build. Archived from the original on 27 October 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  17. ^ "New completion dates for Lilydale, Frankston and Williamstown line works". Victoria's Big Build. Archived from the original on 17 November 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  18. ^ "54 level crossings gone for good". Level Crossing Removal Project. Archived from the original on 23 November 2021. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  19. ^ "Chelsea Road, Chelsea". Victoria's Big Build. Archived from the original on 5 January 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  20. ^ "Frankston Line". Public Transport Victoria.
  21. ^ "902 Chelsea Railway Station – Airport West Shopping Centre (SMARTBUS Service)". Public Transport Victoria. Archived from the original on 23 April 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  22. ^ "706 Mordialloc SC – Chelsea Railway Station". Public Transport Victoria. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  23. ^ "857 Chelsea Railway Station – Dandenong Railway Station via Patterson Lakes". Public Transport Victoria. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  24. ^ "858 Edithvale – Aspendale Gardens via Chelsea". Public Transport Victoria. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  25. ^ "Peninsula Express locations". SkyBus. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
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