Bentleigh railway station is located on the Frankston line in Victoria, Australia. It serves the south-eastern Melbourne suburb of Bentleigh, and it opened on 19 December 1881 as East Brighton. It was renamed Bentleigh on 1 May 1907.[1]

Bentleigh
PTV commuter rail station
Southbound view from Platform 3 in August 2016
General information
Location	Nicholson Street, Bentleigh, Victoria 3204 City of Glen Eira Australia
Coordinates	37°55′03″S 145°02′13″E
Owned by	VicTrack
Operated by	Metro Trains
Line(s)	Frankston
Distance	16.52 kilometres from Southern Cross
Platforms	3 (1 side, 1 island)
Tracks	3
Connections	Bus
Construction
Structure type	Below ground
Parking	109
Bicycle facilities	Yes
Disabled access	Yes—step free access
Other information
Status	Operational, Premium Station
Station code	BEN
Fare zone	Myki Zone 1/2 Overlap
Website	Public Transport Victoria
History
Opened	19 December 1881; 140 years ago (1881-12-19)
Closed	11 June 2016
Rebuilt	29 August 2016 (Level Crossing Removal Project)
Electrified	1500 V DC overhead (June 1922)
Previous names	East Brighton (1881-1907)
Services
Preceding station Metro Trains Following station McKinnon towards Werribee or Williamstown via Flinders Street Frankston line Patterson towards Frankston
Track layout Legend to McKinnon 1 3 2 to Patterson

History

Bentleigh station, like the suburb itself, was named after former Victorian Premier Thomas Bent, who was Premier between 1904-1909.[2]

A goods siding once existed at the station. It closed in 1922, and it and the connections to the siding were removed in the same year.[1] In 1944, a crossover at the Down end of the station was abolished.[1]

Boom barriers replaced interlocked gates at the former Centre Road level crossing, which was located at the Down end of the station, in 1974.[3]

On 28 June 1987, the Up face of the former ground level island platform was brought into use.[4] The former underpass was also provided during this time.

It was upgraded to a Premium Station in 1998.[5] Prior to the works, Bentleigh closely resembled McKinnon station. Also around this time, the underpass was filled in.

In 2006, the station's former pedestrian level crossing was upgraded, as part of a VicTrack trial of new crossing technology. Additional warning devices were also fitted, with the common red pedestrian sign, as well as an LED light box saying "Another Train Coming", which is lit when either an express train is approaching on the southbound line, or when a train is approaching after another train on the northbound line.

In May 2015, the Level Crossing Removal Authority announced a grade separation project to replace the Centre Road level crossing, immediately south of the station. This included rebuilding the station.[6] The station closed on 4 June 2016, with the new station opening on 29 August 2016.[7]

Bentleigh was one of the stations set to received funding through the Morrison Government controversial Commuter Car Park Scheme, where funding was allocated to stations without consultation with local councils, and which the Auditor-General labelled ‘pork-barrelling’.[8][9] As of 2021, City of Glen Eira was starting community consultation over the proposal, with concerns that the funding was ‘tainted’.[8]

Platforms and services

Bentleigh has one island platform with two faces, and one side platform. It is serviced by Metro Trains' Frankston line services.[10]

Platform 1:

•  Frankston line  all stations services to Flinders Street, Werribee and Williamstown

Platform 2:

•  Frankston line  all stations services to Flinders Street, Werribee and Williamstown; all stations services to Frankston

Platform 3:

•  Frankston line  morning peak all stations services to Frankston

Transport links

Ventura Bus Lines operates two routes via Bentleigh station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:

•  701 : to Oakleigh station[11]
•  SmartBus   703 : Middle Brighton station – Blackburn station[12]

Gallery

• 
  Southbound view from the former ground level Platform 3 in June 2014, prior to demolition
• 
  Station front and entrance in December 2018

References

External links

• Melway map