Another instalment in my photos from ten years ago series – this time March 2006.
First off is this photo of Geelong station, taken from the open door of a V/Line train with manually operated ‘swing’ doors.
The last train of this type ran in March 2009, when a program to install power door locks was completed.
Also at Geelong I photographed a special V/Line train for the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
With V/Line short of rolling stock to run the extra services, they turned to freight operator Pacific National to supply diesel locomotives to haul the trains.
I like to joke that I never have a reason to head eat of Punt Road, but for some reason I had reason to head all the way out to Box Hill, where I photographed an abandoned V/Line parcels office atop the local railway station.
Parcel traffic dates back to the early days of railways in Victoria, and as late as the mid-1980s V/Line Express Parcels still advertised to the general public.
On the way out to Box Hill, I photographed a temporary viewing platform underway on Wellington Parade – intended as a display suite for another overpriced apartment block.
Called ‘One East Melbourne‘ the complex was completed in 2009.
Over at Spencer Street work on the new station was wrapping up – the office pods at the east end were bright and new.
And finally, I received word that the ‘4D’ train – Melbourne’s first and only double deck suburban train – was headed for the scrapyard, so I headed out to see capture the final journey.
The 4D train was ordered in 1991 to test the suitability of double deck trains in Melbourne, but was left an orphan following a decision not to buy any further double deck trains. After a troublesome service life it last ran with passengers in 2002, and was then placed into long term storage.
Footnote
In February my ‘photos from ten years ago‘ series finally caught up to the month that it related too – now I’ve managed to slip up and fall behind yet again. Hopefully I’ll get the April 2006 instalment out on time!
Marcus, I love what you do. I wanted to document he changes Around the west end of the city as Sth X was being built but alas did not have a decent camera. Punishing social change via social
Media is really something ..keep up the good
Work.
Cheers john
One of my previous ‘Photos from ten years ago’ instalments featured a photo from the La Trobe Street bridge showing how sparse the western CBD skyline once was – so many apartment blocks have been built in the years since.
Morning Marcus
What’s a month in 10 Years amongst friends?
Interesting how time has stood still in the railways!
They will be more photos of forgotten railway signage in future instalments. 🙂
How would the parcels have been transported to Box Hill as no vline service out that way? Did vline have a agreement in place with the suburban operator?
Until the late 1980s freight bound for Box Hill and other railway stations around Melbourne were transported onboard a fleet of ‘suburban parcels coaches’:
http://www.pjv101.net/cd/pages/c106m.htm
Until 1995 V/Line was one railway responsible for running both freight and passenger trains in Victoria – with privatisation they were split up then sold off.