The Victorian Government is upgrading important rail infrastructure on the Frankston Line, as part of works to remove 5 dangerous and congested level crossings from Edithvale to Bonbeach, that will enable more trains, more often.

As part of these upgrades, a new substation is required in Chelsea to allow more trains to run more reliably.

Q&As

What is a substation?

A substation provides the power required to operate Melbourne’s trains and signalling equipment and are common across the entire metropolitan network. It is a fully enclosed building that is owned by VicTrack and operated by Metro Trains Melbourne (MTM).

Why does the rail network need new substations?

As demand for train services continues to grow and major rail infrastructure projects such as Metro Tunnel and the Level Crossing Removal Project provide capacity for more trains across Melbourne’s network, rail power and signalling needs to be upgraded to enable more trains to run.

How do substations work?

Trains need a direct and constant source of power that can’t be met by the street power supply. Substations do not generate power, they convert the local street power supply from power lines to the voltage required to run trains.

How are locations for substations chosen?

To provide optimum power for trains, substations are evenly spaced along the rail corridor. The locations of substations is determined by technical requirements of the network.

In Chelsea, a new and modern substation will be built to replace the current building opposite Winborne Avenue. The location of the new substation will enable further upgrades to take place along the line, including construction of the new rail trench.

When will the substation be built?

The substation will be built offsite and transported to its location in one piece to minimise construction impacts. The substation will arrive in April 2021, and be ready for operation in mid 2021.

How big is the substation?

The substation is around 45m long, 8m wide and 4m high. For safety and maintenance requirements, the substation sits on 1.2m high foundation.

The site for the substation including 2 staff car parks, walkways and area required for any maintenance activities is around 110m long and 8m wide.

Will the substation be fenced?

An architecturally-designed fence will be built for safety and security. The fence design will fit in with the broader urban design that the Level Crossing Removal Project is delivering as part of its Chelsea project.

When will the substation be operational?

The substation will be operating from 2021. The substation will typically be accessed by staff between 7am and 5pm. Emergency maintenance works may require the substation to be accessed outside of these hours.

What are the operational impacts of the substation?

The substation’s location between the Nepean Highway and the rail corridor means any light or noise impacts to neighbouring properties is minimised.

Contact us

For more information contact 1800 105 105 or email at contact@levelcrossings.vic.gov.au