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Laburnum railway station

Coordinates: 37°49′15″S 145°08′27″E / 37.8208°S 145.1407°E / -37.8208; 145.1407
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Laburnum
PTV commuter rail station
Eastbound view from Platform 1, with a Comeng train departing Platform 2, January 2007
General information
LocationLaburnum Street,
Blackburn, Victoria 3130
City of Whitehorse
Australia
Coordinates37°49′15″S 145°08′27″E / 37.8208°S 145.1407°E / -37.8208; 145.1407
Owned byVicTrack
Operated byMetro Trains
Line(s)
Distance17.83 kilometres from
Southern Cross
Platforms2 side
Tracks2
ConnectionsList of bus routes in Melbourne Bus
Construction
Structure typeGround
ParkingYes
AccessibleYes—step free access
Other information
StatusOperational, unstaffed
Station codeLAB
Fare zoneMyki Zone 2
WebsitePublic Transport Victoria
History
Opened13 July 1958; 66 years ago (1958-07-13)
Rebuilt29 January 2007
ElectrifiedJanuary 1923
(1500 V DC overhead)
Passengers
2005–2006313,114[1]
2006–2007322,793[1] Increase 3.09%
2007–2008406,707[1] Increase 25.99%
2008–2009410,312[2] Increase 0.88%
2009–2010442,678[2] Increase 7.89%
2010–2011443,045[2] Increase 0.082%
2011–2012374,282[2] Decrease 15.52%
2012–2013Not measured[2]
2013–2014350,078[2] Decrease 6.46%
2014–2015354,269[1] Increase 1.19%
2015–2016392,272[2] Increase 10.72%
2016–2017372,562[2] Decrease 5.02%
2017–2018403,302[2] Increase 8.25%
2018–2019414,700[2] Increase 2.82%
2019–2020340,950[2] Decrease 17.78%
2020–2021153,150[2] Decrease 55.08%
2021–2022167,650[3] Increase 9.27%
2022–2023208,400[3] Increase 24.31%
2023–2024291,150[3] Increase 39.97%
Services
Preceding station Railways in Melbourne Metro Trains Following station
Box Hill
towards Flinders Street
 Lilydale line Blackburn
towards Lilydale
Belgrave line Blackburn
towards Belgrave
Track layout
Legend
to Box Hill
1
2
to Blackburn

Laburnum railway station is a commuter railway station on the Belgrave and Lilydale lines, which are both part of the Melbourne railway network. It serves the eastern suburb of Blackburn, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It opened on 13 July 1958,[4][5] with the current station provided in 2007.[4]

History

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Laburnum station was named after the locality of Laburnum, itself named after the shrub of the same name.[6][7] The original station had two side platforms, with a substantial brick building on Platform 1, and a small brick shelter on Platform 2.[4] In that year the hand-operated gates at the former Middleborough Road level crossing were replaced by with boom barriers.[8] The crossing was in the up direction from the station.[4]

The Middleborough Road grade separation project involved lowering the line eight metres below the road. That required the rebuilding of the station, and the removal of the bend in Laburnum Street beneath it. In October 2006, the station buildings were demolished and, on 29 January 2007, the rebuilt station opened.[9] As part of the project, provision was made for the future installation of a third track.[10][11]

Toot Toot – drive slowly sign

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Laburnum was once known for having a sign reading "Toot Toot – drive slowly" under the railway bridge which crosses Laburnum Street, because the street was narrow and had a sharp bend at that point.[12] Drivers would often sound their car horns, as instructed by the sign, to warn oncoming, and possibly unseen, traffic that might be approaching the narrow underpass. Infuriated neighbours frequently attempted to remove the sign by painting over it, but to no avail, because the local council would restore the sign every time.[13][14]

When the station was rebuilt following the 2007 grade separation, the road underpass was substantially widened, so the sign was deemed unnecessary and was removed. A plaque was erected which commemorated the sign and outlined its history,[12] although that has since been removed.

Platforms and services

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Laburnum has two side platforms and is served by Lilydale and Belgrave line trains.[15][16]

Platform 1:

Platform 2:

[edit]

Kinetic Melbourne operates two bus routes via Laburnum station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:

  •  271 : Box Hill station – Ringwood station[17]
  •  279 : Box Hill station – Westfield Doncaster (deviation)[18]
[edit]
  • Plaque commemorating the Laburnum Railway Station 'Toot-Toot' sign, January 2008
    Plaque commemorating the Laburnum Railway Station 'Toot-Toot' sign, January 2008

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Estimated Annual Patronage by Network Segment Financial Year 2005–2006 to 2018–19 Department of Transport
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Railway station and tram stop patronage in Victoria for 2008–2021 Philip Mallis
  3. ^ a b c Annual metropolitan train station patronage (station entries) Data Vic
  4. ^ a b c d "Laburnum". vicsig.net. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  5. ^ "Works, Etc". Divisional Diary. Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division). July 1958. p. 43.
  6. ^ "Laburnum". Victorian Places. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  7. ^ First, Jamie (7 January 2014). "The A-Z story of Melbourne's suburbs". Herald Sun. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  8. ^ Sinnatt, John (January 1990). "Level Crossing Protection". Somersault. Signalling Record Society Victoria. pp. 9–17.
  9. ^ "Middleborough Road Rail Separation". John Holland. Archived from the original on 14 May 2008. Retrieved 6 August 2008.
  10. ^ "Middleborough Road Project". vicsig.net. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  11. ^ "Safely Separatiing Road and Rail". Middleborough Road Alliance. Archived from the original on 18 July 2008. Retrieved 28 March 2025.
  12. ^ a b Gordon, Chris. "Historic information on the Toot Toot sign for Laburnum Street at Laburnum". Vicsig. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
  13. ^ Money, Lawrence; Carbone, Suzanne (24 October 2006). "Look up in the sky, it's a blimp". The Age. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
  14. ^ Money, Lawrence; Carbone, Susan (6 October 2006). "Gone up in a puff of smoke". The Age. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
  15. ^ "Lilydale Line". Public Transport Victoria.
  16. ^ "Belgrave Line". Public Transport Victoria.
  17. ^ "271 Box Hill - Ringwood via Park Orchards". Public Transport Victoria.
  18. ^ "279 Box Hill - Doncaster SC via Middleborough Rd". Public Transport Victoria.
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