Essendon railway station

The line to the north was opened in 1872, as part of the North East line to Wodonga. A completely new station, with a single platform, was provided in 1878, on the site of the present island platform, with passenger subways and footbridges added in 1886, along with conversion of the island platform to the current layout. It was also at this time that a road overpass was provided at Mount Alexander Road, in what was one of the first grade separation projects to be carried out in the state. In 1909, the present buildings were provided, along with a centre track between platforms 1 and 2.[3]

Electric train services between the city and Essendon were inaugurated in 1919, with electrification extended to Broadmeadows in 1921. However, Essendon remained the terminus of most suburban services, with a shuttle service operating beyond until 1925, with all day through services to Broadmeadows not provided until 1941.[4] The station took the layout it has today in 1969, with the abolition of the centre track, closure of the stand-alone signal box, provision of automatic signalling along the line, and replacement of the Buckley Street interlocked crossing gates with boom barriers.

Harris motor 518M and Tait motor 368M were destroyed by fire whilst stabled at the station on 7 March 1973.[5] Tait trailer 85G was also damaged in the fire.[5]

Stabling of suburban trains at Essendon ceased on 8 June 1987, with the overhead wiring of all sidings removed just over a year later.[6] The former sidings near Rose Street were removed on 1 September 1988.[6]

On 20 September 2016, the Level Crossing Removal Authority and the Victorian state government announced the grade separation of the Buckley Street level crossing.[7] Construction began in 2018, with the level crossing being removed and Buckley St reopening on 28 September 2018. Buckley St now runs under the railway line in a trench.[7]

As part of the Melbourne Metro Rail Tunnel it is expected that the turnback facilities at Essendon Station will be upgraded to allow services to start at Essendon when the tunnel opens in 2025[8]

Essendon has one island platform with two faces and one side platform. It is serviced by Metro Trains' Craigieburn line services[9] and V/Line Seymour services.[10] Platform 1 is rarely used, but it is used by V/Line services to overtake Metro Trains services, or when 3 car trains are terminating.

Platform 1:

• Passing rail line only for V/Line Services. Only used for passenger services during major disruptions.

Platform 2:

• Craigieburn line: all stations services to Flinders Street
• Seymour line: Morning Peak only V/Line services to Southern Cross

Platform 3:

• Craigieburn line: all stations services to Craigieburn
• Seymour line: Evening Peak only V/Line services to Seymour

CDC Melbourne operates one route via Essendon station:

• 477: Moonee Ponds Junction – Broadmeadows station[11]

Kastoria Bus Lines operates three routes via Essendon station:

• 469: Moonee Ponds Junction – Keilor East[12]
• 476: Moonee Ponds Junction – Watergardens station[13]

Moonee Valley Coaches operates one route to and from Essendon station:

• 503: to Brunswick East[14]

Moreland Buslines operates one route to and from Essendon station:

• 510: to Ivanhoe station[15]

Ryan Brothers Bus Service operates two routes to and from Essendon station:

• 465: to Keilor Park[16]
• 468: to Highpoint Shopping Centre[17]

Sunbury Bus Service operates one route via Essendon station:

• 483: Sunbury station – Moonee Ponds Junction[18]

Transdev Melbourne operates one SmartBus route via Essendon station:

•  SmartBus  903: Altona station – Mordialloc station[19]

Yarra Trams operates one route via Essendon station:

• 59: Westfield Airport West – Elizabeth Street, City[20]

• 
  H 220 leads the northbound Albury Express past the signalbox at Essendon, circa 1949

Media related to Essendon railway station at Wikimedia Commons

• Melway map at street-directory.com.au