White City railway station
White City | ||||||||||||||||
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 White City greyhound racing track and station circa 1930 | ||||||||||||||||
| General information | ||||||||||||||||
| Other names | Coursing Platform (1927–1929) | |||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 37°47′54″S 144°51′20″E / 37.79833°S 144.85556°E | |||||||||||||||
| System | Closed commuter rail station | |||||||||||||||
| Line | Sunbury | |||||||||||||||
| Distance | 9.8 kilometres from Southern Cross | |||||||||||||||
| Platforms | 1 | |||||||||||||||
| Tracks | 2 | |||||||||||||||
| Other information | ||||||||||||||||
| Status | Demolished | |||||||||||||||
| Station code | WCY | |||||||||||||||
| History | ||||||||||||||||
| Opened | 10 December 1927 | |||||||||||||||
| Closed | 4 October 1981 | |||||||||||||||
| Former services | ||||||||||||||||
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White City was a railway station on the St Albans line (now Sunbury line) which was part of the Melbourne rail network.[1] It was located approximately 700 metres (2,300 ft) west of Tottenham station in the suburb of Tottenham.[2]
History
The station was opened as Coursing Platform on 10 December 1927 to serve the Coursing Stadium greyhound racing track.[3] When the track was renamed to "White City" after the site of the 1908 London Olympics, the station name was changed on 25 August 1929.[3]
Workmen's trains began stopping at White City station on 10 June 1940 to serve employees at local industries, including the Olympic Tyres factory.[4] However, it was not until 28 June 1948 that trains returning to the city stopped at the station, when an afternoon "up" service was provided from the station's single platform, using the crossover at the up end of the platform.[5]
In December 1949, White City became a regular suburban station.[3] The station only ever had one platform (on the westbound track), despite 50 services per week stopping there at its peak.[6] Because of its proximity to Tottenham station, White City's signals were operated from there.[7][8]
The greyhound racing track was closed in 1955.[9] The Olympic Cables Company, which was located opposite to the station, unsuccessfully petitioned for it to be renamed to Olympic in 1959.[9]
During the early 1980s, Tottenham station and its area underwent extensive alterations.[6] The line was raised in order to eliminate the Ashley Street level crossing and a new high-level island platform was provided.[6] Because of this, the decision was made to close White City.[6]
On 24 March 1981, the crossover and associated signals at White City were booked out of service and scheduled for removal, with the station officially closed on 4 October 1981.[6][10] The platform was removed shortly after and no trace of its existence remains.[9][11]
References
- ^ "COURSING". The Argus. 7 December 1927. p. 17. Retrieved 7 March 2026.
- ^ "TRAINS AT WHITE CITY". Sunshine Advocate. 28 February 1947. p. 1. Retrieved 7 March 2026.
- ^ a b c Weldon, John (25 June 2014). "White City, land of the monkey jockey". Maribyrnong News. Archived from the original on 13 March 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2026.
- ^ Graham Bishop (October 2025). "My time driving electric trains". Newsrail. Vol. 53, no. 10. Vic: Victorian Rail Publishing Inc. pp. 368–387. ISSN 0310-7477. OCLC 19676396.
- ^ Dornan, S.E.; Henderson, R.G. (1979). Electric Railways of Victoria. Australian Electric Traction Society. p. 68. ISBN 0-909459-06-1.
- ^ a b c d e "White City". VICSIG. 28 January 2022. Archived from the original on 28 February 2023. Retrieved 7 March 2026.
- ^ "West Footscray to Sunshine signalling diagram". Victorian Railways. 1977. Archived from the original on 4 April 2025. Retrieved 7 March 2026.
- ^ "Tottenham". VICSIG. 27 January 2014. Archived from the original on 16 December 2024. Retrieved 7 March 2026.
- ^ a b c "White City Railway Station (1927–1981)". Sunshine Historical Society. Archived from the original on 14 October 2025. Retrieved 7 March 2026.
- ^ "Works". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society. November 1981. p. 274.
- ^ "White City". Victorian Railway Stations. Archived from the original on 25 January 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2026.