# Watergardens railway station

Watergardens railway station is a commuter railway station on the Sunbury line, which is part of the Melbourne railway network. It serves the western suburb of Sydenham, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Watergardens station is a ground level premium station, featuring three platforms, an island platform with two faces and one side platform. It opened on 1 March 1859, with the current station location provided in 2002 and the platforms extension in 2022.
Initially opened as Keilor Road, this station was renamed to Sydenham on 1 April 1887, then was given its current name of Watergardens on 26 January 2002.
A stabling yard is located at the down (Sunbury) end of the station.

## History
### Sydenham

Sydenham station originally opened on 1 March 1859, shortly after the railway line was extended from Sunshine to Sunbury.
In 1926, interlocked gates were provided at the former Melton Highway level crossing, which was located at the down end of the station. In 1987, they were replaced with boom barriers. In 1989, a rail siding at the station was abolished, as well as a number of signal posts.

### Watergardens

In 2002, as part of the extension of the electrified network from St Albans, Sydenham was closed, and a new station was built approximately 600 m (1,969 ft) in the up direction. Opening on 26 January of that year, the new station was named Watergardens, after the adjacent Watergardens Shopping Centre. The new station was to be called Sydenham, with the name being built into the brickwork of the station building. However, naming rights were sold to the shopping centre. The name "Sydenham" can still be seen on the side of the building adjacent to Platform 3. Around 2012, the Sydenham name was dropped, with the station now generally referred to as Watergardens.
In late 2002, the Melton Highway level crossing was upgraded, in conjunction with the duplication of the highway. In 2015, the Level Crossing Removal Authority announced the grade separation of the highway and railway line. In January 2018, the Melton Highway level crossing (down line) was removed and replaced with a bridge for Melton Highway, with the project completed in October.
In 2022, all three platforms were extended from 160 m (525 ft) to 163 m (535 ft) long.

## Platforms and services

Watergardens has one side platform and one island platform with two faces. It is served by Sunbury line trains, as well as a limited number of V/Line services on the Bendigo and Swan Hill lines.
Platform 1:
* Sunbury line terminating services; all stations and limited express services to Flinders Street
* Bendigo line three weekday morning V/Line services to Southern Cross (set down only)
* Swan Hill line V/Line services to Southern Cross (set down only)
Platform 2:
* Sunbury line terminating services; all stations and limited express services to Flinders Street
Platform 3:
* Sunbury line all stations services to Sunbury
* Bendigo line one weekday evening V/Line service to Bendigo (pick up only)
* Swan Hill line V/Line services to Swan Hill (pick up only)
In 2025, it is planned that trains on the Sunbury line will be through-routed with those on the Pakenham and Cranbourne lines, via the new Metro Tunnel.

## Transport links

CDC Melbourne operates four routes to and from Watergardens station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:
* 419 : to St Albans station
* 421 : to St Albans station
* 425 : to St Albans station
* 461 : to Caroline Springs Town Centre
Kastoria Bus Lines operates four routes to and from Watergardens station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:
* 460 : to Caroline Springs station
* 462 : to Caroline Springs station
* 463 : to Hillside
* 476 : to Moonee Ponds Junction
Transit Systems Victoria operates three routes to and from Watergardens station, under contract to Public Transport Victoria:
* Night Bus 420 : to Sunshine station; normal service during weekdays, and runs at night on Saturday and on Sunday mornings
* Night Bus 941 : to Sunshine station (Saturday and Sunday mornings only)
* Night Bus 943 : to Melton (Saturday and Sunday mornings only)

## Gallery

* North-west bound view from Platform 2, June 2013