Harcourt not open but Clarkefield is?

jemo27 · Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2008 2:11 pm

Harcourt is a private residents as I found out one day when I went there but you could just use to one platform opposite the station building because there is only one track

wongm · Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2008 2:20 pm

The building is probably leased from Victrack, so if you wanted to reopen the station you could just kick out the residents.

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awsgc24 · Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2008 3:33 pm

Around 1965, Land Developers paid for a brand new station with 8 car platforms, footbridge and booking office to be built at Lapstone, NSW. No law against doing the same in Vic.

kuldalai · Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2008 3:56 pm

Harcourt was closed permanently in October, 1981 as the patronage was less than 20 pax per week, with passenger activity on less than 50% of occasions that trains stopped. Clarkefield met the criteria and stayed open albeit passengers can just as easily access trains at Riddells Creek.

The station that was used by school students was Rupertswood now closed since RFR. Students walk into Sunbury.

Harcourt is a private residence and almost certainly will not re-open . Most people drive to, or are driven to their station and there is little inconvenience in driving 10 - 15 minutes to an adjacent station at Malmsbury .

As for Wandong and Heathcote Jct they both met the criteria and both survive to this day , albeit one station would suffice .Similar situations exist with close spacing of stations between Pakenham and Drouin (where there are 5 intermediate stations) but they are all used to a degree that makes them hard to close.

If one were starting with a fresh brush one would probably have one station in place of the existing North Shore and Corio, an additional station now between Ballarat and Ballan (a growth area) , one station in place of Riddells Creek and Clarkefield, one station in place of Wallan and Heathcote Junction, and two or three stations between Pakenham and Drouin instead of the current five .

Opening new stations is easy but try and close one, and everyone comes out of the woodwork ; mostly those who do not use the train . Never the less since 1981 VLP managed to get rid of poorly used Tallygaroopna and Beveridge . Donnybrook survives by the skin of its teeth only because it is a safeworking point , otherwise it too would be on the deceased list .

Lance-Fieldline · Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2008 5:57 pm

ZH836301 · Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2008 6:03 pm

mortrail · Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2008 7:03 pm

While Harcourt ceased to be used as a Block Post in the 80's and in all probability this lined up with its closure as a Station, Clarkefield remained open as a Block Post right up to the end of Double Line Block between Sunbury and Kyneton.

Riccardo · Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 7:16 am

Good spot of defamation there old boy. You got proof? Or deep pockets?

Time to notify this post to the modestrators.

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A4000Bear · Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 11:49 pm

Malmsbury station is privately leased, and is still active as an (unstaffed) station. It seems to get more passengers than Clarkefield, yet has less than half the trains stopping there than Clarkefield has.

If I miss my 6:46 AM train to Melbourne at Malmsbury, the next one is 9:15AM!

Ads · Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 11:32 am