Merredin railway station

Merredin railway station is located on the Eastern Goldfields Railway in Western Australia. It is in the town of Merredin.

Merredin
Transwa
Prospector trains cross at Merredin in April 2014
General information
LocationBarrack Street, Merredin
Western Australia
Australia
Coordinates31.482°S 118.279°E / -31.482; 118.279
Owned byPublic Transport Authority
Operated byTranswa
Line(s)Eastern Goldfields Railway
Distance284.20 kilometres from Perth
Platforms2 side
Tracks3
Construction
Structure typeGround
AccessibleYes
Other information
StatusUnstaffed
History
Opened1895 (original)
Services
Preceding station Transwa Transwa Following station
Hines Hill
towards East Perth
 MerredinLink Terminus
Prospector Burracoppin
towards Kalgoorlie
Official nameMerredin Railway Station Group
TypeState Registered Place
Designated26 February 1999
Reference no.1577

History

The original Merredin station opened in 1895. It was an important station on the Eastern Goldfields Railway, being the junction station for a number of lines to locations in the Wheatbelt and Goldfields regions.

The main eastern railway connected with Northam to the west, and to Southern Cross to the east.

The narrow gauge lines that connected with Merredin were:

  • from the western end of the station, Bruce Rock to the south (for a line to Narrogin)
  • from the north of the station area, Nungarin (to Wyalkatchem) to the north
  • from the east of the station area, Kondinin to the south (for a line to Narrogin)

When the main eastern railway line was converted to standard gauge in the late 1960s, a new station was built diagonally opposite.

The original station is used as a museum.[1] Exhibits include a G class steam locomotive and TA class diesel locomotive.[2][3]

In 2021–22, work began on constructing a second high-level platform to improve accessibility.[4][5]

Marshalling yards

Due to the wheat silos, and the number of lines running into Merredin, the area to the west of the railway station was taken up with the marshalling yards.[6]

However the Merredin railway yard had entailed lines adjacent to the railway station.[7]

The importance of the Merredin marshalling yards and railway yard, was reduced as the feeder narrow gauge branch lines were closed over time. Merredin is still the location of a large grain silo complex.

Passenger services

Transwa's MerredinLink and Prospector services stop at Merredin, at least one service each day.[8][9]

The Indian Pacific also passes here, running once a week each way between East Perth and Sydney Central, but does not stop at the station.

References
  1. Merredin Station History of Western Australian Railways & Stations
  2. Merredin Railway Museum Australia's Golden Outback
  3. https://scoop.com.au/perth-wa/guides/arts-events/merredin/museums/listing/merredin-railway-museum/ Merredin Railway Museum
  4. "Public Transport Authority Annual Report 2021-22" (PDF). Public Transport Authority. 2022. p. 31. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  5. Dupe, Cally (5 November 2021). "New rail safety projects and a pledge to 'make crossings safer' after campaign to stop rail crash tragedies". Countryman. West Australian Newspapers. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  6. PLAN 3 WAGR COMMISSION MERREDIN MARSHALLING YARDS& ROADS, retrieved 22 September 2022
  7. "Railway Yard". Merredin Mercury And Central Districts Index. Vol. XVI, no. 716. Western Australia. 22 December 1927. p. 4. Retrieved 22 September 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. "Prospector Timetable" (PDF). Transwa. Public Transport Authority. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 June 2020. Retrieved 28 June 2020.

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