the station. Full services were extended to Fawkner in 1915 and, in December 1920, the line to Fawkner was electrified. In March 1928, despite strong resistance from the Railways Commissioners, the state government ordered the reopening of the section from Fawkner to Somerton for passengers. Services were provided by an AEC railmotor, which connected with electric trains at Fawkner. The section of line from North Melbourne to Macaulay was converted to automatic signalling in June 1928, but the rest of the line continued to be worked using double line block and staff and ticket systems for many more years. In May 1956, the line from Fawkner to Somerton was again closed, but only three years later, in July 1959, the Upfield to Somerton section reopened for goods trains, and on the same date the Coburg to Fawkner line was duplicated. The following month, the section from Fawkner to Upfield was reopened, after being electrified, to cater for workers at the new Ford factory next to the station. Only one train each way was provided, although a second train was added the following month. Shortly before that, however, in September 1958, Sunday evening services on the line after 6 p.m. were withdrawn, being replaced by the acceptance of rail tickets for use on adjacent tram routes, particularly the North Coburg line. At the outer end of the railway line, a bus service was provided, connecting with trams at North Coburg. In June 1971, that arrangement was extended to apply for the whole of Sunday, and in October 1981, it was further extended to include services after 7:30 p.m. on Monday to Saturday. In January 1963, the line from Somerton to the Ford factory at Upfield was converted to dual gauge, a year after the North East standard gauge line through Somerton opened, and in October 1968, electric staff working was introduced on the Upfield to Somerton section. Automatic signalling advanced a little further along the line in August 1971, with Royal Park to Jewell being converted and, in April 1972, the Macaulay to Royal Park section was similarly converted. By May 1988, serious consideration was being given to proposals to convert the line to light rail, following the conversion of the St Kilda and Port Melbourne railway lines in 1987. After discussions with local councils, unions and the Metropolitan Transit Authority, a number of options were floated: the conversion of the