Flinders Street Station

Finders Street Station is the central station of the suburban networks of Melbourne in Australia. It is located at the angle of the streets Flinders and Swantson, beside the Yarra river in the downtown area, extending from the street of Swanston to the street of the Queen and covering two blocks of city. Each day of the week, 105.000 passengers and 1500 trains surroundings the cross-piece.

It is managed by the companies Connex' S suburban and city loop services, and V/Line' S regional services.

The expression uses by the inhabitants of Melbourne " I' L meet you under the clocks" (Translation: " I will find you under the horloges") refers to arranged clocks located above the main entrance, which indicate the latency for the departure of the next train on each line. It is a popular place of meeting, with the intersection of two of the very important transportation routes in the city. The original clocks were replaced for one short period by the numerical ones, but because of a public outcry those have vites disappeared. Plans in the Seventies to demolish the station and to replace it by a building of office were finally abandoned.

History

The first station created to occupy the site of street of Flinders was called Melbourne or terminus of city. It was finished in 1854 and was officially open on September 12th by the Lieutenant-Governor, Mr Charles Hotham. The terminus was the first station built in Australia, and during the inauguration left the first steam train in the country. It passed from Sandridge (now Melbourne left), above the bridge of Sandridge (quiest now become piétonnie), travelling then according to the current light line.

Two other first stations in the downtown area of Melbourne opened in 1859: the station of street of Spencer (now station of southernmost cross) and princes Bridge. Princes Bridge were at the origin separate of the street of Flinders, no matter what it was to it only side opposite of the street of Swanston. The prolongation of the railway way made it possible to join the two stations and finally princes Bridge disappeared. The Place of the Confederation is at its site.

In 1882 the government decided to create a new central station of passenger to replace that already existing. A world competition of design was held in 1899, with 17 participants. The first price of 500£ went to railway employees J.W. Fawcett and h.p.c. Ashworth, whose design included a giant tower forms of it dome and avoided clock. Work started in 1901 and finished in 1910.

Platforms

Platforms of " 'Finders Street Station" are numbered north in the south - the platform No 1 being north.

It should be noted that the end of the platform No 1 is indicated as platform No 14, after the escalators of platform 1. Platform 11 is out of use and without rail.

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