Northbound view of station platform and building with 2 VLocity trains occupying both platforms and a P-class diesel locomotive passing through, March 2008
Lara railway station is a regional railway station on the Warrnambool line, part of the Victorian railway network. It serves the town of Lara, in Victoria, Australia. Lara station is a ground level unstaffed station, featuring an island platform with two faces. It opened on 1 November 1856, with the current station provided in 1981.[1][2]
Initially opened as Duck Ponds, the station was given its current name of Lara on 30 June 1875.[1][2]
History
When Lara station opened, it was the temporary terminus of the Geelong – Melbourne line.[3] The present station building was constructed in the 1920s,[3]: 152 and the existing single platform on the east side of the line was converted into an island platform in June 1981, when the line from Lara to Little River was duplicated.[1][2] In September of that year, the line to Corio was duplicated.[4][2]
In 1973, a signal panel was provided at the station, and in 1981, it relocated into the station building.[4][2] It was abolished in January 2006.[5] No.2 road (loop siding) was also extended in 1973, providing a crossing loop.[4][2] The loop siding is generally used by trains serving the Avalon Airshow, which terminate at Lara.
In 1962, flashing light signals were provided at the McClelland Avenue level crossing, located nearby in the down direction of the station,[4][2] with boom barriers provided later on in 1981.[4][2]
In 1993, No.2 siding was abolished, along with a dwarf signal.[4][2] In 1999, the station waiting room received an upgrade, including the installation of glass sliding doors.[6]
