19th century

The line from Richmond to Hawthorn was opened initially to a temporary terminus at Pic Nic, just short of the Yarra River, in September 1860, and to Hawthorn in April 1861. It was extended to Camberwell in April 1882, then to Lilydale in early December of that same year.^[6] Duplication from East Richmond to Hawthorn occurred less than a month after the Lilydale extension opened. Soon after, the same section was converted to double-line telegraph safeworking, with the section from Hawthorn to Camberwell being converted to Staff and Ticket working.

In May 1885, Hawthorn to Camberwell was duplicated. Duplication was extended to Box Hill in December 1888.^[7]

20th century

Automatic signalling was introduced in December 1907 with the conversion of the section from East Richmond to Hawthorn to semi-automatic signalling, followed by Richmond to East Richmond being converted to automatic signalling in August 1919.^[8] East Richmond to Camberwell was converted in two stages, both in October 1922, and Camberwell to Canterbury the following month.^[8] Electrification occurred between Flinders Street and Box Hill in December 1922 and extended to Ringwood the following month, then to Croydon in November 1925, and to Lilydale in October 1925.^[8] Conversion to automatic signalling resumed in April 1927 with the conversion of Canterbury to Surrey Hills, followed by Surrey Hills to Box Hill in October 1929.

The section from Croydon to Mooroolbark was duplicated in 1957, creating a long passing loop on this otherwise single-line section beyond Ringwood.^[9] The section from Mooroolbark to Lilydale remains a single track. Automatic signalling conversions resumed in July 1958 with the section from Box Hill to Blackburn, followed by Mitcham to Ringwood in September of that year, and Blackburn to Mitcham in November 1960.^[10] Hawthorn to Camberwell was triplicated in December 1963, and the triplication was extended to East Camberwell in November 1964.^[11] Richmond to Burnley was quadruplicated in 1966–67, and triplication was extended to Box Hill in December 1971, followed by Burnley to Hawthorn in August 1972.^[12] This left a short section of double track on the upside of Richmond, but this was quadruplicated with the construction of a flyover in 1973.

Ringwood to Croydon was converted to automatic signalling in November 1973 and duplicated in June 1984. Mooroolbark to Lilydale was converted to automatic signalling in June 1985.

The new Comeng trains were introduced to the Melbourne railway system in 1981. Initially, along with the Lilydale line, they were only allowed to operate on the Alamein, Belgrave, Dandenong and Glen Waverley lines, due to the width of the trains (3.05 metres (10 ft 0 in)).^[13] The Comeng trains were introduced with the intention of replacing the last of the Tait sets and the majority of the Harris sets.

21st century

A 2007 restructure of train ticketing in Melbourne involved the removal of Zone 3, with Zone 3 stations being re-classified to Zone 2.^[14] This brought the cost of train fares down, improving system accessibility to the public.

Level Crossing Removals

The level crossing at Maroondah Highway, Lilydale, prior to its 2021 removal.

The Level Crossing Removal Project has announced the removal of all nine remaining level crossings on the Lilydale line, to be completed in stages from 2016 to 2025.^[15] In 2016, two level crossings were removed at Mountain Highway and Scoresby Road, Bayswater, through the rail under road method.^[5] These two removals also included a rebuilt Bayswater station and upgraded stabling facilities.^[16] A further two crossings were removed at Blackburn Road, Blackburn, and Heatherdale Road, Ringwood in January 2017.^[17] Both of these removals involved lowering the rail line under the roads, with a rebuilt Heatherdale station built as part of the project.^[17] In 2021, an additional two level crossings were removed at Manchester Rd, Mooroolbark, and Maroondah Highway, Lilydale.^[18] These two removals included two new elevated stations at Mooroolbark and Lilydale.^[19] Union and Mont Albert Roads have also been removed by lowering the rail line in May 2023.^[20] The removals also included closing Mont Albert and Surrey Hills stations, with a new station built in-between called "Union."^[21] The final two crossings to be removed will include lowering the rail line below Dublin Road in Ringwood East, with a new Ringwood East station, to be completed by 2025, and the removal of Coolstore Road in Croydon by 2025.^[22] The Coolstore Road level crossing removal will also include a newly elevated Croydon station.^[23] In addition, the level crossing at Cave Hill Road in Lilydale will be permanently closed by 2025.^[24]

Duplication

The Network Development Plan – Metropolitan Rail, released in 2012, highlighted future upgrades for the rail corridor between Mooroolbark and Lilydale. The development plan highlighted the need for the track to be duplicated between Moroolbark and Lilydale as well as the construction of a new train maintenance facility in the Lilydale area within the next 20 years (by 2032).^[25] However, this project has not remained on the planning agenda, despite the significant work conducted by the Level Crossing Removal Project in the area, which has previously undertaken duplication works.

Services

Services on the Lilydale line operate from approximately 5:00 am to around 12:00 daily.^[26] In general, during peak hours, train frequency is ~7 minutes on the Ringwood corridor (combined with the Belgrave line) and 10–20 minutes in the AM peak on the Lilydale line, while during non-peak hours, the frequency is reduced to 20–30 minutes throughout the entire route.^[3] On Friday nights and weekends, services run 24 hours a day, with 60 minute frequencies available outside of normal operating hours.^[27]

Train services on the Lilydale line are also subjected to maintenance and renewal work, usually on selected Fridays and Saturdays. Shuttle bus services are provided throughout the duration of work for affected commuters.^[28]

Operators

The Lilydale line has had a total of six operators since its opening in 1882. The majority of operations throughout its history have been government run: from its first service in 1882 until the 1999 privatisation of Melbourne's rail network, four different government operators have run the line.^[30] These operators, Victorian Railways, the Metropolitan Transit Authority, the Public Transport Corporation and Hillside Trains, have a combined operational length of 117 years. Hillside Trains was privatised in August 1999 and later rebranded as Connex Melbourne. Metro Trains Melbourne, the current private operator, then took over the operations in 2009. Both private operators have had a combined operational period of 24 years.^[31]

Route

Lilydale line
km zone Multiple lines via North Melbourne City Loop 1.2 Southern Cross ●●●●●●● 1 2.5 Flagstaff ●●● 1 3.1 Melbourne Central 1 4.3 Parliament ●● 1 0.0 Flinders Street ●● 1 0.1 Princes Bridge (closed) Hurstbridge & Mernda lines to Jolimont City Loop 1.8 Botanic Gardens (closed) 2.3 Punt Road (Hoddle Highway) 2.6 Richmond ●●●●●●■ 1 Cranbourne, Frankston, Pakenham & Sandringham lines to South Yarra 3.1 East Richmond ■■ 1 4.1 Burnley ●■ 1 Glen Waverley line to Glen Waverley 4.9 Pic Nic (demolished) 5.0 Yarra River 5.7 Hawthorn ■ 1 Kew line to Kew (dismantled) 6.9 Glenferrie ■ 1 7.7 Auburn 1 9.0 Camberwell ●■ 1 Alamein line to Alamein 9.8 East Camberwell 1 Outer Circle line to Fairfield (closed) 11.0 Canterbury 1/2 11.7 Chatham 1/2 12.6 Surrey Hills (demolished) 12.9 Union 1/2 13.4 Mont Albert (demolished) 14.9 Box Hill ■ 2 16.6 Laburnum 2 17.4 Blackburn 2 19.5 Nunawading 2 19.7 Springvale Road (State Highway) 21.2 Mitcham 2 23.2 Heatherdale 2 23.4 EastLink 24.5 Ringwood ● 2 Belgrave line to Belgrave 26.6 Ringwood East 2 29.8 Croydon 2 30.5 Creek 32.7 Brushy Creek 33.2 Mooroolbark 2 33.3 Creek 33.4 Creek 36.8 Cave Hill (closed) 37.6 Lilydale 2 37.7 Maroondah Highway 38.4 End of Metro area Olinda Creek Warburton line (closed) Healesville line (closed)

The Lilydale line forms a curved route from the Melbourne central business district to its terminus in Lilydale. The route is 37.8 kilometres (23.5 mi) long and predominantly double-tracked, however, between Flinders Street station and Richmond, the track widens to 12 tracks, narrowing to four tracks between Richmond and Burnley before narrowing to 3 tracks between Burnley and Box Hill. Finally, the line narrows to two tracks between Box Hill and Mooroolbark before narrowing to a single track to its terminus.^[32][25] After Mooroolbark, passing loops and island platforms are present throughout the remaining track to allow trains to pass. Sections of the line have been elevated or lowered into a cutting to eliminate level crossings.^[33]

The line follows the same alignment as the Alamein, Belgrave, and Glen Waverley lines, with the four services splitting onto different routes at Burnley. The Alamein, Belgrave, and Lilydale services continue till the Alamein line splits off at Camberwell, with the two services continuing together till Ringwood. After departing Ringwood station, the Lilydale line heads north, with the Belgrave line heading in an eastern direction.^[34] Almost all of the rail line goes through built-up suburbs, however, the rail line becomes peri-urban towards its terminus in Lilydale.^[34]

Stations

The line serves 27 stations across 37.8 kilometres (23.5 mi) of track. The stations are a mix of elevated, lowered, underground, and ground level designs. Underground stations are present only in the City Loop and in Box Hill, with the majority of elevated and lowered stations being constructed as part of level crossing removals.^[35] From 2025, Ringwood East station will be lowered and Croydon station elevated as part of level crossing removal works.

Station	Accessibility	Opened	Terrain	Train connections	Other connections
Flinders Street	Yes—step free access	1854[36]	Lowered	16 connections  Alamein line   Belgrave line   Craigieburn line   Cranbourne line   Flemington Racecourse line   Frankston line   Gippsland line   Glen Waverley line   Hurstbridge line   Mernda line   Pakenham line   Sandringham line   Sunbury line   Upfield line   Werribee line   Williamstown line
Southern Cross		1859[36]	Ground level	27 connections  Alamein line   Albury line   Ararat line   Ballarat line   Belgrave line   Bendigo line   Craigieburn line   Cranbourne line   Echuca line   Flemington Racecourse line   Geelong line   Gippsland line   Glen Waverley line   Hurstbridge line   Maryborough line   Mernda line   NSW TrainLink Southern   Pakenham line   Seymour line   Shepparton line   Sunbury line   Swan Hill line   The Overland   Upfield line   Warrnambool line   Werribee line   Williamstown line
Flagstaff		1985[36]	Underground	10 connections  Alamein line   Belgrave line   Craigieburn line   Cranbourne line   Glen Waverley line   Hurstbridge line   Mernda line   Pakenham line   Sunbury line   Upfield line
Melbourne Central		1981[36]
Parliament		1983[36]
Richmond	No—steep ramp	1859[36]	Elevated	8 connections  Alamein line   Belgrave line   Cranbourne line   Frankston line   Gippsland line   Glen Waverley line   Pakenham line   Sandringham line
East Richmond	Yes—step free access	1860[36]	Ground level	3 connections  Alamein line   Belgrave line   Glen Waverley line
Burnley	No—steep ramp	1880[36]
Hawthorn		1881[36]	Lowered	2 connections  Alamein line   Belgrave line
Glenferrie		1882[36]	Elevated
Auburn			Ground level
Camberwell			Lowered
East Camberwell		1900[36]	Ground level	1 connection  Belgrave line
Canterbury		1882[36]	Elevated
Chatham		1927[36]	Ground level
Union	Yes—step free access	2023[36]	Lowered
Box Hill		1882[36]	Underground
Laburnum		1958[36]	Elevated
Blackburn		1882[36]	Ground level
Nunawading		1888[36]	Lowered
Mitcham		1882[36]
Heatherdale		1958[36]
Ringwood		1882[36]	Ground level
Ringwood East	No—steep ramp	1925[36]
Croydon		1882[36]
Mooroolbark	Yes—step free access	1887[36]	Elevated
Lilydale		1882[36]

Rolling stock

An X'Trapolis 100 train preparing to departing from Platform 2 at Box Hill station.

The Lilydale line uses X'Trapolis 100 electric multiple unit (EMU) trains operating in a two three-car configuration, with three doors per side on each carriage and can accommodate up to 432 seated passengers in each six car configuration.^[38] The trains were originally built between 2002 and 2004, as well as between 2009 and 2020 with a total of 212 three-car sets constructed. The trains are shared with seven other metropolitan train lines and have been in service since 2003.^[38]

Alongside the passenger trains, Lilydale line tracks and equipment are maintained by a fleet of engineering trains. The four types of engineering trains are: the shunting train; designed for moving trains along non-electrified corridors and for transporting other maintenance locomotives, for track evaluation; designed for evaluating track and its condition, the overhead inspection train; designed for overhead wiring inspection, and the infrastructure evaluation carriage designed for general infrastructure evaluation.^[39] Most of these trains are repurposed locomotives previously used by V/Line, Metro Trains, and the Southern Shorthaul Railroad.^[39]

Accessibility

The rebuilt Lilydale station features tactile boarding indicators and elevators

All stations that are new or rebuilt are fully accessible.^[40] Projects improving station accessibility have included the Level Crossing Removal Project, which involves station rebuilds and upgrades, and individual station upgrade projects.^[41][42] These works have made significant strides in improving network accessibility, with more than 59% of Lilydale line stations classified as fully accessible.

Signalling

The Lilydale line employs a combination of three-position signaling alongside automatic block signaling (ABS) and automatic track control (ATC) safeworking systems, wherein the former involves different signal 'blocks', while the latter encompass a variety of mechanisms for enhancing safety and control on the track.^[43] Three-position signalling was first introduced on the line in 1919, with the final section of the line converted to the new type of signalling by 1985.^[44] Automatic and track controls are used with the centre line between Burnley and Box Hill, and between Mooroolbark and the line's terminus in Lilydale.