Northcote railway station

Northcote railway station is a commuter railway station on the Mernda line, serving the north-eastern Melbourne suburb of Northcote in Victoria, Australia. Northcote is an unstaffed status ground structure station featuring two side platforms. It opened on 8 October 1889 as Middle Northcote before the station was renamed Northcote on 10 December 1906.

History
Northcote station opened on 8 October 1889, when the Inner Circle line was extended from North Fitzroy to Reservoir. Like the suburb itself, the station is believed to be named after Stafford Henry Northcote, who was British Chancellor of the Exchequer between 1874 and 1880, Foreign Secretary between 1885 and 1886, and a co-author of the Northcote–Trevelyan Report in 1853.

In 1973, both platforms were extended at the down end of the station.

In 1986, the former goods sidings, located at the down end of the station, were abolished. A crossover, also located at the down end, was spiked out of use around that time, and was removed at a later date.

During October 1987, the double line block system between Northcote – Merri and Northcote – Thornbury was abolished, and replaced with three position signalling. Also occurring in that year, boom barriers replaced interlocked gates at the Arthurton Road level crossing, located at the down end of the station. The signal box for the level crossing was also abolished during that time.

On 4 May 2010, as part of the 2010/2011 State Budget, $83.7 million was allocated to upgrade Northcote to a premium station, along with nineteen others. However, in March 2011, this was scrapped by the Baillieu Government.

Platforms and services
Northcote has two side platforms. It is served by Mernda line trains.

Platform 1:
 * all stations and limited express services to Flinders Street

Platform 2:
 * all stations services to Mernda

Transport links
Dysons operates one bus route via Northcote station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:
 * : Alphington station – Moonee Ponds Junction

Yarra Trams operates two routes via Northcote station:
 * Melbourne tram route 11 icon.svg: West Preston – Victoria Harbour (Docklands)
 * Melbourne tram route 86 icon.svg: Bundoora RMIT – Waterfront City (Docklands)