V/Line to assess signal box

By Lachlan Ellis

Despite community concern that the iconic Bacchus Marsh Signal Box will be demolished next year, V/Line has said there are no finalised plans for the structure any time soon.

Bacchus Marsh residents have expressed concerns that VicTrack will demolish the Signal Box, located at the Bacchus Marsh Railway Station, sometime in 2023.

The Signal Box has become quite dilapidated over the years, with some locals hoping it will be refurbished and opened as a historical museum, or moved if refurbishment isn’t feasible.

The Moorabool News put the community’s concerns about the new threat of demolition through to VicTrack, with questions passed on to V/Line given the Signal Box is on V/Line land.

“We are still assessing the signal box at Bacchus Marsh Station to ensure we have all available information about the condition of the building,” a V/Line spokesperson said.

“V/Line understands the importance of the signal box which is why we will engage with the community once we have completed all of the structural assessments.”

Some structural assessments on the disused Signal Box’s condition have been completed, but further investigations are needed regarding the building’s foundations and power and water services.

V/Line plans to engage with the community and stakeholders once it has all available information about the structure’s status.

In 2017, V/Line told the Moorabool News that the Signal Box, which dates back to 1890, had been deemed unsound following an engineer report, which recommended it be removed.

V/Line also said the Signal Box was not heritage listed, but did have a council overlay across the site.