FAIRFIELD RAILWAY STATION

Fairfield is a railway station in Melbourne, Australia, located in the suburb of Fairfield, on the Hurstbridge railway line. Fairfield is classed as a Host Station and is in Metlink. Metro Trains Melbourne is the current franchise operator of the suburban railway network of Melbourne. Metro Trains Melbourne is a joint venture led by Hong Kong based MTR Corporation (60%) together with John Holland Group (20%) and United Group Rail (20%). Metro Trains Melbourne operates a fleet of 381 three-car train sets on 830 kilometres of track. There are sixteen regular service train lines and one special events train line. Metro Trains Melbourne is also responsible for 212 train stations and employs a workforce of 3,500 rail professionals including train drivers, mechanical and electrical engineers, network operations specialists and customer service representatives.


Fairfield is a predominantly residential suburb, with a small north-eastern pocket remaining a light industrial area. Because it is situated on what many regard as the fringes of Melbourne's popular and much-revived 'inner city', gentrification has been strong, and property prices are high. To the south is the Yarra River and surrounding parkland, and the popular Fairfield Boathouse.


Commercial activity is focused on the shopping strip on Station Street and Wingrove Street, opposite Fairfield railway station. Fairfield's commercial outlets have prospered in recent years, with a recent influx of cafés, bars and specialist shops on Station Street. Adjacent to the railway station, facing north-east, is the Fairfield Industrial Dog Object (FIDO), a 6m tall wooden dog. This is a huge sculpture in recycled hardwood Erected in April 2000 and created by Ian Sinclair, Jackie Staude, David Davies and Alistair Knox. The theme was chosen in order to "represent the precinct's dog-loving community", and it was originally designed to interact with viewers – sensors allowed it to respond the presence of onlookers by wagging its tail, wiggling its ears and lighting up at night - alas no longer working!


This is my local railway station and as I am an early bird, I get a very early train to the City to work. There is some opportunity to take some morning photos without too many people around.


This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme.

Crescent moon and Venus

Sunrise over the Station building

Another morning - rainy...

The Metro train 

FIDO

Another view of FIDO

Station  Street, Fairfield, shopping strip