Another instalment in my photos from ten years ago series – this time it is December 2010.
Coming home
We start this month in the air, as I flew home after a trip to Hong Kong.
Flying over the industrial areas of the western suburbs.
And I was lucky enough to spot a freight train waiting at McIntyre Loop.
Over the EJ Whitten Bridge spanning the Maribyrnong River.
My welcome to Melbourne – a sign warning passengers that Channel 7 is filming the TV show “Border Security“.
Trains about Victoria
I passed through Southern Cross Station where the Myki rollout to V/Line trains was ramping up, where signs informed passengers that ticket checking would now occur at the station – in addition to existing checks onboard trains.
And I gave my Octopus card from Hong Kong a try on a Myki reader, with little success.
Out in the western suburbs I captured The Overland headed into Melbourne.
And I made a trip north to the banks of the Murray River at Tocumwal.
Hot on the tail of a freight train.
Which was being loaded with containers for the return journey to the Port of Melbourne.
A level crossing tour
I paid a visit to the Kororoit Creek Road level crossing on the Werribee line.
Where work was well underway on the removal of the level crossing.
The first half of the road bridge was almost complete.
The level crossing being closed soon after, permitting the second carriageway to be built on the alignment.
I also headed down the line to Aircraft station.
And another level crossing – Aviation Road in Laverton.
It was replaced by a road overpass in 2019.
On the Sunbury line Anderson Road in Albion was still a level crossing.
It was removed in 2014 as part of Regional Rail Link.
And around the corner at Deer Park, V/Line trains crossed Mt Derrimut Road on the level.
The number of trains passing through Deer Park exploded following the completion of Regional Rail Link, but the level crossings were ignored, until the 2018 announcement that they would be included in an expanded Level Crossing Removal Project.
Regional Rail Link
At Southern Cross Station platform 15 and 16 were looking complete except for track.
Except for the northern end, which was still bare steel.
While outside Werribee, work had stared on the future junction of Regional Rail Link and the existing Geelong line tracks.
And a Happy New Year!
I saw out 2010 onboard a special train operated by the Seymour Railway Heritage Centre.
Arriving into Southern Cross just in time for the 9pm fireworks at Docklands.
Followed by far too many beers. 😛
Footnote
Here you can find the rest of my ‘photos from ten years ago‘ series.
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