Diggers Rest railway station
Diggers Rest station is a railway station operated by Metro Trains Melbourne on the Sunbury line, which is part of the Melbourne rail network. It serves the north-western suburb of Diggers Rest, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Diggers Rest station is a ground level unstaffed station, featuring two side platforms. It opened on 2 October 1859, with the current station provided in 2012.
History
Diggers Rest opened on 2 October 1859, eight months after the railway line from Sunshine was extended to Sunbury. Like the suburb itself, the station was named after the fact that the area was used as a resting place for prospectors travelling to Bendigo during the Victorian gold rush.At the time of opening, a small goods shed and siding were provided. In 1928, interlocked gates were provided at the Calder Highway level crossing, located at the down end of the station, and were replaced with boom barriers in 1982. In 1989, the goods siding was abolished and, in 1992, the remaining crossover was removed. The waiting room and booking lobby inside the building on Platform 1 were also provided in that year and, along with the signal box, was restored in 2002, after being damaged by fire during the previous year. On 16 April 2005, the signal box was abolished, as part of the Regional Fast Rail project.
On 18 November 2012, the station was added to the metropolitan network, when the line between Watergardens and Sunbury was electrified. As part of those works, the station was refurbished, with both platforms extended at the up end. The car park was also enlarged.
On 21 October 2022, the Level Crossing Removal Project announced that the Old Calder Highway level crossing was to be grade separated with a road over rail design. Also in that year, both platforms were extended in length, from.