Chelsea railway station, Melbourne

Chelsea
PTV commuter rail station
Southbound view from Platform 1 with a Frankston-bound Comeng train departing Platform 2, May 2022
General information
Location	Nepean Highway, Chelsea, Victoria 3196 City of Kingston Australia
Coordinates	38°03′07″S 145°06′57″E
Owned by	VicTrack
Operated by	Metro Trains
Line(s)	Frankston
Distance	33.37 kilometres from Southern Cross
Platforms	2 side
Tracks	2
Connections	Bus SkyBus
Construction
Structure type	Below ground
Parking	130
Bicycle facilities	Yes
Accessible	Yes — step free access
Other information
Status	Operational, unstaffed
Station code	CSA
Fare zone	Myki Zone 2
Website	Public Transport Victoria
History
Opened	4 February 1907; 118 years ago (1907-02-04)
Rebuilt	22 November 2021 (LXRP)
Electrified	August 1922 (1500 V DC overhead)
Passengers
2005–2006	493,486[1]
2006–2007	506,010[1]  2.53%
2007–2008	552,391[1]  9.16%
2008–2009	602,890[2]  9.14%
2009–2010	590,777[2]  2%
2010–2011	646,085[2]  9.36%
2011–2012	635,867[2]  1.58%
2012–2013	Not measured[2]
2013–2014	510,183[2]  19.76%
2014–2015	483,888[1]  5.15%
2015–2016	500,720[2]  3.47%
2016–2017	490,790[2]  1.98%
2017–2018	511,421[2]  4.2%
2018–2019	488,610[2]  4.46%
2019–2020	352,400[2]  27.87%
2020–2021	186,300[2]  47.13%
2021–2022	161,650[3]  13.23%
2022–2023	316,650[3]  96.06%
Services
Preceding station Metro Trains Following station Edithvale towards Werribee or Williamstown via Flinders Street Frankston line Bonbeach towards Frankston
Track layout to Edithvale 1 2 to Bonbeach

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 unstaffed station, featuring two side platforms. It opened on 4 February 1907, with the current station provided in 2021.[4]

History

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

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

Platform 1:

•  Frankston line  all stations and limited express services to Flinders Street, Werribee and Williamstown

Platform 2:

•  Frankston line  all stations services to Frankston

Transport links

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:

•  706 : to Mordialloc (off-peak only)[22]
•  857 : to Dandenong station[23]
•  858 : Edithvale – Aspendale Gardens[24]

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

Gallery

• 
  Station building and Nepean Highway entrance to the former ground level Platform 1, August 2007
• 
  Northbound view from the former ground level Platform 2, September 2007
• 
  Northbound view from the former ground level Platform 1, November 2007
• 
  Southbound view of the former ground level station viewed from the former Station Street level crossing, March 2010
• 
  Northbound view from Platform 1, November 2021
• 
  Station building and entrance from
  Nepean Highway, May 2022

References

1. 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. Railway station and tram stop patronage in Victoria for 2008–2021 Archived 17 December 2022 at the Wayback Machine Philip Mallis
3. Annual metropolitan train station patronage (station entries) Archived 6 March 2023 at the Wayback Machine Data Vic
4. "Chelsea". vicsig.net. Archived from the original on 6 February 2023. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
5. "Chelsea". Victorian Places. Archived from the original on 1 December 2022. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
6. 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.

External links

• Melway map at street-directory.com.au