History
The station originally opened as Wallan Wallan on 18 April 1872, the railway having opened a few months earlier as part of the North East railway to Wodonga. The main town on the Hume Highway has since become known as Wallan, while the township beside the railway has become known as Wallan East. The station is where the North East line starts to climb the Great Dividing Range, with watering facilities provided for steam locomotives.
The first goods shed was provided in 1873 with a loading platform for timber erected the next year. In 1876 the goods shed was replaced, and the current wooden building on the down platform provided. The first lever frame was provided in 1895, with a separate signal box on the up platform provided in 1916.
Wallan was provided with a number of sidings to marshal trains for the Heathcote line opened in 1888, which left the North East line at Heathcote Junction. A small locomotive depot was also provided, along with a 50 feet (15 m) long turntable in 1892. The rail yard was substantially expanded in 1913 for increasing timber traffic on the Heathcote line, including sidings worked by gravity. In 1933 an additional 70 feet (21 m) turntable was provided.
Between 1961 and 1965 the locomotive servicing facilities were removed, while the late 1980s and early 1990s saw the removal of the remaining sidings. The signal box was removed in 1995, and replaced by a new lever frame in the station building. This frame was built from parts of the Craigieburn frame and is the last new frame to be installed on mainline railways in Victoria.
The parallel standard gauge line opened in 1962 and a passing loop was provided to the east of Wallan station. This loop was extended by 650 metres in 2000.
Beveridge Station is demolished and was located between Wallan and Donnybrook stations.
Read more about this topic: Wallan Railway Station
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