Aircraft railway station
Coordinates: 37°52′00″S 144°45′39″E / 37.8666°S 144.7609°E
| Station information | |
|---|---|
| Code | ACF |
| Distance from Flinders Street |
23.5 km |
| Operator | Metro Trains Melbourne |
| Lines | Werribee |
| # Platforms | 2 |
| # Tracks | 2 |
| Status | Unmanned station |
| Metlink profile | Link |
| Melway map | Link |
| Google map | Link |
| Metlink ticket zone | 2 |
Aircraft is a railway station in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, located in the suburb of Laverton, on the Werribee railway line. An unmanned station, it is in Metlink Zone 2. In 2009 it was the 36th least used metropolitan railway station in Melbourne, with an average of 780 passenger boardings per day.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Facilities
Aircraft is located at the western end of the Aviation Road level crossing, which also provides access to the station.
The station consists of two platforms, in an island format, with a small steel shelter for waiting passengers at the Flinders Street end of the station. A small coin-only Metcard ticket vending machine is the only current operational ticketing equipment installed. The large Metcard ticket vending machine and a Telstra payphone have been removed.
As the new Myki ticketing system has been commissioned there is also a large Myki top-up machine located where the old Large Metcard Ticket vending machine was.
The Western standard gauge line is to the west of the station, and is used by interstate freight trains, and The Overland passenger service from Melbourne to Adelaide.
[edit] Platforms, services and connecting bus services
Platform 1:
- All stations and limited express services to Flinders Street
- Occasional all stations and limited express services to Werribee
Platform 2:
- All stations and limited express services to Werribee
- Occasional all stations and limited express services to Flinders Street
- 413 Laverton – Werribee Plaza via Seabrook Estate, Point Cook, Hoppers Crossing (every day). Operated by Westrans
- 414 Footscray – Aircraft via Geelong Road, Laverton North (Monday to Saturday). Operated by Westrans
- 415 Laverton – Williamstown via Laverton RS, Aircraft RS, Altona (Monday to Saturday). Operated by Westrans
- 416 Aircraft – Hoppers Crossing via Seabrook Estate, Point Cook (every day). Operated by Westrans
[edit] History
Aircraft station opened as a siding on 7 March 1925 as Aviation Siding. It was renamed Aircraft Siding with a platform added in 1927, and was renamed Aircraft in 1963.[2]
The future of the station was put into doubt when the construction of Williams Landing railway station was announced, just one kilometre along the line. Aircraft station already had lower patronage than nearby Laverton station, despite being just one kilometre along the line, the location of Metcard fare zones made trips from Aircraft to the city more expensive.[3] In June 2010 the spokesman public transport minister Martin Pakula would say only that Aircraft would remain open until 2012, the opening date of Williams Landing station.[4] At the same time the construction of 100 new car parking spaces was cancelled, and railway sources confirmed that the government's plans were to close Aircraft station. In September 2010 the public transport minister ended speculation by making the pledge that "Aircraft station will not be closed".[1]
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Stopping all stations as minister backs down". www.theage.com.au. September 9, 2010. http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/stopping-all-stations-as-minister-backs-down-20100908-151c2.html. Retrieved 2010-10-23.
- ^ VICSIG Infrastructure - Aircraft
- ^ James Twining (September 7, 2010). "Aircraft station flies on". Hobsons Bay Leader. hobsons-bay-leader.whereilive.com.au. http://hobsons-bay-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/aircraft-station-flies-on/. Retrieved 2010-10-23.
- ^ "Doubts persist on Aircraft station". Wyndham Weekly. www.wyndhamweekly.com.au. June 30, 2010. http://www.wyndhamweekly.com.au/news/local/news/general/doubts-persist-on-aircraft-station/1872781.aspx. Retrieved 2010-10-23.
- "Rail Geelong - Aircraft Station". www.railgeelong.com. http://www.railgeelong.com/location/aircraft. Retrieved 2008-06-08.
| Station Navigation | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Werribee line | ||||
| ← Previous Station | Laverton | | | Hoppers Crossing | Next Station → |
| Entire network | ||||
The proposed Williams Landing railway station is located between Aircraft and Hoppers Crossing.
