Bus link from Springfield to Richlands train station

[ozbob]

From the Queensland Times 18th January 2012 page 10

New buses ease peak hour stress

[ozbob]

Advertisement Queensland Times 21 January 2012 page 10

[ozbob]

From the Queensland Times 25th February 2012 pagew 22

Springfield new route

[ozbob]

Plan to head out early Monday morning.  Richlands -> Springfield -> Richlands ...

[#Metro]

Wow, this is a win for RAILBOT!
They even did sexy bus wrap for the service!

I predict services will be full and they'll have to put more buses on - just my hunch!

[ozbob]

Plan to head out early Monday morning.  Richlands -> Springfield -> Richlands ...

This is the basic plan for Monday, 27th Feb.  Subject to change at short notice of course .. lol

Goodna rail 5.27am down

Darra rail 5.41am Richlands UP

Richlands Bus stop A 535 Bus 5.50am  ETA Orion Springfield Town Centre 6.25am.

Return  bus leave 6.44am (there is one earlier at 6.32am - chance for some photos)  ETA Richlands at 7.19am bus stop B.

[ozbob]

At Goodna rail, the pedestrian bridge across the ' car park ' is closed for further finishing works to at this time 5th March ....  shuttle bus  operating.  One of the 'best finished' bridges ever ... LOL ...  wet weather has interfered a bit.

[ozbob]

Yo, down train on time at Goodna...    Onboard trusty EMU28 ...

[ozbob]

Connection at Darra, Richlands fine. Onboard the first outbound 535.  Only pax, driver Sandy.  Nice bus.

Fast run down the highway.  Nice view of trains up side of Richlands turning back.

Go card  equipment down however, so a freebie ...

[ozbob]

Left Richlands 5.50am, arrived Orion Town Centre 6.14am.  Managed to get a few photographs of the bus with the special 535 on track wrap (there is only one).  About to board the 6.44am inbound 535.

Nice set up here at Orion.  Buses coming and going.

[ozbob]

Inbound 535, just left Orion.  Two pax, noted some pax waiting at stops on the outbound run earlier.

[ozbob]

+4 pax, in the residential area now.

[ozbob]

+ 1 pax

[ozbob]

+ 3 pax

In the depths of Springfield Lakes suburbia ..

[ozbob]

+1 pax

[ozbob]

+2 pax

[ozbob]

+ 3 pax, excellent for day one ...

[ozbob]

+1 pax, about to hit the highway ...

[ozbob]

Arrived Richlands 7.14am.  17 pax onboard, great start. This is going to be a big success!

Noted pax boarding outbound 535, students mainly.

Well done Westside!  Westside staff handing out timetables at Orion as well.

Back on rail, next stop Darra.  When  connections work, it is seamless ...

Just went over Ipswich 'car park' and a car park it is ... LOLOL

[somebody]

When  connections work, it is seamless ...

That's part of the trouble.  When they don't.

[ozbob]

Yes,  and poor counterpeak.  On arrival at Darra, 27 minute wait for the next UP Ippy ... to head back to Goodna.  If they want to decentralise this aspect must be addressed.

Still, interesting here waiting on platform one Darra and watching the peak procession ....  big pax loads inbound at Darra ...  Richlands rail was very busy too.

[ozbob]

Cool, down Bowen Hills platform one Darra .... 

[somebody]

Cool, down Bowen Hills platform one Darra .... 

Baffling why such an odd thing would be done.  Track arrangements at Richlands?

[ozbob]

Platform one IMU177, wifi equipped, 3 cars only, UP Richlands ...

[ozbob]

Cool, down Bowen Hills platform one Darra ....  

Baffling why such an odd thing would be done.  Track arrangements at Richlands?

Not sure, everything seem fine at Richlands.  Probably because they just can?  

[Jonas Jade]

Cool, down Bowen Hills platform one Darra ....  

Baffling why such an odd thing would be done.  Track arrangements at Richlands?

Not sure, everything seem fine at Richlands.  Probably because they just can?  

Yeah when I was there a month ago, they ran the up Richlands through platform two in PM peak....  :conf

[somebody]

Was it the 7:34 Darra Starter?  I guess having that from #1 means it doesn't block down trains from Richlands.

[ozbob]

Was it the 7:34 Darra Starter?  I guess having that from #1 means it doesn't block down trains from Richlands.

No that went from three ...  it was a Richlands starter as far as I could tell.

[ozbob]

A few photographs from earlier this morning ..





























Photographs R Dow 27th February 2012

[somebody]

Did the 7:41 Richlands train pass Darra #1?

[ozbob]

Did the 7:41 Richlands train pass Darra #1?

Yes, shortly after the down.

[ozbob]

Timings (actual) for the 535 this morning:

Outbound

5:50am Richlands departure, arrived at Orion Town Centre 6.14am (timetabled for 6.25am)

Inbound

6.44am Orion Town Centre departure, arrived at Richlands Rail 7.14am (timetabled for 7.19am)

[ozbob]

Media release 27 February 2012

SEQ: 535 Richlands Rocket - congratulations on a job well done!

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers has congratulated Westside Bus Company, TransLink and Queensland Government for the successful commencement of the 535 'Richlands Rocket' bus (1).

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"About a year ago, RAIL Back on Track began to receive feedback from Springfield residents about wanting to access the new Richlands station. Residents didn't want to wait until the rail project was finished, they wanted services to get them directly there and as soon as possible."

"Following consultation by TransLink, 99% of survey respondents supported the introduction of a direct 'Richlands Rocket' bus. This morning RAIL Back On Track was pleased to observe that the initial loads on the first 535 services were good indeed and the service is likely to become a big success due to its no-nonsense, direct and fast route which sticks to fast arterial roads (Centenary Motorway). A surprising observation is that counter-peak (outbound) services also appear to be used by students."

"RAIL Back On Track calls for routes 460 and 461 Inala/Forest Lake which compete with the Richlands line to be terminated at Indooroopilly Interchange. This would free up funding for other service improvements, such as more 535 bus services during the off peak as popularity of this bus service increases."

"It is a myth that we have to wait for big ticket, multi-billion dollar construction projects that take decades to deliver before we can get improvements to bus and train services. By using connecting bus services to existing busways and existing rail stations we can get services now, using existing infrastructure."

"Once again, congratulations on a job well done!"

Reference:

1. Bus link from Springfield to Richlands train station http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=5226.0

Contact:

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




535  bus at Richlands railway station, bus stop A.

Photograph R Dow 27th February 2012

[Gazza]

Admittedly I'm not one for bus wraps. They make it too hard to see out the window at night due to the effect the perforations have.

Otherwise, great start!

[ozbob]

Twitter

AnnastaciaPalaszczuk ‏ @AnnastaciaMP

Great to see a lot of people hopping off the 535 Springfield Bus service at Richlands Station this morning. /cc @Robert_Dow

[petey3801]

Sorry for dragging up an old thread, but figured it's better to keep all the 535 discussion in the one place!
Saw the 8:10ish arrival of the 535 this morning and counted 17 pax get off and head for the train, so it doesn't seem to be doing too bad, especially for that run which connects with a train that doesn't get to the City till almost 9am.

[ozbob]

Thanks for that observation Petey.  I understand loads have been overall good.

However, this route again demonstrated the intransigence of BCC.  Moves were made to roll out a 535 right from the commencement for rail services.  Westside did not have the resources at the time, attempts were made to get BT to do it, had the buses and drivers, but as is typical for BCC, wouldn't play.   It took a year or so until Westside could be resourced to do it.

Yet another reason why BCC needs to be removed from PT operation.

[techblitz]

Sorry for dragging up an old thread, but figured it's better to keep all the 535 discussion in the one place!
Saw the 8:10ish arrival of the 535 this morning and counted 17 pax get off and head for the train, so it doesn't seem to be doing too bad, especially for that run which connects with a train that doesn't get to the City till almost 9am.

positive sign indeed!
535 commuters definitely get a far better deal than the 522/526/530 rail commuters.
i know if I was commuting from orion town centre...the 535 would be my preferred choice for getting to the city.

another interesting option for morning peak springfield commuters is a 534 into a revised 118  which works out at marginally longer than the 535/richlands....this can take you direct to Margaret st precint.Good for uni students at QUT campus and saves the walk from central.
Can only be done on a couple of 534`s though as its an hourly service.

[ozbob]

Farewell to the 535 tour!



Depending on the start date for Springfield Rail planning to ride the 535 for a final time.

Tentative is Friday 6th December (date may change)

Basic plan:

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

Richlands station stop A - 535 bus departs 8.50am  (connects with the 8.13am Richlands ex Central)

Orion Springfield 9.25am.   

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

526 bus to Redbank Plaza 10.43am - 11.10am

500 bus to Bell St Ipswich 11.18am - 11.56am

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

Just in time for lunch at the pub, fancy that .. 

Any one interested, just turn up at Richlands.  Interesting bus runs for those not out west ...

[ozbob]

The 535 bus only operates on weekdays.   But hope some of you can make it.

Good day out!