Victorian Rail & Tram Observations July - December 2014

[Mercedes]

go for it

[BroadGauge]

Noticed during the week that Ginifer platform 2 now has one of those raised access humps for wheelchairs to board the train. Makes sense there cos the platforms are unusually low.

[RailwayBus]

That particular platform is the lowest platform on the system, and even with the raised wheelchair pad, it is still too low for wheelchairs, so the ramp still needs to be deployed.

[Connex]

W8.946 has been in the wars. It's missing quite a lot of paint on one side of the tram with bare metal showing in some places.

[pakenhamtrain]

Todays XPT has come to grief at North Melbourne. Derailing at a set of points near the flyover

[1whoknows]

Buses replacing the Xpt between Melbourne and Albury today and tomorrow

[jamesadams7]

Buses replacing the Xpt between Melbourne and Albury today and tomorrow

Was unfortunate enough to be caught up in the Albury replacement mess, after getting a Canberra Link coach service from Canberra earlier in the morning. 9 hours on a bus with little food isn't fun! The Canberra coach was running 20 minutes late, however, after V/Line had double booked about 8 seats or so. The bus driver seemed to imply that it's happened quite a lot just recently. Anyone know anything more? Pretty poor on V/Line's part.

Edit: Oh, and the Albury service isn't an Xpt, it's a reservation V/Line rail service.

[Leyland B21]

Still an XPT. It was only extended to Melbourne from Albury in a deal struck between the Melbourne and Sydney Authorities a number of years ago. Victoria funds Countrylinks or whatever it's called now cost in the Victorian section and as part of the deal carrys Vline Pax. Still regarded as an XPT service in the Victorian section from my understanding which I have used a number of times between Melbourne and Sydney.

[BroadGauge]

I think there's a little bit of confusion here between two separate services that operate on the same line - there's the NSW TrainLink Southern XPT, which runs from Sydney to Melbourne, using XPT train sets.

Then there's also the V/Line service from Melbourne to Albury, which runs with the N classes & N sets, in the same way as the trains to Bairnsdale, Swan Hill etc do (just on a different track gauge).

--

On a separate note, but also referring to services to NE Victoria, it's now been announced on the V/Line site that normal timetabled Seymour/Shepparton rail services will resume two days early on Monday.

[jamesadams7]

I think there's a little bit of confusion here between two separate services that operate on the same line - there's the NSW TrainLink Southern XPT, which runs from Sydney to Melbourne, using XPT train sets.

Then there's also the V/Line service from Melbourne to Albury, which runs with the N classes & N sets, in the same way as the trains to Bairnsdale, Swan Hill etc do (just on a different track gauge).

I think there's the confusion. As far as I know, travellers are also able to use the XPT to travel to Albury rather than the V/Line Intercity, so V/Line and and CountryLink XPT services operate in tandem.

[notch]

You can book via CountryNSWTrainsLinkNet or whatever it's being called this week to go from Melbourne to Benalla, Wangaratta, Wodonga or Albury (it's more expensive IIRC, they don't have the massive pork-barrel subsidies V/Line have)

As an aside, I don't know if this still applies, but at one stage there were a few XP power cars and a few newer sleepers built at Bombardier Dandewrong in the early 1990s and owned by the then PTC and its subsequent acronyms; they may still be owned by us Mexicans.

[pakenhamtrain]

Metro are reporting all Hustbridge/South Morang trains are running direct to/From Flinders St due to a report of tresspassers in the tunnel between Parliament and Jolimont.

[Mitch]

As far as I'm aware, you can book a ticket on the XPT through V/line. Don't know how much cheaper it is.

But BroadGauge is correct, V/line also operate an independent Melbourne to Albury service. Last time I caught it they were replacing the midday services with coaches. I'm not sure they're still doing that.

Thanks,
Mitchul [;

[BroadGauge]

Since about 10:30am this morning there has been no trains on the Bendigo line, or on the Sunbury line beyond Watergardens, due to a signal fault. Must be quite serious to be taking that long to fix.

Sita were providing suburban rail buses with at least one unliveried charter operator helping out.

[maxy54]

With several tram routes finishing up,with the July 27 changes, the final services on Routes 24, 31 & 95 occurred yesterday

A2 300 ran the final Route 24 from Docklands-North Balwyn (PM Peak)
A2 283 ran the final AM Peak Route 24
A2 267 ran the final PM Peak hour service from North Balwyn-City
A1 252 ran the last Route 31 service

Sadly, I missed the last Route 95 service

[mattylovesB1.2001]

Tram depot changes, due to the new timetable:
East Preston-Glenhuntly: 239, 240, 242, 244, 245
East Preston-Southbank: 234, 236, 238
Kew-Southbank: 261, 262, 274, 282, 284, 286, 288, 291, 294, 297, 298, 299
Withdrawn from Glenhuntly: 870, 884, 896, 960, 1005
Glenhuntly-Southbank: 881, 907 (The ones in the best condition)

[mattylovesB1.2001]

D2.5010 is running the first low-floor route 12 service

[jamesadams7]

D2.5010 is running the first low-floor route 12 service

I'm surprised! I thought the idea was that Route 11 was to get the higher capacity D and B class trams, while Route 12 got As. And that also means we'd be seeing the first Ds rumbling down Victoria St, Richmond.

[MAN 16.242]

D2.5010 is running the first low-floor route 12 service

I'm surprised! I thought the idea was that Route 11 was to get the higher capacity D and B class trams, while Route 12 got As. And that also means we'd be seeing the first Ds rumbling down Victoria St, Richmond.

On the weekends, Southbank has got some D2s spare, hence the use on route 12. Otherwise generally Route 12 will be all A class trams.
And as for Route 11, no D2s will be used on it, mostly B class trams, with some A class trams during peak periods.

[RailwayBus]

D2.5010 is running the first low-floor route 12 service

I'm surprised! I thought the idea was that Route 11 was to get the higher capacity D and B class trams, while Route 12 got As. And that also means we'd be seeing the first Ds rumbling down Victoria St, Richmond.

It all comes down to depot allocation and tram availability.

Southbank run the 12, with the 11 run by Preston. As Preston doesn't have D class trams, you won't see them on the 11, but you will see them on the 12 from time to time whenever there are spares at Southbank available, (until they are all moved to Brunswick).

[Leigh]

It could've been used for a changeover due to a defective A class, or maybe the driver wasn't qualified to drive the A class yet. It's bound to happen from time to time but generally only A class will be used on the route 12 due to the short terminus at Victoria Gardens (approx. 36m in length).

[mattylovesB1.2001]

It could've been used for a changeover due to a defective A class, or maybe the driver wasn't qualified to drive the A class yet. It's bound to happen from time to time but generally only A class will be used on the route 12 due to the short terminus at Victoria Gardens (approx. 36m in length).

I thought the use of As was because the D2s are needed for route 96

[712M]

On weekends not all high - capacity trams are required to run the 96. So it won't be unusual to see Des and maybe even an E out on route 12 on weekends

[mattylovesB1.2001]

On weekends not all high - capacity trams are required to run the 96. So it won't be unusual to see Des and maybe even an E out on route 12 on weekends

Not Es, at least not until there are enough for that. My idea would be to run all Es and C2s on 96, plus a few D2s to fill it up, then put remaining D2s on 12 whenever possible

[jamesadams7]

Not Es, at least not until there are enough for that. My idea would be to run all Es and C2s on 96, plus a few D2s to fill it up, then put remaining D2s on 12 whenever possible

On weekends at least. If there are surplus D2s during peak hour weekdays, they should be moved to Brunswick to run Route 19 services. Speaking of which, I wonder when they're going to start putting in accessible stops on Royal Parade, especially in front of the hospital.