Melbourne gets another 328 services each week.

[ozbob]

Howdy,

Noticed in the Melbourne Sun this morning an ad from Connex.

328 additional services each week on the network from November 9.

They have changed the timetable and made more efficient use of the Melbourne City Loop.

May be signs of things to come in Brisbane ...

Cheers
Bob

[ozbob]

Some photographs from a recent visit to Melbourne.

Southern Cross station (formerly Spencer Street station)





One of the underground city loop lines coming to surface at Southern Cross.



Platform Two left, dual gauge 5'3", 4'8.5"









Photographs R Dow October 2008

[stephenk]

The more efficient use of 2 of the 4 loops is due to the running direction being reversed for some services. This has reduced the number of conflicting movements on the approaches to the loops.

Quite why nothing had been done about these obvious operating flaws before seems rather odd.

[ozbob]

This is the advertisement mentioned in OP



http://www.connexmelbourne.com.au/index.php?id=54#newtimetable

New Operating Plan

Connex and the State Government have announced an ambitious three stage timetable and operating improvement program that makes for a better, harder working rail network to help manage growing patronage. The first stage introduced 105 new weekly services on Sunday, 27 April  focused on creating additional capacity for the evening peak, and the running of six carriage trains up until at least 7pm on most lines. It also included upgraded trains and a completely revamped timetable for the Stony Point line.

More than 1000 new weekly services have been added since Connex began operating in Melbourne in 1999. The second stage of the New Operating plan will commence in November when we start to untangle the metropolitan train network by changing the way train services use the city loop. Thirteen train lines run into four lines through the city loop, which creates congestion, slows trains and causes delays as trains cross paths. In November, all peak hour Werribee services will run direct to Flinders Street from November easing City Loop congestion and all trains on the Epping and Hurstbridge lines will travel one direction - clockwise - all day around the loop, instead of changing direction from morning to afternoon.

These improvements are due to investment, long term planning and preparation. They'll provide benefits for customers across the network and help us move forward. They also prepare us for the third stage of the plan where further timetable changes and improvements early next year will focus on enhancing frequency between the peaks and enabling the arrival of new trains from late 2009.