Another instalment in my photos from ten years ago series – this time it is June 2013.
Regional Rail Link works
Quite the coincidence given the works currently underway in Melbourne’s west – June 2013 was a two week long shut down of the railway lines to Sunbury, Ballarat and Bendigo for work on the Regional Rail Link project.
Passengers being sent onto buses running via Dynon Road.
But interestingly trains were able to keep running on the parallel Werribee line.
Track gangs playing frogger with passing trains.
But the Sunbury, Ballarat and Bendigo lines were less lucky – their tracks were blocked by construction equipment.
At the new West Footscray station the first section of the overhead concourse was put in place.
While at Sunshine the new overhead concourse loomed over the decrepit timber station building that came before it.
Works were also well underway on the greenfield section of the rail corridor – the platforms at Tarneit station were taking shape in an empty paddock.
Road over rail bridges were in place over yet to be laid track.
And the first spans of the massive rail over rail flyover at Manor Junction had been craned into place.
On Myki
A decade ago Myki had taken over as the only ticketing system in Melbourne, but slow readers resulted in long queues to exit stations. The solution – adding additional Myki readers, in a process that took months.
Ding ding
South Melbourne used to be a swamp, so it’s no surprise the Port Junction tram stop at Whiteman and Clarendon Streets turns into a lake each time it rains.
The tram stop was also used as the departure point for the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant service, with passengers given an oversized tram shelter to hide from the Melbourne weather.
To ensure the tram restaurant didn’t delay normal services, in 2016 the tram stop was rebuilt with a third track, but it didn’t see much use –
Yarra Trams kicked the service off the tracks in October 2018, citing safety concerns.
On the buses
Williams Landing station opened in 2013, with the Point Cook bus network revamped to bring passengers to it.
While at Fishermans Bend passengers were less lucky – having to wait 15 minutes in morning peak for their bus to finally arrive.
And a flushing footnote
In June 2013 the City of Melbourne closed the underground public toilets located at Collins and Queen Street.
Capping the entrances with concrete.
Footnote
Here you can find the rest of my ‘photos from ten years ago‘ series.
Never understand why that public toilet was was closed. My late mother-in-law used to rate cities on the cleanliness and availability of public toilets and she rated Melbourne the worst place she’d ever been to. As you get older this sort of thing becomes important if you’re spending any time in the city.
The suburbs aren’t any better either unless there’s a sizeable shopping centre, and at many railway stations the toilets are locked.
Lift your game Melbourne.