Hope returns to Brunswick

[Craig]

After an absence of over 3 years, buses resumed operated along Hope Street in Brunswick on Monday morning on infamous 509 service.

The former 2km service, which had operated every 20 mins for 5 1/2 days a week, was closed by the former Liberal State Government, who cited poor patronage, with the last services by the former Hope St Bus Line operating at lunchtime on Grand Final Day 2012, Saturday September 29. With the small two-bus company otherwise only operating occasional church charters, the company sadly stopped trading and the two buses were sold.

At the 2014 election, the ALP promised to return buses along Hope St should they win office, as part of their $100M bus plan. The local seat of Brunswick has become hotly contested with the Greens within reach of gaining the seat, so every vote and preference counted.

During mid 2015, PTV conducted community consultation on returning services, with feedback sort on a reduced interpeak shopper service that would continue onto Moreland, providing access to the John Fawkner Hospital.

However, following community feedback, buses now operate the opposite direction after travelling Hope St, and after a slight variation past Brunswick Station, continues onto Barkly Square Shopping Centre, which features a K-Mart store along with various speciality stores.

Sadly, the bus is currently operating express along Sydney Rd between Victoria St and Barkly Square, with no stops for 1km, including near the Brunswick (Moreland) Town Hall, which prevents interchange with the Dawson St/Glenlyon St 506 bus.

Let's first take a brief look back on the last day of operation in September 2012.


Hope St Bus Line 0510SO (Volvo B6, Volgren) heads towards Sydney Rd on the 12:30 service.


At the Shelis Reserve terminus, 0510SO waits to depart on 12:50 trip.


Shortly before entering a lengthy hibernation, the last trip loads at the old Sydney Rd terminus in Ballarat St for the 1pm trip to West Brunswick.

Channel Ten coincidently had a crew in the area that day filming the community outpouring of shock and grief following the senseless murder of local resident Jill Meagher the weekend before, with her killing likely to have taken place in a laneway off Hope St. They briefly rode the last trip, which made even it onto their national bulletin.


matthew also got this front row footage onboard last journey:

[Craig]

Dysons have been awarded the contract to operate the rebooted service, and have purchased two BCI "Proma 33" vehicles to operate the route, #895 & #896, the latter of which had the first day honours.




Eager locals gather for the first trip at the Shelis Reserve terminus as both drivers welcomes them onboard.


In a nod to the local feel of the community feel of the former service, Dysons has rostered just two drivers to operate the service for the initial six week period, before a review. Both drivers came out for the first trip, hence a changeover car was also present - the shifts appear to have each driver do about half the trips each.



There was enough time for the first passengers to pose for some happy group snaps to mark the occasion before we took of at 9am.


Just as we were about to head off, someone important from Moreland Council showed up for his ride. (Trust me not to take notice of his name badge)


All up, the first trip collected around 15 passengers including two enthusiasts, some of whom were simply along for a celebratory joy-ride or local dignitaries and their office staff. This photo was taken as we turned right from Hope St into Percy St, a new section of the route in order to pass Brunswick Station.

[Craig]

We made good time, and arrived the Barkly Square within 15 minutes.


Passengers mingle after alighting, some would re-board for the return leg while others would enjoy their returned freedom and enjoy some shopping.



Some more group shots in front of the bus to celebrate the return of the service, including with Moreland Councillor Lambros Tapinos.


Two passengers decided to continue around to the stop on the northern side of Barkly Square, in Weston St.


By 9:45am the bus was back at Brunswick West ready and waiting for the 10:02am round trip.

[Craig]

#896 crosses Melville Rd.


Heading east along Hope St.


#896 negotiates the tight width of Hope St


Less stops have been installed along Hope St than the former route - there are just 5 stops all up, two of which are west of Melville Rd. An elderly ethnic gentlemen at the end of Burnell St was perplexed at why there was such long gaps now, especially when the old service effectively operated as "hail and ride" for the regulars. His female Italian neighbour eventually came by and suggested that if there were more stops the journey would be too slow.


Heading east past Gillon Reserve. The old pebble-mix shelter has disappeared, one of just three shelters on the old route. Oddly, the Adshel in Ballarat St has yet to be removed, the only one that no longer has service under the new route!


On the 11:02am service, #886 is seen at Albert St and Sydney Rd heading south to Barkly Square.


Returning north through the Sydney Rd Shopping Strip on the 11:24am service


Despite the bus travelling along Sydney Rd for 1km, bizarrely there is no stops, apparently this was agreed to by council - it is not clear why the bus can't stop at the tram stops, which have parking restrictions in the vicinity. #896 passes Moreland Town Hall and Library at Dawson St as a 19 tram heads the other way. A lack of stop here also prevents interchange with the 506 bus. One of the drivers was overheard remarking to the other that the "via Sydney Rd" sign is misleading as they can't drop off along there.

Kind Regards


Craig

[actually]

What an awesome looking bus! Love it.

[VOLVO FAN]

I'm pretty sure that this bus is more powerful than the previous used Volvo and MAN.
Anyway, Craig! Did you yell out on the bus? "WE NEED A GROUP PHOTO THANK YOU"

[Craig]

I'm pretty sure that this bus is more powerful than the previous used Volvo and MAN.
Anyway, Craig! Did you yell out on the bus? "WE NEED A GROUP PHOTO THANK YOU"

Yes, I did suggest a group photo would be a good idea to mark the occasion - and I made sure the Dysons and PTV logos were not obscured where possible.

Kind Regards


Craig

[Lt. Commander Data]

Great write up/photos Craig. I enjoy reading last/first ever bus route threads, even if they're not in Adelaide. I don't know what your profession is Craig, but as a son of two journalists I think you would make a great reporter, if you can write that much good, useful, valid information on a topic which (frankly) there isn't much to write about. Anyway, whatever your chosen profession is, keep up the good work here.

Data (Ryan).

[Craig]

I put my journalistic talents to work writing news items on Melbourne bus timetables for Table Talk and Australian Bus Panorama.

Thanks for the feedback, I like my photo captions to have some context when people look at them at a later date.

Kind Regards


Craig

[Lt. Commander Data]

Good to know that your talent is used outside of this board. You certainly give it enough context so that even I can understand it, and I haven't been to Melbourne (minus the airport) for 3 years now.

[VOLVO FAN]

Dear Mr Commander

Without a doubt, Craig is a talented person who can work for Channel 7,9,10, Herald Sun and The Age.

[Hornibrook]

Great shots which show an obviously very interesting suburban route.

[Bus Suggestions]

Fancy stumbling upon this thread! Certainly a show of how overwhelming community support and a government willing to listen can result in a very good outcome. Whatever did become of the two buses after Hope St Bus Lines fell? And hopefully, one day, PTV adds a stop along Sydney Rd - while the route's usefulness is questionable, the length of Sydney Rd it travels along surely warrants a bus stop.

Fellow user ThebusofdoomFSX (whom I haven't seen around on this forum for a while now) did also upload his own video filmed on 24th September 2012, 5 days before the original 509 ceased operations: