Serviceton railway station

The Adelaide-Wolseley line was extended from Bordertown in South Australia on 19 January 1887 coinciding with the opening of the line from Dimboola in Victoria.[2]

The Premier of South Australia, John Downer, wrote to his Victorian equivalent, James Service, suggesting that the new border railway town and station be named Downer after him. Service wrote back and said that as it was in Victoria, it would be named Serviceton after himself, although at the time of construction the land was claimed by both colonies.

As Serviceton was the border post, train crews and engines were changed between the South Australian Railways and Victorian Railways. A customs house/railway station was commissioned in 1887 with costs shared between the two colonies. The complex of 15 main rooms including a large refreshment room was completed in 1889.[3]

With federation, customs roles finished in January 1901 although trains would continue to changes locomotives until the 1980s. On 7 September 1951, the westbound Overland service collided with its eastbound equivalent at the station with four A2 class locomotives destroyed and one fatality.[4][5]

The refreshment rooms closed in 1981 and the station closed as a manned station in 1986.[6] Today it houses a display of local and railway memorabilia.[7]

Victorian Railways DRC railcar services to Serviceton ceased on 1 December 1978.[8] The Overland previously called at Serviceton on its journey from Adelaide to Melbourne.

The closure of the station is referred to by American singer Tom Waits in his song 'Town With No Cheer', which featured on his 1983 album Swordfishtrombones.

Media related to Serviceton railway station at Wikimedia Commons