Melbourne's Strangest Train Stations Part 2

Stations In Order:
Flemington Bridge
South Kensington
Frankston
Tecoma
Fawkner

[Chloeshadowstar]

Upfield line is so underated. One minute youre under a road bridge, then nesr a quiet zoo, then a major street, then skyrail, then a cemetery, then the line just ends!

[baku]

I'll never forget the one time my citybound train stopped at South Kensington (I've only been in melb since 2018, so wasn't around for the days they regularly stopped)

It was one of those days everything was falling apart. 30 degrees outside degree. The Werribee line was cooked and had like 4 trains cancelled in a row. Just after we left Footscray, the driver hopped on the intercom and said we would be stopping at skn because the Werribee line was broken.

It was a strange experience. One of the only people there was like a tradie looking dude who was covered in paint holding a bag of cement and 3 bricks while screaming into his phone about somebody going to hell?

[ondrejsedlak]

Tecoma always gave me that "Spirited Away" feeling. Glad to see it made number 2.

I actually used it frequently as a mate of mine lived half way between Belgrave and Tecoma and the latter station was just a far more pleasant experience, and was always keen to avoid all the young idiots chroming just outside Belgrave station.

[Stickiedude]

Tecoma represent! The unofficial entrance was so convenient, then they locked the gate shut. Also, in a house right near it, someone plays the flute, really well. So sometimes you get a nice little serenade.

[hemanpremiu]

man, having moved out of melbourne in 2023, this channel has been a source of comfort to me

[timallardyce]

You forgot to mention that at fawkner the bigger building is one the platfirm 2 side, next to the cemetary. The reason is because he was built as single track then later duplicated.

That place creeps me out ever since a young woman was murdered there in 1997 while putting flowers on her grandmother's grace. The guy that did it is in jail serving a life sentence with no chance of parole ever, one of only a handful of such cases in Victoria, but it so creeps me out

[amckinna]

I'm not really a transport buff (although my father was a fireman on Puffing Billy for many years), but I've really enjoyed your videos. Being (kind of) new to Melbourne, it's been a sprinkling of trivia, fun, history and genuinely useful Melbourne-insider information - none of which outstay their welcome, as you either write or edit tightly. It helps that you have a fantastic voice and clear enthusiasm. So thank you - you've given me a few places I want to check out that I would never have thought of otherwise. Keep up the great work :)

[lindalily]

As a European immigrant I have found Melbourne stations interesting and bizarre at the same time. It would be nice to see comparison to old stations vs new stations. Just an idea. Great video as always

[zoomosis]

Cheltenham station also sits directly opposite a cemetery. There were headstones only a few metres away from the line. No longer visible now from the train as the station was rebuilt in a trench as part of the LXRP.

[guywithrevolver]

These videos have really opened my eyes to how many stations in melbourne look almost identical

[paulorocky]

Had the unpleasant need to use Fawkner Station one year ago due to the untimely passing of a friend’s mother.

Circumstances aside, I found the station rather conveniently located. The only problem was the lack of a pedestrian footpath from the station to the chapels, though that’s hardly Metro’s problem.

Springvale Necropolis used to have a spur line for the exact same reason.

[RoadTripAu]

Many New Zealanders - particularly Māori - are superstitious about exiting cemeteries without washing hands, and is why you'll always see a tap or a bottle of water near the exits of them in New Zealand. I notice many cemeteries over here have them as well.
For me (a non-Māori or "pakehā" New Zealander) I have carried this superstition for a long time too. It's the only one I have. And I'm pretty OCD about it.

Once when picking up my car from my mechanics in Fawkner, I took the train up as it was easier. I disembarked at Gowrie, the next station on from Fawkner, but I had that trigger that I'd just passed through and exited a cemetery and I had to clean my hands ASAP. Thankfully I have kept a hand sanny in my bag since the pandemic but that was the weirdest feeling I have ever had while getting off a train.

[darylcheshire]

Tecoma station is on an incline.
The old Frankston station was identical to the old Lilydale station which also had a regional service to Healesville and Warburton. There was a manual wooden gate for pedestrians, at Frankston this gate was rarely used as it was at the down end of the platform. At Lilydale, this gate was at the up end and had to be opened and closed for every suburban train. The Lilydale station also had a Railway Refreshment Room and included a house for the liscencee. This is now a museum and includes a sugar bowl with the wings VR logo.
People were outraged when this refreshment room closed in the mid ‘70s. The Healesville service was operated by a DERM or Walker and the VR was itching to close the line, which it did after the Lonie Report (our own Beeching Axe).
At the same time, the Baxter-Morninton line closed but the Stony Point line was retained.
The old Frankston station can be seen in the movie “On The Beach” starring Gregory Peck. In that movie you can see the wooden gate that I mentioned. Lilydale had the same layout.

[binaway]

The Stony point Station is close to the Stony Point Ferry Terminal for those wanting to go to Cowes on Phillip Island or the sparsely populated French Island. A lot faster than driving around Western Port Bay to get to Cowes. The Ferry does take cars.

[Emiliastrainsandtrams]

Amazing video!! ❤ Fawker Station is an interesting one, I remember first seeing it when visiting my great-grandmothers grave 😂🥲

[StephenAngelico]

Surely Flemington Racecourse has to get a spot for being on a line that only operates a couple of times a year.

[luisv]

so glad to see your channel get so much attention so quickly, keep it up!

[gregmichael]

Back when CityLink was being built over the top of the Upfield Line at Macaulay, trains from Upfield terminated at Flemington Bridge via a temporary crossover track, since removed. That Gardenvale sign is weird! Coincidentally, Gardenvale Station is similar to FB in that it's elevated and partly on stilts.
Fawkner was once a single platform and the terminus of the electrified line, where passengers changed to a railmotor to continue northwards for a period of time. I've seen plans of a proposed railway around this Cemetery but it was never constructed, compared to Springvale Cemetery which was served by a line from Springvale Station.
Agree that Frankston deserves its place due to the end-on connection with Stony Point services. I believe the Platform 1 track once continued and connected at the down end, with passenger access to the Station via a level crossing on this track which had hand gates for protection.

[ianmontgomery]

years ago trains used to run to the Springvale Cemetry through Sandwon Park Racecourse.

[vincentweatherly]

Something as well is that Frankston is one of, if not the only, station with disk signals still in use not in heritage