History
Mordialloc station was officially opened on 19 December 1881 by Sir Thomas Bent,[9] who was the Minister of Railways, and later becoming the Premier of Victoria between 1904 and 1909.[10] The station was provided when the railway line from Caulfield was extended.[4] It remained a terminus until 1 August 1882, when the line was extended to Frankston.[4] Like the suburb itself, the station gets it name from an Indigenous word meaning 'near little sea', or from either a creek named Moodi or Marida.[11][12]
The first train to arrive at Mordialloc was a special service from Princes Bridge, which collected school children from the Brighton area. Further specials occurred during the day, with proper timetabled services commencing the following day. Six services were provided upon opening and, apart from two services, all were shuttle services operating between Caulfield and Mordialloc.[9]
When the line opened, none of the stations between Caulfield and Mordialloc had station buildings, as noted by a reporter for The Argus newspaper. However, it was also noted that the stations had sidings and platforms, with Mordialloc having a 'particularly fine and spacious platform'. In February 1882, a contract was let for the construction of station buildings, for a price of £749-15-0.[9]
On 31 July of that year, the line was extended to Frankston, and again was opened by Sir Thomas Bent. Timetabled services commenced the following day, and were initially two daily services and three services on Saturday, connecting with city-bound trains at Mordialloc. By December of that year, through services were operating between the city and Mordialloc/Frankston, with the station itself open for goods traffic.[9]
At the start of March 1885, a turntable and a coal stage and ash pit were provided. The turntable was relocated from Berwick, with the coal stage being a new construction. In December of that year, the Locomotive Branch of the Victorian Railways recommended the construction of an engine shed, at an estimated cost of £200. However, this did not eventuate.[9]
In 1887, an additional siding was provided, and occurring in that year, a contract was let for extensions to the station building. By May of that year, the coal stage was relocated to Flinders Street and, by March 1889, a carriage dock was abolished, to allow an extension of the platform.[9]
In 1888, duplication of the line was provided between Caulfield and Mordialloc.[4] The Staff and Ticket, which worked between Mentone and Mordialloc, was abolished, and the Winters Block system was provided, with the section remaining Mentone–Mordialloc. By August 1890, there were seventeen services to Mordialloc, nine of which continued through to Frankston, and two goods trains. In March 1895, Mordialloc was interlocked, with a thirty lever frame provided.[9]
On 22 March 1896, a new lattice girder bridge was provided over the Mordialloc Creek, which is located nearby in the down direction of the station, replacing the original timber bridge, which was to the east of the new bridge. Regrading occurred at the Up end of the station, with a railway overpass built over Nepean Road. That bridge was brought into use on 16 August of that year.[9]
In December that year, the Commissioners of the Victorian Railways inspected the station, and announced a proposal to replace the existing frame with a signal box at the McDonald Street level crossing. This did not occur, however, alterations to the tracks and interlocking did occur in February 1898, and included two additional working levers for the frame. By 1901, there were six through services (five of which were services bound for Mornington or Stony Point), and ten services terminating. This gave Mordialloc a service roughly every hour throughout the day.[9]
In 1907, a new engine shed was provided. It was originally erected at Traralgon in 1884, and was relocated to Briagolong in 1902, when a new shed at Traralgon was provided. The following year, a new signalbay and interlocking was provided. By that date, two dead–end sidings were in service at the Down end of the station.[9]
In 1910, duplication of the line between Mordialloc and Frankston occurred,[4] resulting in a rebuilt and enlarged yard and a complete overhaul to the station layout: a portion of a floating goods platform from Williamstown was erected by August 1 of that year, with instructions to reduce the length of the platform to 466 ft (142 m) also occurring. By December 1, a second platform (current day Platform 2) was provided. The signalling was also altered, allowing Down trains to use all three running tracks if necessary. A new goods road (No.4 road) was provided behind Platform 2 to the enlarged goods yard, which was now extended to Mordialloc Creek. A new engine shed and turntable were provided, as well as the current pedestrian underpass.[9]
On 5 January 1911, a new, elevated signal box was provided adjacent to the Bear Street level crossing, complete with a fifty lever frame. By 1 March of that year, the Edwardian–style water tower was completed. By December 1913, there were seventeen through services and fourteen terminating services, with a number of goods trains to and from Frankston, Mornington Junction and Carrum (an as–required service only) also shunting in the yard at various hours of the day.[9]
Electrification arrived at the station in May 1922,[4][13] and was extended to Frankston in August of that year.[4][13] The first trail run of an electric train to Mordialloc occurred on 19 May of that year, with electric services beginning three days later, on 22 May. A trail run to Frankston occurred on 21 August, with services commencing on 24 August. Electrification, however, brought little alterations to the station, apart from some minor signalling changes. By December 1924, there was thirty through services, twenty–four terminating services and three goods services. Two train sets also stabled overnight.[13]
Sometime around 1924, the engine shed was abolished. The Victorian Railways' Chief Engineer of the Way & Works branch recommended it be relocated to Colac, but it is unsure if this happened. In February of the following year, the platforms were extended in the Up direction, to allow the operation of 7–car trains. In 1927, the former signalbay was removed, to allow improvements to the width of the platform. During November 1929, a number of roads in the yard were wired, allowing the use of electric locomotives on goods services.[13]
On 28 December 1938, the grandstand of the nearby Epsom Racecourse was destroyed by fire,[14] bringing an end to race traffic to Mordialloc.[13] Prior to this, race specials were generally formed by 7–car Tait sets. Racehorses themselves were carried by train, with special services originating from Flemington Racecourse and the loading of the horses carried out at the Newmarket Stock Siding, Flinders Street and other stations as required. In early 1942, the water supply for steam locomotives was decommissioned, along with the water tower.[13]
Post–World War II, suburbia was being extensively developed towards Mordialloc and beyond.[13] By February 1950, there was fifty–one through services (a number of these services terminated at Aspendale), twenty–eight terminating services (with two sets stabling overnight) and a Monday–Wednesday–Friday goods service to and from Seaford, which shunted at Mordialloc twice on the days it operated.[13]
Sometime between 1954 and 1956, the turntable in the yard was abolished. On 21 December 1955, a substation was provided near the Station Street level crossing, located in the Down direction of the station. It was provided to improve the power supply at the outer ends of suburban railway lines, allowing improved services.[13]
Around 1961, the goods shed and platform were abolished. By May 1963, the station was serviced by sixty–three through services, with ten services that terminated, with five train sets stabling overnight. It was still served by the goods service to and from Seaford, however, this now only operated on Wednesdays.[13]
Between 1964 and 1966, the current railway overpass crossing the Nepean Highway was provided, replacing the original 1896–built overpass. During 1967, there was consideration to extending Platform 2 to allow 8–car trains, which would've forced the relocation of a number of signal posts. However, a number of signal renewals did occur during this time. By November 1973, planning was underway for the extension of the third track from Caulfield to Mordialloc. This, however, has not eventuated: the third track was only extended to Moorabbin in 1987.[13]
Automatic signalling between Mordialloc and Chelsea was provided in 1977. Between 1979 and 1982, a new concrete bridge was provided over the Mordialloc Creek, replacing the lattice girder bridge from 1896.[4][13] By 1981, the goods yard was closed to traffic, and No.4 road was abolished and baulked on the Up side of the Bear Street level crossing,[4][13] with the last recorded use of the road occurring when an Albury–bound passenger set was held during a shunters strike.[13] By 1984, the overhead lines for No.4 road and the goods sidings were removed.[4][13]
Three-position signalling replaced double line block signalling between Mordialloc and Parkdale in April 1986,[4][13] this being the last section of double line block working on the Frankston line.[13] Mordialloc, however, remained mechanically interlocked.[4][13] This all changed in the following year, 1987: the elevated signal box was abolished, and was replaced with a signal panel that was located in the main station building on Platform 1.[4][13] Boom barriers were provided at both the McDonald Street and Bear Street level crossings, located in the up and down directions of the station respectively,[15][16] and all semaphore signals were replaced with three position signals. In June 1988, the elevated signal box was demolished.[13][17]
In 1990, security fencing was provided for the stabling yard.[13] On 5 December 1995, Mordialloc was upgraded to a premium station.[18]
In early 2011, the stabling yard was upgraded.[19][20] On 9 September 2013, whilst travelling through the McDonald Street level crossing, a wagon on the Long Island steel train derailed, causing lengthy delays.[21][22] In October 2015, new accessible toilets were provided at the station.[23]
On 7 October 2021, the signal panel was abolished,[6] with control transferred to the Kananook Signal Control Centre.[24]
Announced in October 2022, Mordialloc will be elevated to remove 7 level crossings on the line.[25] In June 2023, the Level Crossing Removal Project announced that the removal of the level crossings was brought forward from 2029 to 2026.[26]
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