History
The station opened as Mount Atkinson on 2 April 1884, at the same time as the line though it, and renamed Rockbank in 1889. Being on a single track railway, it served as a crossing loop for trains through it. By 1914 it had a three road yard, passenger platform on the southern track, a goods platform on the northern track, and an interlocked signal box. The station served the local farming community. With a chaff mill established in the 1890s and the recreation reserve and tennis club located nearby, the station became the focus of the Rockbank community.
In 1960 the crossing loop was extended for longer trains of up to 2,400 feet (730 m) and a short platform was provided on the loop road, then in 1976 centralised traffic control was provided on the line from Sunshine to Rockbank. By the 1970s, the mill was disused and the station building was demolished circa 1985. In 1986 the yard was rationalised to main line and crossing loop, and in 1990 the mechanical signals and points were removed and replaced by remotely controlled signalling operated from Bacchus Marsh signal box. The current northern platform was not added until more recently, replacing the former short platform. As part of the Regional Fast Rail project, control of the signals was transferred to Ballarat signal box in 2005.
Read more about this topic: Rockbank Railway Station
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