Melbourne January 2017

[ozbob]

Will be spending a few days in Melbourne early January following on from visit to Perth WA

Booked on V/Line  10/1/2017

Melbourne, Southern Cross - Warrnambool Station

07:20 10:52

Warrnambool Station - Melbourne, Southern Cross

12:08 15:35

[ozbob]

Warrnambool railway line

> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warrnambool_railway_line

[ozbob]

Sky Bus sorted ..

>> https://www.skybus.com.au/

They now have pensioner fare too (not online), $16 cf. $19 for normal fare ..

Hope I score a double decker this time. 

[ozbob]

Will head down the Frankston line to see the finished stations and grade separations.  There will be lot of interesting things to see from Caulfield out on the Dandenong line.  Similarly north and east.  Will be a busy time!

[ozbob]

Lots to see > Rail projects being undertaken across Victoria

>> https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/projects/rail-projects/

[ozbob]

Will be spending a few days in Melbourne early January following on from visit to Perth WA

Booked on V/Line  10/1/2017

Melbourne, Southern Cross - Warrnambool Station

07:20 10:52

Warrnambool Station - Melbourne, Southern Cross

12:08 15:35

V/Line are very prompt with their tickets.  Arrived today by snail mail.

[ozbob]

Myki loaded with $$.  Set ..

Real shame cannot purchase a Smartrider on line ..

[ozbob]

#Murrumbeena Info Hub will be closed from 12 noon Thurs 22 Dec til Wed 4 Jan. If you have questions during this time pls call 1800 762 667 pic.twitter.com/L8rrwmRAup

— Level Crossings (@levelcrossings) December 19, 2016

[ozbob]

http://levelcrossings.vic.gov.au/disruptions

Cranbourne/Pakenham lines
6 JAN 2017 TO 9 JAN 2017

Category: rail

Buses will replace trains between Oakleigh and Dandenong from 8:15pm Friday 6 January until 4:00am Monday 9 January. Train services will resume from first service Monday 9 January.

A range of different buses will be operating, including express and stopping all station services. To help make your journey as direct as possible customers should allow an extra 45 minutes travel time.

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

I will travelling Southern Cross to Murrumbeena on the 7th.  Then plan to go Murrumbeena to Cardinia Road later in the day.  Looks like a bit of bus travel will be the order. Should be able to get express bus Oakleigh to Dandy .. 

[ozbob]

Arrived Melbourne no worries
Presently at Oakleigh station myself and several hundred pax waiting for 6.51am FSS
Caught the 4.59am service from Murrumbeena
Lots of passengers on that train all night services

[ozbob]

Murrumbeena - radically different now with early works for the elevated rail well advanced.



















Oakleigh - bus replacing rail Oakleigh <> Dandenong











^ note well placed ad wrap on this carriage, windows clear!

Photographs R Dow  7th and 8th January 2017

[ozbob]

Bentleigh









^ train spotting area - glass with a nice seat!















Photographs R Dow 9th January 2016

[ozbob]

Level Crossing Office Murrumbeena



















Photographs R Dow 9th January 2017

[ozbob]

Defective train Caulfield
Slowly being moved clear pic.twitter.com/ChYxwXjM41

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) January 9, 2017

[ozbob]

Amazing the work going on in Melbourne for Level Crossing removal.

Brilliant results with Bentleigh McKinnon and Ormond.  Bit like a roller coaster when the train goes down and up the trenches.

The Sky Rail project is mind numbing in terms of its scope and method.

[ozbob]

Will be spending a few days in Melbourne early January following on from visit to Perth WA

Booked on V/Line  10/1/2017

Melbourne, Southern Cross - Warrnambool Station

07:20 10:52

Warrnambool Station - Melbourne, Southern Cross

12:08 15:35

V/Line are very prompt with their tickets.  Arrived today by snail mail.

Early start for today.  First inbound train to SC is 5.02am ex Murrumbeena.

[ozbob]

At Southern Cross station







The Overland



N472 loco for Warnambool today





A nice surprise - A66 came in on an ex Bacchus Marsh service





Photographs R Dow 10th January 2017

[ozbob]

Went for short trip on the 96 ..





Photographs R Dow 10th January 2017

[ozbob]

Warnambool  - arrival about 30 minutes late due to speed restrictions LX











Photographs R Dow 10th January 2017

[ozbob]

Colac









Photographs R Dow 10th January 2017

Bit different from 1959



Photograph P G Dow 1959

[ozbob]

Departed Warrnambool on time 12.08pm however there are some issues with power for carriages..  Might have to change to Vlocity at Geelong if not resolved. Some repairs done at Terang...  Still rolling along 

[ozbob]

At Camperdown pax in last 3 cars now being requested to move to first 2 cars
Bit tight
No power to last 3 cars front 2 cars have power
Exciting hey 

[ozbob]

Vline resting train crew have given up their seats in Car A -well done
I will give up mine for a seat in the loco (just putting it out there  )
Pax now being offered an express coach to SC from Colac
Pax still in powerless cars are not permitted through tunnel Geelong

[ozbob]

Pax debating whether to stay on train or go for the coach
I AM STAYING 
Problem with coach is traffic delay Westgate
now arriving Colac 27 minutes adrift
I think they might terminate this service at Geelong > pax move to Vlocity
Time will tell 

[ozbob]

Uh oh
Lights have failed car A
We all might get the shunt at Marshall

[ozbob]

Uh oh
Lights have failed car A
We all might get the shunt at Marshall

Back on 

[ozbob]

Power is repeatedly failing front two cars now
Comes back on for a while
So it does seem we might have to detrain although emergency lighting still operating car A that might be OK for tunnel

[ozbob]

Winchelsea - 32 minutes adrift

[ozbob]

Waurn Ponds 32 minutes adrift
Going on 

[ozbob]

Marshall 34 minutes adrift

[ozbob]

South Geelong 35 minutes adrift
No lights
Into the tunnel we go!

[ozbob]

South Geelong 35 minutes adrift
No lights
Into the tunnel we go!

Lights on just as tunnel entered!

[ozbob]

Geelong 42 minutes late on departure
Hopefully will be a good run into Melbourne from here providing no slot issues into SC

[ozbob]

^ Arrived back on SC platform 2B around 45 minutes adrift. 

Interesting day despite the problems.

VLine is being limited by rolling stock availability.  Rapid urban sprawl is spilling over to VLine areas (see below Tarneit).

Expansion of the outer suburban rail network is also needed besides the new Melbourne City rail tunnel and LX removals.

Tarneit
More than a few passengers 🤔 pic.twitter.com/BsoqmGpkic

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) January 9, 2017

[ozbob]

At Melbourne Airport
Our @skybusmelbourne this morning pic.twitter.com/GYLve0OVYo

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) January 11, 2017

[ozbob]

^^

Fast-growing suburbs need public transport available as people move in - not a decade later.🚉 https://t.co/zqjc9oH2NS

— PTUA (@ptua) January 11, 2017

[ozbob]

I managed to score a DD bus to and from Melbourne Airport this trip. 

It does seem that Sky Bus has a few more double decker buses now ...

On-board @skybusmelbourne dd 101 pic.twitter.com/SUgPex3CfL

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) January 11, 2017

[SurfRail]

^ 12 in the fleet with more coming.