Melbourne visit Sept 2013

[ozbob]

Heading down to Melbourne later this week for a few days, mainly family reasons, however will try to squeeze in a few trips here and there.

Go card for airtrain.

Sky bus tickets organised - web http://www.skybus.com.au/  $28 return

Myki topped up.  Might have to get a new one as well as my current myki expires end of this year.

Have a catch up meeting with V/Line staff Thursday afternoon, particularly interested in RRL and how this will improve V/Line services etc.  Might try to get to Geelong on V/Line on Friday using the myki for something different.

Might try to attend the TRAINS NOT TOLLROADS FRIDAY MORNING PEACEFUL PROTEST - 20 Sept http://trainsnottollroads.com.au/news-media-events/

Heading down to Gippsland on V/Line Saturday. 

There is an interesting closure at Springvale station associated with LX works outbound on metro  http://www.metrotrains.com.au/service/

Works at Springvale have been extended by one week and will now run to Sunday 29 September.
   
Monday 9 – Sunday 29 September*    To City: Services will run to the normal timetable.From City:Trains from the city will not stop at Springvale. Services will run direct from Westall to Sandown Park.From City to Springvale: Disembark the train at Sandown Park. Board the shuttle service operating every 7 minutes between Sandown Park and Springvale.

From Springvale to Pakenham and Cranbourne: Board your service at Westall or Sandown Park.

NB: A shuttle service between Springvale and Sandown Park will operate every 7 minutes.
*Saturday 21 September, after 9:00pm:    Services on Saturday 21 will operate as above, however, after 9:00pm additional upgrade works taking place between Westall to Dandenong mean that buses will replace all trains between these stations. This will affect both services to and from the city.

So Thursday should be a 3'6", 5'3" and a 4' 8-1/2" triple gauge sort of day ..   

[STB]

I seriously miss Melbourne, with the trams especially, and the nightlife and arts culture within the inner city especially.  Once I've got a secured income, I'll be making it one of my more frequent places to visit.

[ozbob]

Melbourne has a largely connected PT network STB!     A fare structure that encourages and supports the network.

Plus, I like having a few steamed dim sims while waiting for a train on a bleak windswept platform ...   

[ozbob]

Off!  Inbound on SMU226 ex Goodna 4.57am.  Impressed, loo opened before departure.

Nice walk down to the station  no 524 this time of day! 

[ozbob]

TRAINS NOT TOLLROADS FRIDAY MORNING PEACEFUL PROTEST - 20 Sept http://trainsnottollroads.com.au/news-media-events/

Sorted, get the train out of Murrumbeena, change at Parliament for South Morang, walk up from Victoria Park.

Could also get a 109 tram too from town.  Hope to see a few concerned citizens there!

[ozbob]

IMU175 5.54am BNE Airtrain ex Roma St ....  clockwork so far ...  loo operational as well ...

Probably around 80 + pax ...

[STB]

Wow, for that time of morning, that's pretty good.  Cleveland line passengers can't even make that train.

Think I might look at booking my Melbourne trip next month.

[frereOP]

Heading down to Melbourne later this week for a few days, mainly family reasons, however will try to squeeze in a few trips here and there.

Go card for airtrain.

Sky bus tickets organised - web http://www.skybus.com.au/  $28 return

Myki topped up.  Might have to get a new one as well as my current myki expires end of this year.

Have a catch up meeting with V/Line staff Thursday afternoon, particularly interested in RRL and how this will improve V/Line services etc.  Might try to get to Geelong on V/Line on Friday using the myki for something different.

Might try to attend the TRAINS NOT TOLLROADS FRIDAY MORNING PEACEFUL PROTEST - 20 Sept http://trainsnottollroads.com.au/news-media-events/

Heading down to Gippsland on V/Line Saturday. 

There is an interesting closure at Springvale station associated with LX works outbound on metro  http://www.metrotrains.com.au/service/

Works at Springvale have been extended by one week and will now run to Sunday 29 September.
   
Monday 9 – Sunday 29 September*    To City: Services will run to the normal timetable.From City:Trains from the city will not stop at Springvale. Services will run direct from Westall to Sandown Park.From City to Springvale: Disembark the train at Sandown Park. Board the shuttle service operating every 7 minutes between Sandown Park and Springvale.

From Springvale to Pakenham and Cranbourne: Board your service at Westall or Sandown Park.

NB: A shuttle service between Springvale and Sandown Park will operate every 7 minutes.
*Saturday 21 September, after 9:00pm:    Services on Saturday 21 will operate as above, however, after 9:00pm additional upgrade works taking place between Westall to Dandenong mean that buses will replace all trains between these stations. This will affect both services to and from the city.

So Thursday should be a 3'6", 5'3" and a 4' 8-1/2" triple gauge sort of day ..   

Vic Transport announced yesterday the Miki can now be used on V-Line services and will replace paper tickets from 23 September.

"V/Line customers can use myki to travel between Melbourne and major regional hubs (Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Seymour and Traralgon)."

[ozbob]

Might have been a few more than that STB, easily 80 at BNE domestic ..
 
Yes, Myki has been progressively rolled out on V/Line.  Plan to use it tomorrow on V/Line.

Nice breaky at the QANTAS lounge ... 

[ozbob]

Few random pics on the way to BNE this morning ..



















Photographs R Dow 19th Sep 2013

[ozbob]

On the 5'3"  yee haa!!



Photograph R Dow 19th September 2013

[ozbob]

Afew photographs from travels yesterday.  Some of the myki equipment is in a very sad state ...

































Photographs R Dow 19th September 2013

[STB]

Geez, the Myki equipment looks like it has been there for decades with that vandalism.

[Gazza]

And I remember remarking that the Myki equipment waa going to survive worse compared to the go card stuff, despite the flaws of it here 

[ozbob]

Interesting morning ..

Attended the ' trains not tolls ' protest this morning.  Good turn out and a lot of support from passing motorists and buses!  Presently inbound ex Hurstbridge.  Interesting line, over half is through bush areas.




























Hurstbridge



Photographs R Dow 20th September 2013

[ozbob]

Victoria Park station






Some interesting bridge protection Johnston St Abbotsford, near Victoria Park station

















Photographs R Dow 20th September 2013

[ozbob]

Off to Gippsland today on V/Line ...

[ozbob]

Presently waiting on platform 13 Southern Cross for the 10.25am Traralgon V/Liner ..

Plats 13 and 14 are being used for trains to and from the Melbourne show, good crowds already.

Went for a ride on the 96 St Kilda Beach and 109 Port Melbourne trams.  Both these use in part the former respective VR branches.  Is marvellous to see how successfull the conversion to light rail operation has been.  It is just so easy getting around Melbourne on the trams.  Depressing when I think of the mess we have in Brisbane ... however now the that Gold Coast Light Rail is getting closer maybe people might start to realise how they have been dudded by BCC et al ...







Photographs R Dow 21st September 2013

[ozbob]

Photographs R Dow 21st September 2013

[ozbob]

Inbound Ex Drouin,  Velocity 3 car



Photograph R Dow 21st September 2013

[ozbob]

Back to Brisbane today.  One thing that Brisbane beats Melbourne with is the time of commencement of services on a Sunday,  The first train to Southern Cross from Murrumbeena is 7.35am.  Rather late start - all lines similar.

Still, been good to get on the trams and trains down here.  Didn't have time for any bus trips this time.  Myki has worked fine although  a lot of the readers are wearing badly and a lot of gear is vandalised.  The PTV is going to have to address this eventually.

Bye Melbourne!

[ozbob]

Springvale level crossing removal project

--> http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/Home/RoadProjects/LevelCrossingRemovalProjects/Construction/SpringvaleRoadGradeSeparationSpringvale.htm

Major project this.  Series of photographs below was taken sequentially from a moving Velocity.

Drouin

Bus shelter at Drouin is remarkable.  Super tall structure ...











Photographs R Dow 21st September 2013

[ozbob]

Murrumbeena

Signage and myki readers.  The blue reader is just for checking history etc.  Can also check on the large blue ticket machines.



























Photographs R Dow 22nd September 2013

[ozbob]

Photograph R Dow 22nd September 2013

Back at BNE!  And of course watched the Airtrain depart as I went up the travelator ...

Only 27 minutes wait ..   

[ozbob]

^  Metro Melbourne would be one of a rare number of suburban rail networks that have better frequency on weekends (days) than weekdays ...

[ozbob]

Parliament station









^ spooky escalator ...

Photographs R Dow 20th September 2013

[ozbob]

Outbound on EMU09, changed from Airtrain at Eagle Junction ... touched off and back on again ... just checking the 'Eagle Rock' anomaly is still sorted [ used to come up with a weird fare for the second trip when doing this ] ... will know when I get to Goodna.

A 524 is timetabled for 3.24pm ... YES!  My lucky day -  train timetabled at Goodna 3.05pm ...

[ozbob]

Outbound on EMU09, changed from Airtrain at Eagle Junction ... touched off and back on again ... just checking the 'Eagle Rock' anomaly is still sorted [ used to come up with a weird fare for the second trip when doing this ] ... will know when I get to Goodna.

A 524 is timetabled for 3.24pm ... YES!  My lucky day -  train timetabled at Goodna 3.05pm ...

Correct fare charged on the go card.  524 bus was on time too!

22 Sep 2013*
01:29 PM    Dom Airport    02:10 PM    Eagle Junction    $ 16.00    
02:11 PM    Eagle Junction    03:04 PM    Goodna    $ 2.34    
03:25 PM    Goodna Station Stop A    03:35 PM    Curnow St Opp App Howard St    $ 0.28

* Seniors go card

[ozbob]

Twitter

Robert Dow ‏@Robert_Dow 9s

Souvenirs from @VLine ..even brought a Velocity home ... http://t.co/L430PTNXXU

[ozbob]

Twitter

Robert Dow ‏@Robert_Dow now

Solidarity with #trainsnottolls --> http://suejacksonnews.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/jaws-east-west-link.html#EastWestLink ... /#springst #qldpol #auspol // @suejackson_melb @yarra_campaign



Rail advocate, Robert Dow, of Brisbane's 'Back on Track'

[SurfRail]

I was also in Melbourne at the tail-end of last week and have the following observations:

- Myki gear was generally worn down and defaced.  Endemic issue.  The most obvious example is that the reader surface is completely worn down on most gates and readers so all that is left is the outline of the yellow hand holding the card.

- The equipment still takes very long to read a card.

- Track quality has markedly improved.  Travelling from Southern Cross to Upper Ferntree Gully and from Heidelberg to Southern Cross, even in the moving jumping castles that are the Xtrapolis sets, the ride was quite reasonable.  I have worse rides on the Gold Coast line these days.

- Trams are packed at any given time of the day on the 109 and 96.

- Took a trip on near the entire length of the 86 (from Collins/Spring St in the CBD up to the terminus at Bundoora and back to Bourke St Mall).  Constant stream of short journeys all the way up and down the route.  Only few travelling to the CBD north of say the Preston area.  Lots of people interchanging at suburban streets for Smartbus and other bus services and train services.

[ozbob]

I was also in Melbourne at the tail-end of last week and have the following observations:

- Myki gear was generally worn down and defaced.  Endemic issue.  The most obvious example is that the reader surface is completely worn down on most gates and readers so all that is left is the outline of the yellow hand holding the card.

- The equipment still takes very long to read a card.

- Track quality has markedly improved.  Travelling from Southern Cross to Upper Ferntree Gully and from Heidelberg to Southern Cross, even in the moving jumping castles that are the Xtrapolis sets, the ride was quite reasonable.  I have worse rides on the Gold Coast line these days.

- Trams are packed at any given time of the day on the 109 and 96.

- Took a trip on near the entire length of the 86 (from Collins/Spring St in the CBD up to the terminus at Bundoora and back to Bourke St Mall).  Constant stream of short journeys all the way up and down the route.  Only few travelling to the CBD north of say the Preston area.  Lots of people interchanging at suburban streets for Smartbus and other bus services and train services.

Enjoyed my journey out to Hurstbridge, interesting branch line.

Agree the myki gear is looking terrible.  Seems to be slow on start up.  Once going seems to be a bit quicker.

When I went on the 109 and 96 pax was only light really.  Was early Sat morning though ~9am.   

Yo, folks in Melbourne don't have any problem transferring hey? ... lol

[ozbob]

Few more pics from 109 and 96 tram trips ...



W class Restaurant Trams at SouthBank tram depot




On the former VR Port Melbourne branch line, ship in the distance ..




Former VR Port Melbourne Station [now a medical centre]




==============

96







Fitzroy Street St Kilda










Photographs R Dow 21st September 2013

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

24th September 2013

Some observations from Melbourne

Greetings,

Back from Melbourne, spent a few days visiting family and of course riding on a connected public transport network.  A network that encourages public transport as first choice, not last choice as is the case in south-east Queensland with the generally high cost anti-public transport fare structure, poor connections and mediocre frequency.

Visit is documented here -->  http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=10212.0

The myki (Melbourne's equivalent of our go card) is the only ticket.  Paper tickets removed early this year, and all is well.

The myki fares are designed to maximise public transport and the fare box.  Not the bizarre high cost then free fare structure in south-east Queensland that has been constantly documented as a major failure with sliding patronage and ever worsening affordability and fare box.

Myki fares --> http://ptv.vic.gov.au/tickets/metropolitan-myki-fares/

Melbourne is way in front of Brisbane in terms of liveability.  Their public transport network is a major factor in this.  Brisbane is an absolute backwater.

Will we finally see TransLink, TMR,  Minister Emerson and Assistant Minister Minnikin finally get out of their comfort zone and actually improve our public transport for the community?

Election due in 2015 is coming fast.  Is cynical politics finally going to mean some improvements?  Or will we see continuing failure?  Queenslanders will be watching and waiting with much interest no doubt.




Best wishes
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

[somebody]

So Thursday should be a 3'6", 5'3" and a 4' 8-1/2" triple gauge sort of day ..   

What was the 4'8.5" train?

[ozbob]

^ tram ...

[ozbob]

V/Line souvenirs

Cardboard VLocity and VLocity flash drive (2GB)

[cartoonbirdhaus]

Metro Melbourne would be one of a rare number of suburban rail networks that have better frequency on weekends (days) than weekdays ...

That's so they have the capacity to meet demand! It's safe to say the $3.50 flat fare on weekends is a factor. I shall get my 2×$3.50 value there in late November/early December. (Would've been earlier, but I have to housesit for someone who's away in Europe.) Won't get to see the deciduous trees bare or with Autumn colours, but you can't have everything.

Folks in Melbourne don't have any problem transferring hey? ... lol

They sure don't. No-one would board the inbound 16 near Barkers Rd to go all the way to the city; they'd simply change to a train at Glenferrie. On much of Burke Rd, it would be quicker to switch from the 72 to a train at Camberwell. There's a lot of connectivity in the South Melbourne/Albert Park/St Kilda area (hard to believe the notorious Lonie Report of 1980 recommended replacing rail/trams with buses through there!). Guess what the death toll from transferring is? A number somewhere between 1 and -1.

[ozbob]

Glad they kicked the Lonie report out of bounds on the full ...

96 tram route 40K pax a day ... lol

[cartoonbirdhaus]

Glad they kicked the Lonie report out of bounds on the full

Not quite, since one of its recommendations, ironically, was multimodal ticketing. Other than that, you're right. Can you imagine buses coping with the passenger numbers from Frankston, Dandenong and Ringwood on weekends?