Beaufort railway station is a regional railway station operated by V/Line on the Ararat line, part of the Victoria rail network. It serves the town of Beaufort, in Victoria, Australia. Beaufort is a ground-level unstaffed station, featuring one side platform. The station opened on 11 August 1874, with the current station provided in 2004. It originally closed on 27 May 1994, but the station later reopened on 11 July 2004.
History Beaufort station was opened with the railway line from Ballarat. It was a terminus until 7 April 1875, when the line was extended to Ararat. Like the town itself, the station was named after Sir Francis Beaufort, a hydrographer and rear admiral of the British Royal Navy.
On 14 September 1988, it was disestablished as a staff station, with the signal box, interlocking and signals abolished. The electric staff sections Trawalla - Beaufort and Beaufort - Buangor were also abolished, replaced with the electric staff section Trawalla - Buangor. In May 1989, two loop lines that formed the station yard were removed.
In October 1993, station staff were withdrawn, and platform seats were removed. On 27 May 1994, the station closed and road coaches replaced rail passenger services between Ballarat and Ararat.
In 2000, the station building and signal box underwent a restoration, to make them more suitable for community use. By August 2003, upgrades to allow the station to reopen were complete. On 11 July 2004, the station reopened when V/Line passenger services to Ararat were reinstated. t In October 2014, the former station building was converted into a community arts centre, whilst the former goods shed hosted a steam-era museum.
Disused stations at Burrumbeet and Trawalla are located between Beaufort and Wendouree, and the disused station Buangor is located between Beaufort and Ararat.
Platforms and services
Beaufort has one platform and is served by V/Line Ararat line trains.Ararat - Melbourne Public Transport Victoria Beaufort platform arrangementPlatformLineDestination1 Southern Cross, Ararat
Transport links
V/Line operates a road coach service via Beaufort station: Ballarat – Adelaide via Ararat, Stawell, Horsham and Dimboola
References
External links Victorian Railway Stations gallery When there were Stations gallery Melway map at street-directory.com.au