My son is only just over two years old, but he’s already an experienced trainspotter. Always ready for a few hours out lineside with Dad to see what trains are due next. I wonder how long until he’ll be asking for his own camera – so far he just scrolls through the photos on my […]
A few weeks ago the final station names for the Melbourne Metro project was announced – with ‘CBD North’ now ‘State Library’ and ‘CBD South’ now ‘Town Hall’. So how are these two new stations going to be tied into the existing rail network at Melbourne Central and Flinders Street Station? Flinders Street Station and […]
Another instalment in my photos from ten years ago series – this time it is December 2007. We start at Southern Cross Station looking at a very sparse main concourse. The only thing blocking the way was a single Christmas tree, dwarfed by the grand space – quite the contrast to today. Down at a […]
Last week I detailed the accident of history that saw ramps being favoured over stairs on Melbourne’s railway network, despite the absence of any requirement to provide easy access for people with disabilities. So how has the network developed since then, and why have a combination of lifts and ramps become the current standard? Entering […]
In your travels by train around Melbourne, you might have noticed something – the vast majority of stations are accessed via ramps, not stairs. This is reinforced by the current version of the Public Transport Victoria network map, which states – “Step free access at all stations except Heyington”. This sounds like quite a win for accessibility, and the result of years of hard and diligent work – but in reality it is just an accident of history based on the way that Melbourne’s rail network was built.
