Stony Point
Sprinter railcar on the Stony Point line, February 2010
Overview
Service type	Commuter rail
System	Melbourne railway network
Status	Operational
Locale	Melbourne,Victoria,Australia
Predecessor	Baxter (1888–1889) Stony Point (1889–1981) Tyabb (1981–1984)
First service	1 October 1888; 137 years ago (1888-10-01)
Current operator	Metro Trains
Former operators	Victorian Railways (VR) (1889–1974) VR as VicRail (1974–1983) STA (V/Line) (1983–1989) PTC (V/Line) (1989–1998) Bayside Trains (1998–2000) M>Train (2000–2004) Connex Melbourne (2004–2009)
Route
Termini	Frankston Stony Point
Stops	10
Distance travelled	31 km (19 mi)
Average journey time	36 minutes
Service frequency	90–120 minutes
Line used	Stony Point
Technical
Rolling stock	Sprinter DMU
Track gauge	1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)
Track owner	VicTrack
Route map Legend h:mm km zone Frankston line toFlinders Street 0:00 42.7 Frankston ● 2 0:02 44.5 Leawarra 0:09 50.7 Baxter 0:13 54.6 Somerville 0:17 58.6 Tyabb 0:22 63.8 Hastings 0:26 67.4 Bittern 0:29 69.7 Morradoo 0:32 71.6 Crib Point 0:36 73.4 Stony Point 2 h:mm km zone This diagram: view talk edit

TheStony Point line is acommuter railway line in the outer metropolitan area ofMelbourne, Victoria, Australia.^[1] Operated byMetro Trains Melbourne, it is the only diesel service on the metropolitan network and, at 31 kilometres (19 mi), is the tenth-longest line. It is an extension of theFrankston line, with services running from Frankston station to Stony Point, serving 10 stations in all.^[2] The line is also used for freight services to thePort of Hastings.

The line was opened in three sections during 1888 and 1889. Only two stations have been added since its completion—Leawarra andMorradoo.^[3] In recent years, there have been proposals to extend the electrified Frankston line toBaxter.^[4]

The Stony Point line was initially opened from Frankston toBaxter station, with services commencing in 1888. Extensions toHastings,Bittern, andStony Point were completed in the following year.^[5] Branch lines were opened from Baxter toMornington in 1889, and from Bittern toRed Hill in 1921.^[5]

In 1959, a new station was opened atLeawarra (originally called Railmotor Stopping Place No. 16),^[6]andMorradoo (originally called Railmotor Stopping Place No. 15} was opened a year later.^[7][8]

TheRed Hill branch was closed in 1953, and theMornington branch was closed in 1981. A 300-metre (980 ft)-long branch from Long Island Junction to Long Island was opened on 29 April 1969 to serve the adjacent steel mill.^[9]

Passenger services on the line were withdrawn on 10 June 1981, and the line from Long Island Junction to Stony Point was closed on 22 June 1981.^[10] Services were recommenced on 26 September 1984.^[11] After the reopening,DRC railcars were used, with twoMTH carriages in between them, making up a four-carriage train. Frequent breakdowns of the railcars led to diesel locomotives often being called in to haul the consist as an alternative.^[11]

In August 1994, aT class locomotive hauling two MTH carriages was used but, by November 1995, weekday services were being operated by aP class with two MTH carriages. On weekends, anA class diesel was used, hauling an extra MTH car.^[12][13] On one occasion, anX class diesel, inV/Line Freight livery was employed, hauling three MTH carriages. Those configurations were not used after V/Line was separated into passenger and freight divisions.^[14]

Few changes occurred in the 2000s as the service settled down, following the period of frequent changes to the operators, services, and rolling-stock. Sometimes, when train operatorV/Line had a locomotive shortage, locomotives leased fromFreight Australia and, later,Pacific National appeared, in their green and yellow livery.^[15] In 2008, the Stony Point line underwent major re-signalling work, including the introduction of three-position signalling. The new signalling system was controlled remotely from the Frankston Signal Box.^[16]

In April 2008,Sprinter units began providing the passenger service.^[17][18] Two units usually operated the service, with a single unit returning toSouthern Cross for servicing on a regular basis, and another sent in the opposite direction to replace it.

Malfunctions of boom gates forced the closure of the line for three months in 2015.^[19]

In 2013, as part of Public Transport Victoria'sNetwork Development Plan for metropolitan rail, an extension of the Frankston line to Baxter was earmarked to begin in the "long-term" (over the next 20 years).^[20] During the2018 state election, theLiberal Party announced a project to extend electrified services to Baxter.^[21] The project would have included the removal of all crossings between Frankston and Baxter, duplication and electrification works, the construction of one (or two) new stations, and the reconstruction of stations along the corridor.^[22][23] TheFederal Liberals announced $450 million of joint funding for the project promised between the state and federal governments, with the national government promising to provide $225 million of the funding.^[22] The incumbentAndrews Labor government argued that the project was not needed, instead prioritising funding to other projects across the state.^[22]

A business case commissioned by the government was completed in 2019 with no further progress being made.^[4][24]

Again in the lead up to the2022 state election, the Liberal opposition supported the electrification to Baxter.^[25] Thesecond Andrews government made no commitments to the Baxter rail extension, instead continuing construction on level crossing removal works along the Frankston line.^[25] The 2022 state election resulted in another Labor victory, with the Andrews government pushing ahead with these works.

In November 2023, a review of infrastructure investment, commissioned by the federal government, found that the Baxter rail extension did not meet the "investment priorities" of theAlbanese government and would lose its $225 million in federal funding.^[26]

The line operates for approximately 13 hours a day, from about 5:30 am to around 10:30 pm from Monday to Friday, and 7:00 am to 8:30 pm on Saturdays and Sundays.^[1][27] Train frequency is typically every 90 to 120 minutes throughout the day due to the line being single track with nopassing loops.^[28] Unlike the rest of Melbourne's rail network, services do not run 24 hours a day on Friday nights and weekends.^[29]

Freight movements typically occur twice daily, withQube Holdings operating trains to the Long Islandsteel mill and the Port of Hastings. Trains to Melbourne run at approximately 4:00 am and during the mid-afternoon, while trains from Melbourne run at around midnight and noon.^[30]

Train services on the Stony Point line are also subjected to maintenance and renewal works, usually on selected Fridays and Saturdays. Shuttle bus services are provided throughout the duration of works for affected commuters.^[31]

Legend — Station status

• ◼Premium Station – Station staffed from first to last train
• ◻Host Station – Usually staffed during morning peak, however this can vary for different stations on the network.

Legend — Stopping patterns

• ● – All trains stop
• ◐ – Some services do not stop
• | – Trains pass and do not stop

The Stony Point line has had a number of operators since its opening in 1889. TheVictorian Railways, theState Transport Authority, thePublic Transport Corporation andV/Line operated the line successively until the privatisation of the Melbourne rail network in 1998.^[33] On 1 July 1998, operation of the Stony Point line was transferred from V/Line.^[34] V/Line was privatised in 1999 but returned to government ownership in 2003. V/Line has operated the Stony Point service on behalf of three different Melbourne private rail operators in succession:M>Train,Connex, andMetro Trains.^[35]

v t e Stony Point line
Legend
km Frankston line toFlinders Street 42.7 Frankston ● 43.1 Cranbourne Road 44.0 McMahons Road (Moorooduc Highway) 44.5 Leawarra 45.8 Construction Sand Limited Siding (dismantled) 47.2 Mornington Peninsula Freeway 47.9 Langwarrin (dismantled) 50.7 Baxter Mornington railway line toMornington (closed) 54.6 Somerville 58.6 Tyabb 61.4 Port of Hastings 63.8 Hastings 67.4 Bittern Red Hill railway line toRed Hill (dismantled) 69.7 Morradoo HMAS Cerberus Naval Base (closed) 71.6 Crib Point 73.4 Stony Point km

Stony Point line in south-east Melbourne.

The Stony Point line is predominantly single track, with few curves and minimalearthworks for most of it length.^{[citation needed]} The only duplicated sections are at each end of the line.

Apart from some suburban and light industrial development near Frankston, the line passes through open countryside with occasional small settlements.^[36]

The line serves 10 stations across 31 kilometres (19 mi) of track. All stations are at ground level.^[37]

Station	Accessibility	Opened	Terrain	Train connections	Other connections
Frankston	Yes—step free access	1882[3]	Ground level	1 connection  Frankston line
Leawarra		1905[3]
Baxter		1888[3]
Somerville		1889[3]
Tyabb
Hastings
Bittern
Morradoo		1960[3]
Crib Point		1889[3]
Stony Point

The Stony Point line usesV/Line Sprinterdiesel multiple unit (DMU) trains operating in a one- or two-car configuration, accommodating up to 90 passengers in each car.^[39] The trains are refuelled and serviced nearSouthern Cross station.^[37]

As required by theDisability Discrimination Act of 1992, all new or re-built stations must comply with accessibility guidelines.^[40] All stations on the corridor are fully accessible—a first in Melbourne.^[41]

In common with most of the Melbourne train network, the Stony Point line uses three position signalling,^[42] which became fully operational on the line in March 2008.^[43]

• Stony Point line timetable
• Network map
• Media related toStony Point railway line at Wikimedia Commons

• Railway lines in Melbourne
• Railway lines opened in 1888
• Transport in the Shire of Mornington Peninsula
• Western Port
• 1888 establishments in Australia
• Transport in the City of Frankston

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