Paisley railway station, Melbourne
Paisley | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Closed platform looking towards Melbourne in October 2009 | ||||||||||||||||
| General information | ||||||||||||||||
| System | Closed commuter rail station | |||||||||||||||
| Line | Werribee | |||||||||||||||
| Platforms | 2 | |||||||||||||||
| Tracks | 2 | |||||||||||||||
| Other information | ||||||||||||||||
| Status | Closed | |||||||||||||||
| Station code | PLY | |||||||||||||||
| History | ||||||||||||||||
| Opened | 14 October 1929 | |||||||||||||||
| Closed | 14 April 1985 | |||||||||||||||
| Former services | ||||||||||||||||
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Paisley is a disused railway station on the Werribee line, which is part of the Melbourne rail network.[1] It was located between Newport and Galvin during operation, serving the suburb of Altona North.[2]
History
Paisley station opened on 14 October 1929.[3] It was located adjacent to the Millers Road level crossing, which was replaced by a road overpass in 1973.[4]
Although the Altona North area was sparsely populated at the time, it played an important role in serving two oil refineries in the area.[4] The Standard Oil Platform (later renamed to Mobiltown) was opened in 1953 next to the Altona Refinery, providing a second railway station in the area.[5]
When the line between Altona Junction and Laverton was duplicated in 1967, a new second track was built behind the existing station, converting it into an island platform.[4][6] In 1975, a subway was also provided to allow passengers to get to the platform from the adjacent Ross Road.[4][6]
Closure
In 1985, a new section of track was opened, joining Westona and Laverton stations.[4][6] The Werribee line had been electrified two years earlier, but after the construction of the Westona–Laverton link, trains on the Werribee line were diverted via Altona and Westona in an attempt to make a more viable route (given that both Paisley and the nearby station of Galvin saw little use).[4][7]
As a result, Paisley and Galvin were bypassed and closed, with the last trains stopping at Paisley on 14 April 1985.[4] Mobiltown had closed three months earlier, leaving Altona North without a railway station.[8] The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) criticised the closure of both stations as "the left hand not knowing what the right hand was doing".[9]
The pedestrian subway was filled in following the station's closure, but the island platform still exists, adjacent to the Millers Road overpass, and is visible from passing trains to Werribee.[6]
In 1991, the car park for the former station was expanded to become the Altona North park and ride terminus for the Route 232 bus service to Melbourne via the Westgate Bridge.[10]
As of 2026, the gap between the two nearest stations – Newport and Laverton – is the longest between any stations on the Melbourne rail network.[11] There have been calls to rebuild Paisley or construct a new station in Altona North, although the Victorian government has not expressed support for the proposal.[12][13]
References
- ^ Sims, Matthew (22 June 2022). "Further calls for reinstatement of Paisley station". Star Weekly. Archived from the original on 20 July 2025. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
- ^ Rooney, Kieran; Kennelly, Hannah (4 March 2025). "New train stations, tram extensions, rapid-fire buses: Here's what Melbourne needs and where". The Age. Archived from the original on 3 January 2026. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
- ^ "Paisley, New Station, Opened". The Sun News-Pictorial. 17 October 1929. p. 4. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Paisley". VICSIG. 3 October 2007. Archived from the original on 13 December 2025. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
- ^ "Town". The Age. 20 May 1954. p. 2. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
This new locality, to be known as Mobiltown from June 1, can be found between Newport and Seaholme on the Altona line. It is known at present as Standard Oil Platform.
- ^ a b c d "Paisley Station". Rail Geelong. Archived from the original on 8 July 2025. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
- ^ "Werribee Line". VICSIG. 17 November 2025. Archived from the original on 3 March 2026. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
- ^ "Mobiltown". VICSIG. 3 October 2007. Archived from the original on 14 December 2024. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
- ^ "Timetables & closed stations: Transport chaos in the western suburbs" (PDF). Public Transport Users Association. July 1985. pp. 8–9. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 December 2025. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
- ^ "Timetable Tuesday #69: The once busy but now quiet West Gate Bridge Bus 232". Melbourne on Transit. 7 April 2020. Archived from the original on 10 December 2025. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
- ^ Lucas, Cade (7 March 2025). "Government lukewarm on Altona North station". Star Weekly. Archived from the original on 21 March 2025. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
- ^ Dmytryshchak, Goya (17 February 2021). "Altona North train station call". Star Weekly. Archived from the original on 6 February 2025. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
- ^ Ettershank, David (2 December 2025). "Altona North train station". Parliament of Victoria. Archived from the original on 8 March 2026. Retrieved 8 March 2026.