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Clayton station is a railway station operated by Metro Trains Melbourne and V/Line on the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines, which are part of the Melbourne rail network. It serves the suburb of Clayton, in the south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The station opened on 6 January 1880 as "Clayton's Road". It did not receive its current name until 1890. The station is approximately 17 kilometres (11.8 mi), or around a 33 minute train ride away, from Flinders Street.
Description
alt=Main entrance to Clayton station, located on Clayton Road|left|thumb|220x220px|Main entrance to Clayton station, located on Clayton Road
Clayton railway station is located in the suburb of Clayton. On the north side of the station is Carnish Road, and Clayton Road is to the west. The station is owned by VicTrack, a state government agency, and is operated by Metro Trains Melbourne.
History
220x220px|left|thumb|North-west-bound view from the former ground level Platform 1, July 2015
Clayton station opened just over two years after the line from Oakleigh was extended to Dandenong. The station was originally called Clayton's Road, receiving its current name in 1890.
Two timber station buildings, now heritage listed, were constructed in 1891, with one on each platform. What sets the buildings apart was their modular design, which included a booking office, a general waiting area and a ladies waiting room.
220x220px|left|thumb|Westbound view of both former ground-level platforms, February 2006
In 1971, boom barriers replaced interlocked gates at the former Clayton Road level crossing, which was located at the up end of the station.
In 1998, Clayton was upgraded to a premium station and staffed from early in the morning until the last train.
Level crossing removal
In March 2014, the Victorian state government announced a grade separation project to replace the Clayton Road level crossing, as well as the Centre Road level crossing, located nearby in the down direction of the station. That necessitated the rebuilding of the station.
In 2016, the Andrews government announced that, as part of the Level Crossing Removal Project (LXRP), of elevated rail would be provided, removing nine level crossings on the Pakenham and Cranbourne rail corridor, including the building of five new elevated stations at Carnegie, Murrumbeena, Hughesdale, Noble Park and Clayton.
220x220px|left|thumb|Recreational space underneath Clayton station, September 2023
Dubbed "sky rail" by opponents and some media outlets, the plans for an elevated railway spurred significant local opposition due to concerns over visual and noise impacts. The project became a political issue in the 2018 state election.
In April 2018, the new, elevated Clayton station was opened, along with the four other elevated stations on the Caulfield to Dandenong line. The removals created a large new section of open parkland, dubbed a "linear park". This included of new open space, sports courts, playgrounds, new walking and cycling trails, and expanded station forecourts. As part of the project, the Djerring Trail was created, a shared-use path along the rail corridor, which runs through the Clayton station precinct. In the year after the elevated rail opened in 2018, the media reported that many residents, including some who were opposed to the project, were happy with the outcome and utilised the new open space.
Platforms and services
220x220px|right|thumb|South-east bound view from the new elevated Platform 2, April 2018
Clayton is an elevated premium station, consisting of an island platform connected to the station concourse on Clayton Road via escalators, lifts and a staircase.
Services to East Pakenham and Cranbourne travel together south-east towards Dandenong before splitting into two separate lines. Services to the city run express from Caulfield (Malvern during off-peak) to South Yarra, before stopping all stations to Flinders Street via the City Loop. whereas southbound services on route 631, 703 and 733 depart from the bus stop on Clayton Road.
Carinish Road
- : to Waverley Gardens Shopping Centre
- : to Box Hill station
- : Moorabbin station – Parkmore Shopping Centre
- Night Bus : to Dandenong station (via Mulgrave) (Saturday and Sunday mornings only)
- Night Bus : to Dandenong station (via Keysborough) (Saturday and Sunday mornings only)
Clayton Road
- : to Westfield Southland
- SmartBus : to Middle Brighton station
- : to Oakleigh station
Suburban Rail Loop
In 2018, Clayton station has been chosen as one of the stations to be served by the proposed Suburban Rail Loop. As part of the project, the station will receive a major upgrade, which will involve construction of two new underground platforms, as well as the conversion of the station to a transport superhub. In June 2022, construction began just south of the existing station. Tunnelling is set to begin in 2026, and the eastern section of the SRL (SRL East) is planned to open in 2035. A direct paid-area connection between the new underground station and elevated platforms is planned to be built between the elevated rail tracks.
- services to Southland and Box Hill
References
External links
- Melway map at street-directory.com.au