Westona railway station

Westona
PTV commuter rail station
Station building and entrance, June 2005
General information
Location	Harrington Street, Altona, Victoria 3018 City of Hobsons Bay Australia
Coordinates	37°51′54″S 144°48′49″E
Owned by	VicTrack
Operated by	Metro Trains
Line(s)	Werribee
Distance	18.53 kilometres from Southern Cross
Platforms	2 (1 island)
Tracks	2
Connections	Bus
Construction
Structure type	Ground
Parking	80
Bicycle facilities	Yes
Accessible	Yes—step free access
Other information
Status	Operational, unstaffed
Station code	WTO
Fare zone	Myki Zone 1/2 overlap
Website	Public Transport Victoria
History
Opened	21 January 1985; 40 years ago (1985-01-21)
Electrified	January 1985 (1500 V DC overhead)
Passengers
2005–2006	268,293[1]
2006–2007	296,515[1]  10.51%
2007–2008	316,372[1]  6.69%
2008–2009	349,476[2]  10.46%
2009–2010	350,423[2]  0.27%
2010–2011	309,620[2]  11.64%
2011–2012	245,212[2]  20.8%
2012–2013	Not measured[2]
2013–2014	227,635[2]  7.16%
2014–2015	229,932[1]  1%
2015–2016	238,575[2]  3.75%
2016–2017	236,790[2]  0.74%
2017–2018	240,157[2]  1.42%
2018–2019	240,150[2]  0.002%
2019–2020	212,000[2]  11.72%
2020–2021	107,350[2]  49.36%
2021–2022	137,950[3]  28.5%
Services
Preceding station Metro Trains Following station Laverton towards Werribee Werribee line Altona towards Frankston via Flinders Street
Track layout to Altona Grieve Parade 1 2 Maidstone Street Kayes Drain to Laverton

Westona railway station is a commuter railway station on the Werribee line, which is part of the Melbourne railway network. It serves the western suburb of Altona, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Westona station is a ground level unstaffed station, featuring an island platform. It opened on 21 January 1985.[4][5]

Westona is a crossing loop in the middle of a 10-kilometre-long section of single track between Altona Junction and Laverton. The direction in which trains cross at Westona is unusual for Melbourne, in that they pass each other on the right, rather than passing on the more common left.[4]

History

In 1965, the Victorian Parliament passed the Altona Railway Extension Act, which authorised a 1-mile (1.6 km) extension of the Altona railway, west to Maidstone Street.[6] Despite a sign being erected on the future site of Westona station, proclaiming that a railway was to be built to there, nothing was done for almost two decades.

Westona station opened on 21 January 1985, when the railway line from Altona was extended.[4][7] After opening, the station was briefly the terminus of the line, with the up face of the island platform (Platform 1) only in use.[5] On 14 April of that year, the track to Laverton was opened.[4] The station was named by Joanna O'Connor, Alan Angus and Betty Angus, who won a council-run contest to find a name. Because the new station was west of Altona, they suggested Westona.[8]

In 1986, control of all signals and points was transferred to the Newport signal box, with the signal control panel moved to the relay room for maintenance purposes only.[9]

Platforms and services

Westona has one island platform with two faces. It is served by Werribee line trains.[10]

Platform 1:

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

Platform 2:

•  Werribee line  all stations services to Laverton (weekdays only); all stations services to Werribee

Transport links

CDC Melbourne operates one bus route via Westona station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:

•  415 : Laverton station – Williamstown[11]

References

1. Estimated Annual Patronage by Network Segment Financial Year 2005-2006 to 2018-19 Department of Transport
2. Railway station and tram stop patronage in Victoria for 2008-2021 Philip Mallis
3. Annual metropolitan train station patronage (station entries) Data Vic
4. "Westona". Vicsig. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
5. "Westona Station". Rail Geelong. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
6. "Altona Railway Extension Act 1965". Victorian Historical Acts. Australasian Legal Information Institute. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
7. Harrington, Tony (22 January 1985). "Western suburbs get new station, lose three others". The Age. p. 5.
8. Byrne, Bridie (16 September 2008). "Diamond Day". Williamstown, Altona, Laverton Star. Archived from the original on 3 April 2013. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
9. "Works". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. March 1987. p. 89.
10. "Werribee Line". Public Transport Victoria.
11. "415 Laverton Station - Williamstown via Altona". Public Transport Victoria.

External links

• Melway map at street-directory.com.au