Fears over demolition of Newmarket railway station

The braced Newmarket Station. Photo: Michael Clayton-Jones

Metro Trains plans to partially demolish one of Melbourne's classic inner-suburban red brick railway stations.

Metro has applied to the City of Moonee Valley for a demolition permit for half of the crumbling, city-bound Newmarket station building, on the Craigieburn line, because it is structurally unstable.

Public Transport Victoria will fund the works, costing $935,000.

The council says Metro has advised it that the portion not demolished may have to continue to be propped up ''to help ensure the ongoing retention of the station''.

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In his blog Waking Up In Geelong, train enthusiast Marcus Wong, who lives near Newmarket, documented how a long steel prop is ''reinforcing the entire south-eastern corner of the building''.

He showed cracks in concrete pillars holding up the building, steel beams bolted on to reinforce brickwork on the eastern facade, and props and a steel beam supporting a deteriorating wall.

A Metro spokeswoman said the demolition would start in May, in non-peak periods, and no train services would be affected. The demolished section will not be replaced.

The spokeswoman said there were no fears for the safety of commuters. The building was being monitored regularly.

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Fears over demolition of Newmarket railway station