Inner Circle railway line, Melbourne
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The Inner Circle was a steam era suburban railway line, (later electrified), in Melbourne, Australia. It covered the inner-northern suburbs of Parkville, Carlton North, Fitzroy North, and Fitzroy. At its closure, it ran from Royal Park station on the Upfield line to the west, to a three-way intersection with Rushall and Merri stations on the modern Epping line to the east. There was also a branch line to Fitzroy that opened at the same time.
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History
The Inner Circle was opened on May 8, 1888 and was closed to passenger trains in 1948, when the Whittlesea service that ran this was cut back to a local service connecting with the suburban electric trains at Thomastown, with the consequent closure to passengers of the two stations on the main section of the line, North Carlton station and North Fitzroy station. Fitzroy station, on a short branch line leading south after North Fitzroy station, was closed to passengers in May 1892. This occurred so soon after opening due to the highly circuitous route it took from the city, which led to competition with the more direct and more frequent tram routes.
For a short period between March and May of 1891, the Inner and Outer Circle routes formed the only route between the Eastern and Western halves of the Victorian Railways. Prior to this, the only link was via a street level tramway along the CBD edge between Flinders and Spencer Streets, which was generally only used at night. As the Viaduct between Spencer and Flinders Street stations was in its final stages of construction (December 1888 to May 1891), the two new lines allowed freight trains to bypass the construction site.
Significant changes occurred to the line in May 1965, when the line was singled, the south leg of the triangle at the eastern end of the line closed, and the line from North Fitzroy to and including the northern leg of the triangle was converted to a siding. This left just the single line from Royal Park to Fitzroy remaining for goods services.
Between 1948 and 1981 the Fitzroy line was used almost exclusively for freight trains. After its final closure, the rails were removed (except for some short sections at former level crossings which can still be seen today), and the reservation converted into a "rail-trail" walking path. Some signals, overhead gantries and parts of level crossing gates also survive, and ironically the remaining overhead gantry sections still carry railway electrical current between the Upfield and Epping railway lines.
Of the three stations, only North Carlton still stands, and was converted into a community centre. North Fitzroy station is now a slight rise in the "rail trail" path east of Nicholson Street, which was realigned in 2002 to traverse the length of the former platform. Fitzroy station is presently a development site.
From Rushall station to Royal Park station the rail reserve has become a Linear park which provides part of the Capital City Trail for cyclists, connecting the Merri Creek Trail to the Moonee Ponds Creek Trail in the network of shared use bicycle paths for Cycling in Melbourne.
Services
When the line first opened, there were two services which it provided, both originating from Spencer Street Station at the western end of the central business district. Trains bound for Heidelberg station (now on the Hurstbridge line, but then a terminus), would run to North Fitzroy station, then continue on to Victoria Park station (then known as Collingwood, and now on the Hurstbridge and Epping lines) to the south. The locomotive would then have to change ends and the train return to Clifton Hill station, then diverge east on to Heidelberg. This reversal maneuver was no longer necessary when a new direct line was built in 1901 from the central Flinders Street Station at the southern edge of the CBD.
Another service was provided from Spencer Street to Fitzroy station, on its branch line. This was relegated to a short shuttle service from North Fitzroy station in October 1889, and then finally closed in May 1892.
In December 1889, with the opening of the Whittlesea line, trains would run from Flinders Street to Whittlesea via the Inner Circle. Another service followed this route, but terminated at Preston station. From 1901, this Preston service ran via the new Flinders Street-Collingwood direct line, while Whittlesea trains continued to use the Inner Circle, albeit only from Spencer Street.
The Epping line, a part of this line, still operates today, and a partial reopening and electrification to Mill Park (near South Morang) is often mooted.
Between 1901 and 1904, the Inner Circle provided a loop service for the inner suburbs. Trains would run from Flinders Street, around the Circle, and back to Princes Bridge station (now partly integrated into Flinders Street Station and partly demolished). From 1904 until the line's final closure, an incomplete loop service ran from Royal Park station to Princes Bridge via Collingwood. Some 70 years later a new loop service was introduced in the form of the underground City Loop, which directly encircles the CBD.
List of stations
Through line
- North Carlton (Langridge Street) - closed in 1948 except for some leaseholders. Closed totally November 1977
- North Fitzroy (Nicholson Street) - closed to passengers 1948 and to goods July 1981