In the beginning

For years Sydenham station was a wayside stop on the empty plains north-west of Melbourne enroute to Bendigo.

SLV photo H1077

But the suburbs of Melbourne eventually grew north to Sydenham, and so in 2000 the decision was made to extend suburban trains from St Albans five kilometres north to a new station called ‘Watergardens’.

Weston Langford photo

Which opened in 2002.

The new terminus was well provisioned for a terminus station – three platforms, with centre turnback for terminating trains.

Sidings at the down end for stabling trains to form peak services.

Three lifts – one of the street on both sides, and a third to the central island platform.

With stairs in parallel.

However the footbridge across the tracks is narrow compared to what stations have today.

And the lifts were undersized compared to current standards – of 12 person capacity rather than 18.

But the lifts don’t work

As Watergardens station aged, the lifts weren’t exactly the most reliable – from 2016:

A malfunctioning lift at Watergardens train station that reportedly breaks down nearly every second week, on average, is likely to be replaced.

Western Metropolitan MLC Bernie Finn told state parliament recently the Watergardens lift had broken down 43 times over the past two years, and sometimes took a week to fix.

“For people to have to wait for up to a week for a broken down lift to be fixed seems to me to be quite insane. That is just ridiculous,” he said. “It is a major concern, particularly for people with disabilities and for elderly people.”

Public Transport Victoria and Metro Trains have been forced to provide maxi taxis for special needs commuters, who could not access the train to get to doctors’ appointments.

Mr Finn has also called for a second ramp to be built to service both sides of the station.

“I find it just astonishing that we have a lift there that has broken down so often. There is only one ramp for people to use, and it is on the opposite side of the platform,” he said.

“I just do not understand how the PTV could allow such a situation to exist.”

A PTV spokesman said it would continue to provide “alternative transport arrangements” for passengers when lifts are out of order.

“PTV is committed to finding a permanent solution for passengers – which at this stage could involve replacing the lifts,” he said.

Lift failures rendering stations inaccessible being the reason why the trio of stairs, lifts and long zig-zagging ramps with a DDA compliant 1 in 14 gradient has became the standard at new and upgraded railway stations in Melbourne from 2013.

But in the case of Watergardens station it was too late for that, so the only option was to upgrade the control and power supply systems for the existing lifts to improve their reliability – requiring one outage from 1 to 5 May 2017, and a second from 18 September to 3 November 2017.

And spending the big money

But even upgraded lifts can still fail, so in 2016 PTV commissioned Jacobs Group to study possible options to bring Watergardens station up to current standards, and provide a redundant method of access if the existing single lift to a platform failed.

They looked at going under, over and through the tracks. As you might expect, building a new level crossing got knocked on the head pretty quickly, and going under option was less than salubrious, so also got knocked out.

This left three options to upgrade the existing overpass – duplicating the three existing lifts, providing a ramp beside each lift, or a hybrid option with a additional lift to the island platform and two ramps to the street entrances.

Fitting in the new ramps on the street site was easy.

Artist’s impression, Jacobs 2016

But the island platform was more constrained, with a DDA compliant ramp taking up much the space at the Melbourne end.

Artist’s impression, Jacobs 2016

The Jacobs report also looked at the costs of the three options:

3.2 Constructability and Whole of Life Costings
An estimate of the turn out and life cycle cost for the 3 options – out to 30 years – is attached as Appendix D.
In precis, the full lifts option is the cheapest in the short term, the full ramps the most expensive:
Option 1 – All Lifts $5,276,700.00 – immediate Capital Construction Cost.
Option 2 – 2 ramps + 1 lift $5,595,000.00 – immediate Capital Construction Cost.
Option 3 – All ramps $6,568,200.00 – immediate Capital Construction Cost.

When factoring in the costs to service and maintain each option for 30 years (non-discounted cashflow) the costs become:

Option 1 – All Lifts $9,868,230.00 – adding $4,591,530.00 (non-discounted $s) in costs over 30 yrs.
Option 2 – 2 ramps + 1 lift $7,661,793.00 – adding $2,066,793.00 (non-discounted $s) in costs over 30 yrs.
Option 3 – All ramps $7,632,994.00 – adding $1,064,794.00 (non-discounted $s) in costs over 30 yrs.

For the first 10 years Option 1 has the lowest WOL cost.
Between year 10 to year 29 Option 2 has the lowest WOL cost.
After 30 years Option 3 has the lowest WOL cost.

Surprisingly the lift option was cheaper to build initially, through obviously the ramps became cheaper once ongoing maintenance costs were included.

Decision time

The 2018-19 State Budget committed $8.9 million to upgrade Watergardens station, with community consultation taking place in July 2018.

But there was a problem – the preferred option was installing additional lifts, but the PTV Network Technical Standards at the time required lift, stairs and a ramp for a vertical change of 5.6 metres – and so a waiver was required to provided a second lift, as well as to infringe on the minimum platform width where the new lift would land on the island platform.

However a waiver was granted, and work started on the project in early 2021.

The new lifts being located in plain grey towers, beside the existing brick ones.

An additional lift added at the end of the western entry.

And to the eastern entry.

While the additional lift to the island platform was snuck in beneath the existing concourse.

The stairs to the platform rebuilt.

To pass around the new lift shaft.

Which looks like it was always there.

PTV having this to say about the upgrade.

We have opened three new lifts at Watergardens Station to help people move around the station precinct and catch the train more easily.

This is part of the Public Transport Accessibility Improvements Program, which sees several metropolitan train stations upgraded to comply with current access guidelines for people with disabilities.

The new lifts feature:

• more space to increase lift capacity and allow for social distancing
• improved lighting
• a back up power supply, making them more reliable and avoiding breakdowns
• improved security with new CCTV coverage and windows
• more open design than the existing lifts with partially transparent lift walls.

Other completed works at Watergardens Station:

• We have increased the number of wheelchair accessible parking spaces in the Sydenham Road car park from five to nine.
• A back up power generator has been constructed to help power the lifts and station in the event of a blackout.
• Six extra CCTV cameras have been installed to cover blind spots around the stairs.
• Toilet refurbishments have been completed on the central platform and concourse to improve passenger amenities.
• New tactile ground surface indicators have been installed on all three platforms to improve accessibility.

A lot of work for a railway station only 20 years old!

Footnote: ramps vs lifts

Back in 2016 the Level Crossing Removal Authority also had to fight to avoid building massive ramps as part of the Mernda rail extension, but since then it seems to be a non-event – most new stations built since then feature dual redundant lifts to each platform, rather than ramp and a lift.

Footnote: platform extensions

The 2016 Options Report by Jacobs touched on the need for platform extensions at Watergardens station for the upcoming fleet of High Capacity Metro Trains, and flagged at changes at the city end would be the logical option.

1.5 Provision for other works – Future 10-car HCMT

Possible options should consider other works that may occur at or around the station in the future. The most important of these – in fact, the only one known to Jacobs – is the platform extensions for the new 10-car High capacity Metro trains (HCMT).

Currently the 3 platforms are 160 m long. The island platform is approximately.8.9 m wide at the down end; tapering on the Platform 3 side to c.7 m at the up end. All platforms will require an extension of 70m to bring them 230 m and, depending upon where this extension occurs, Platform 3 may need straightening.

Informal advice from PTV indicates that it is likely that it would be simpler and less costly to extend the platforms toward the city.

Jacobs’ own study of aerial photographs indicates that the gates to the stabling yards down from the station are c. 200 m from the NW end of the platform and that there are at least 7 sets of points in this area. The corridor to the SE is significantly less congested with 5 sets of points within c.250 m of the station after which it appears to be completely unencumbered until it reaches the next station at Keilor Plains.

For these reasons it seems most likely that the platform extensions would occur to the SE (up end); widening Platform 3 to remove the existing taper to provide an island of consistent width for its full length. Although the platform extension has no immediate bearing on the provision of secondary (or contingency) means of access to and from the station, as the widening would create additional space on the platform that would ease a pinch point in one of the options (see below), an up end extension to the platforms has been presumed in the development of the options..

And then look at what happened in 2022 – the entire lead into the yard at the down end of Watergardens was rebuilt.

Platform 1 extended by 15 for a 7-car HCMT.

And platform 2 and 3 extended by an even shorter 12 metres.

They also completed a major track slew at the down end of the yard at Watergardens, taking the sidings from 329 metres (two 6-car trains) long to 560 metres (three 7-car trains) long.

Footnote: the gory technical details

First – the options study by Jacobs.

Watergardens Accessibility Study
Options Study
December 2016

Watergardens station was designed and constructed between c. 2000 – 2002. The station was officially opened in January 2002.

The design provided for a single lift and stair access only to and from the island platform and the adjacent streets on either side of the station. However, the lifts have proved to be unreliable and, for those unable to use the stairs, access and egress to and from or across the station from either side has been made difficult.

With this in mind, PTV commissioned Jacobs to carry out an Options Study to draw out such options as might exist to provide a secondary means of access from one side of the station to the other and to the station’s central island platform for those unable to use a flight of stairs

The station contains 3 platforms – Platform 1 to the NE on the shopping centre side of the line and platforms 2 and 3 forming an island platform. Access to Platform 1 is made by one of two sets of stairs – one of 12, the other 13 risers – or one of two ramps – rising from the kerbside footpath. From the level of Platform 1 access is provided to the concourse level (c. 5600 mm above Platform level) by means of a lift or stair of 33 risers (two flights – of 17 and 16 risers).

From the SW side of the line, access to the station is made at concourse level. This is some 7000 mm above the pavement level, with access provided by means of lift or stairs. This stair consists of two flights – of 20 and 21 risers – 41 risers in all.

From the concourse access is provided to the island platform by lift and stair of two flights.

Looking at going under, over and through the tracks.

2. Options
Based upon the limitations noted above, there are three basic approaches – to cross the rail line / gain access to the platforms:
– At grade
– Under the permanent way
– Over the permanent way

As you might expect, building a new level crossing got knocked on the head pretty quickly.

2.1 Options – At-grade

Whilst recognising that both pedestrian and vehicular at-grade crossings both are, as a matter of PTV guidelines, no longer considered suitable, for completeness the possibility of at-grade options has been considered.

An at-grade point of egress has been provided at the down (NE) end of the island platform. This was previously used to provide emergency egress for the mobility impaired from the platform to the kerb-side on Sydenham Road, but the practice has since been discontinued. Presently, in the event of a lift failure, mobility impaired patrons are re-entrained and taken to the nearest accessible station from whence they are returned to Watergardens by taxi.

The ramp is still used by the Train drivers to access the stabling yard down line from the station.

In discussion with PTV and MTM at an initial Stakeholder consultation, it was agreed, for the above reasons and more, that an at-grade option is not feasible and was not pursued as a viable design option.

The going under option was less than salubrious, so also got knocked out.

2.2 Options – Under the permanent way

One underpass option was considered.

This is based upon using ramps of a maximum length of 6000 mm at an inclination of not more than 1:14 (one metre rise over 14 metres of length). Landings of not less than 1200 mm length are provided between each section of ramp. Larger landings are provided at changes in direction.

The scheme provides a straight ramp (of 10 x 6000 mm sections) descending from ground level adjacent the existing lift and stairs on the SW side of the station to a horizontal underpass lying c. 5600 mm below the level of the platform.

This ramp runs through the area currently used as a retention basis for storm water runoff from the adjacent carpark.

From the bottom end of this ramp, the underpass runs under Sydenham Road and the up end of the platform to emerge on the NE side of the lines with a switchback ramp (of 8 x 6000 mm sections) in an open area between the Telstra communication tower and existing station ramps. This delivers users c.60 m to the south of the existing station entry. The underpass is c. 50 m long.

A third ramp (of 13 x 6000 mm sections) runs from the mid-point of the underpass to deliver patrons to the far SE (up) end of the island platform.

The overall length of ramps and underpass is c. 190 m. There is a further c. 95 m of ramp from the underpass to the island platform.

In discussion with PTV and MTM at the initial Stakeholder consultation, it was agreed by all that due to the excessive ramp length required, particularly for the elderly and people with a disability, site drainage issues, issues surrounding potential local contaminated soil and the potential public safety risks associated with a long, unsupervised tunnel that this option was unfeasible and not to be pursued further.

Leaving options to upgrade the existing overpass.

2.3 Options – Over the permanent way

Three approaches suggest themselves to provide access over the permanent way:
• An all lift option – duplicating the three existing lifts
• An all ramp option and
• Hybrids of the above – the main version involving two external ramps with a lift to access the island platform

2.3.2 Three Additional Lifts

Duplicating the existing lifts is the most obvious approach to providing redundancy / contingency access to and across the station. There is some flexibility with the placement of these lifts but in each case, one position generally seems to recommend itself over the alternatives.

At the station entrances, new lifts can be located adjacent each of the existing entrance lifts. Subject to the final geometry of the lifts to be used, there appears to be sufficient space at both ends of the existing concourse to land a second lift.

Access to the island platform is more constrained. There does not appear to be anywhere adjacent the existing lift or on the existing concourse where a new lift could be placed without significant and deleterious effect upon the existing flow and function of the concourse.

The only suitable place is on the platform – on the up side from the stairs. To accommodate this, the existing concourse – complete with its glazed screen is to be extended. The concourse would extend to fill in the spaces on either side of the existing stairs and thence extend as a “U” to the new lift.

The new lift placement would require the relocation of the existing platform canopy and its associated furniture.

2.3.3 Additional Ramps and Central Platform Lift

After an all Lifts option, the next option is to replace lifts with ramps where these might be done easily i.e. outside the limits of the station but to keep a lift to the island platform.

The option is based upon providing two 1 in 14, 1.8m wide ramps – one on either side of the station – linking these into the existing stairs. This was a part of the original design – allowing the stairs and ramps to sit side by side – sharing the same landings at ground / platform and concourse levels.

As in the all Lift Option, the lift option requires an extension of the concourse and reconfiguration of the canopies.

On the NE (shopping centre) side, the ramp consists of 13 x 6 m sections for an over-all rise of c.5600 mm from platform level to the concourse. The rise from the street to the platform is provided by existing ramps. On the SW side, the ramp rises c. 7 m – 17 x 6 m sections – and is over 125 m in length.

2.3.4 Additional Three Ramps

The third option is that of 3 ramps consisting of a ramp at either station entrance (as per Option 2) and a third ramp on the island platform.

To install the required ramp on this platform at least one switch back is required. (The platform is not quite long enough to accommodate a single length ramp – being short by perhaps 3 m plus ramp run-off.) The difficulty that emerges is to maintain a 1.8m clear width between handrails on the ramp (and a zone on either side for screening on it) and maintain clearances at platform level to the coping.

In the layout as proposed, as the platform tapers a pinch point is reached where the width to the coping must be reduced to c. 3.1m. This “pinch” decreases as the ramp drops to platform level – opening out to c. 3.6 m at platform level.

The report also covered the suitability of lifts in general.

The current 12 person public lifts are smaller than is required by the current standard and are subject to vandalism.

Lift reliability is currently a problem because they operate publicly for 24 hours and are the only method of DDA entrance to and egress from the platform.

The additional lifts proposed in Option 1 & 2 will be larger 18 person lifts (3.5 x 3.5m footprint) and compliant with current design standards.

Discussion took place during the initial stakeholder meeting about whether new lifts should be introduced considering the maintenance issues associated with the existing 24 hour public use. The example of Coolaroo Station was given as a successful case where the introduction of duel public lifts works successfully. In addition, it was suggested that the majority of vandalism occurred within working hours as opposed to at night.

The current lift renewal programme was also discussed. It was noted that it could be 18 months before the existing lifts will be replaced and that some action will be required to improve reliability in the interim.

It was also noted that during the replacement of the existing lifts a means of temporary alternative access and egress will need to be provided. No solution to this was suggested, but Jacobs notes that it may be preferable to defer the upgrade of the existing lifts until after the installation of the alternative means of access considered in this study.

During the stakeholder meeting it was noted that by introducing ramps; the lifts may be turned off after hours, reducing maintenance and safety concerns, noting also that ramps are easier to install and of low maintenance comparatively to lifts. Ramps are likely to be less expensive over the long term however this is sensitive to maintenance costs.

Discussions took place around what would happen if no ramp upgrades occurred and lifts were closed at night. It was decided that removing an amenity that was previously provided would cause complaints and is not a suitable option.

Turning Lifts off after hours was generally accepted as an option that could be explored further.

And the costs of the three options:

3.2 Constructability and Whole of Life Costings
An estimate of the turn out and life cycle cost for the 3 options – out to 30 years – is attached as Appendix D.
In precis, the full lifts option is the cheapest in the short term, the full ramps the most expensive:
Option 1 – All Lifts $5,276,700.00 – immediate Capital Construction Cost.
Option 2 – 2 ramps + 1 lift $5,595,000.00 – immediate Capital Construction Cost.
Option 3 – All ramps $6,568,200.00 – immediate Capital Construction Cost.

When factoring in the costs to service and maintain each option for 30 years (non-discounted cashflow) the costs become:

Option 1 – All Lifts $9,868,230.00 – adding $4,591,530.00 (non-discounted $s) in costs over 30 yrs.
Option 2 – 2 ramps + 1 lift $7,661,793.00 – adding $2,066,793.00 (non-discounted $s) in costs over 30 yrs.
Option 3 – All ramps $7,632,994.00 – adding $1,064,794.00 (non-discounted $s) in costs over 30 yrs.

For the first 10 years Option 1 has the lowest WOL cost.
Between year 10 to year 29 Option 2 has the lowest WOL cost.
After 30 years Option 3 has the lowest WOL cost.

Next – the PTV Network Technical Standard Waiver.

PTV-NTS-002-W004 – Watergardens Dual Lift to Island Platform

Currently the central island platform (Platforms 2 and 3), Watergardens Station has DDA-compliant vertical transport with lifts and stairs, but the lifts have no operational redundancy. In the case of a lift failing, passengers with a DDA-accessible requirement would need to travel to the next accessible station and be provided with a taxi to return to Watergardens.

Up until 2017, lifts at Watergardens have not been reliable with many people having to travel to other stations to maintain access. In 2017 lifts at Watergardens were upgraded to increase their reliability lack of redundancy remained an issue.

Recently the State budget provided $8.9 million funding to provide for 3 lifts and increased concourse area at Watergardens Station. Design options for Watergardens were canvassed in a report by Jacobs on behalf of PTV: Watergardens Accessibility Study – Options Study – 02 December 2016.

Compared with the current arrangements, accessing the island platform (Platforms 2 and 3) requires a vertical change of about 5.6 metres above the platform. Normally this would trigger the need for a lift, stairs and a ramp (as opposed to two lifts).

However, providing a switchback ramp here with appropriate concourse modification, has been assessed as being a higher risk than providing a second lift with concourse modification. Providing a continuous grade (non-switchback) ramp would require platform extension, which would trigger expensive track work and will not be considered.

A Waiver is required to be provided to allow two lifts to be used in lieu of a lift, stairs and a ramp. Compliance with minimum platform width standard (MTM Structure and Facilities Standard (MCST 020 100-01)) cannot be achieved with either ramp or lift solutions. Ramp non-compliance would occur over a much longer length of the platform than a lift. This clearance will be subject to a Safety In Design Review once design has been completed. The lift non-compliance will need to be assessed further during detailed design and a potential subsequent MTM standards waver, separate to this application will need to follow process.

And the project requirements document.

Client Requirements Document
Watergardens Station Accessibility Upgrade
December 2018

As a part of the Public Transport Accessibility Improvements Program, several stations within the Metropolitan train network have been stated to receive upgrades in order to achieve compliance with current access guidelines for people with disabilities. Watergardens Station is identified as being in critical need of accessibility improvements. The reasons for this are summarised below:

• The current station has been prone to frequent lift failures causing reduced access to Patrons/Passengers and increased travel times. This has been attributed to unreliable lifts, lack of backup power systems and vandalism.
• With the concourse between the car park and shopping centre serving as a 24×7, primary access path for station patrons and general public alike, reliability issues with the lifts and vandalism lead to accessibility issues.
• The current issue is exacerbated as the lifts in the station are not complaint with DSAPT standards which raises major concerns with regards to safely accessing and moving casualties from the station.

There are some unpleasant customer experience complaints (from Jan 2017 to Oct 2018) against Watergardens Station regards to the DSAPT non-compliance station amenities. These complaints were lodged through MTM customer feedback system.

The main complaint topic is expressing the unpleasant reliability of the existing station lifts and inconvenience to enter and exit platforms when the lift/lifts are out of service. The other streams, one is about no level access or poor direct assistance for mobility impediment passenger boarding, and the other one is about inefficient/misleading notification to passenger with impediment.

If the concourse is inaccessible, the closest access path to cross the tracks is located about 750 meters on the Down side of the station and the other access is located about 1.5km from the station on the Up side of the station. There is no backup power supply for the existing three lifts.

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But first, some background

The first High Capacity Metro Train carried passengers back on 27 December 2020, which I covered at the time. But in the case of the Sunbury line, testing of the new trains commenced in September 2020, initially by night, then by day between normal services.

Work on the Sunbury Line Upgrade project also ramped up at this time, the most visible change being platform extensions for the longer trains.

But the overhead wires also needed to be upgraded to handle the additional power drawn.

As well as the traction power substations.

And 2023 the civil works had been done, with the finishing touch being the installation of these yellow beacons between the rails – used to tell the Correct Side Door Enable (CSDE) and Selective Door Operation (SDO) systems fitted to the HCMT fleet which side the platform is on, and how many doors to open.

However this infrastructure was only fitted at Sunbury line stations from the Metro Tunnel portal at South Kensington – nothing in the City Loop, or at North Melbourne station.

A first taste

High Capacity Metro Trains also became a regular sight on the Sunbury line in early 2023, but not carrying passengers – instead headed empty cars to the stabling yard at Calder Park, because the delivery of new trains had outgrown the space available at the Pakenham East train depot.

And then in October 2023 something new happened – a pair of Sunbury line services started being advertised as ‘Pakenham’ services, on what were previously services that ran direct to Flinders Street each morning.

North Melbourne platform 3 gained a ‘HCMT Car Stop’ sign at the city end.

And a yellow selective door operation beacon was fitted between the rails on the approach.

The reason was something I didn’t think would actually happen – the operation of HCMTs on the Sunbury line before the opening of the Metro Tunnel.

And the big day

On the morning of 30 October 2023 I woke up before the sun, and caught a train out to Sunbury.

Where I found HCMT set 37 waiting in the sidings at Sunbury.

And 7:04 ‘Pakenham’ service listed on the upcoming departures.

In between the more usual City Loop, Bendigo and Echuca destinations.

After the Bendigo train had cleared the platform, at 6:58 the High Capacity Metro Train shunted out of the sidings.

Where a small group of railfans was in attendance to capture the moment.

And it was on.

‘Sunbury’ displayed on the screens onboard.

And upcoming stations listed.

Signal cleared, and time to go.

At some stations the screens just said ‘Pakenham: Not stopping at S Kensington’

But others listed every station on the way to Pakenham – at least until they ran out of screen space.

At South Kensington there wasn’t a chance of being misdirected into the Metro Tunnel, as the tracks are still blocked.

So we just went past instead.

At North Melbourne platform 3 the train stopped right where it was supposed to.

But rather than continue through to Pakenham, I headed back to Sunshine to capture the second public HCMT service of the morning.

Passengers seeming to have no trouble with the new trains.

Footnote: the timetable

The current timetable has two Sunbury line services being operated by High Capacity Metro Trains – the 0704 and 0814 from Sunbury towards the city.

Note are no matching HCMT runs in the opposite direction – they return empty to Calder Park after morning peak.

Footnote: platform extensions

The ‘HCMT car stop’ on platform 3 is now the home of two type-specific train stopping mark signs.

The other being a ‘Metro trains stop here’ sign before the end of platform 5.

This sign was added 15 years ago following the platform extension at the south end for 7-car VLocity trains running on the Geelong line.

So that 6-car suburban trains would still stop near the station exits.

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A land before COVID

Remember peak hour crowds at CBD railway stations? I wrote about it a decade ago, and ended up in The Age.

In the years since much faster ticket readers by Vix have been deployed at busy stations, but for the past 18 months they’ve been barely used – COVID has cratered patronage.

How about the days when the AFL Grand Final was held in Melbourne? Back in 2011 Collingwood and Geelong were playing, with V/Line running extra trains from Geelong to transports Cats fans to the big game.

V/Line retired their fleet of P class locomotives in 2017, selling them to freight operator Southern Shorthaul Railroad in 2019, and thanks to COVID both the 2020 and 2021 AFL Grand Finals were held interstate.

October also used to be when the Royal Melbourne Show was held, with trains to Showgrounds station to transporting the crowds.

The show has been cancelled for two consecutive years thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the site turned over to a COVID-19 testing site and vaccination hub.

Changes on the railways

Ginifer used to be a station located at ground level.

Flowers placed beside the pedestrian crossing, following yet another person being struck and killed by a train.

And I found more flowers beside a second pedestrian crossing closer to St Albans.

After years of lobbying by local residents, in 2015 level crossings grade separated and new stations were built at Ginifer and St Albans, but there was one omission – the pedestrian crossing between them was left behind.

And finally down in the shadows of Docklands, I found freight wagons being shunted ready for another trip down the Frankston line.

The entire freight yard was relocated in 2015 to make way for the E-Gate urban renewal project, but the land has since been co-opted by the West Gate ‘Tunnel’ Project, to be covered by a tangle of freeway ramps.

Build it up

At 199 William Street the long abandoned skyscraper was seeing some activity.

Redeveloped as ‘The William‘ the lower floors are the Wyndham Hotel Melbourne, with apartments above.

Out at Melbourne Airport, work was well underway on a new air traffic control tower.

The 75 metre tall tower was built at a cost of $19 million, and took over from the 1970s facility next door in 2014.

Outside of Geelong, work on the $78 million final stage of the Geelong Ring Road was almost complete, with a 4.6 kilometre extension from Anglesea Road at Waurn Ponds to Pettavel Road.

It opened to motorists in 2013, and was followed in 2016 by the $164 million Princes Highway West duplication 25 kilometres from Waurn Ponds to Winchelsea.

A nice change from endless road projects was a brand new rail freight terminal at Spotswood.

Operated by Sadleirs Logistics, the terminal sees freight trains daily.

Changes were afoot on the railway towards Sunbury – electrification works were underway

The $270 million project extended suburban train services from Watergardens to Diggers Rest and Sunbury stations, allowing the retirement of the dedicated V/Line services to Sunbury from November 2012.

And the first extension of the suburban rail network in decades – 3.5 kilometres from Epping to South Morang.

When I visited the civil works were mostly complete, with ballast being dropped along the freshly laid track.

The extended line opened to passengers in April 2012, and cleared the way for a further extension of the railway – 8 kilometres north to Mernda, completed in August 2018.

And tear it down

Between Lonsdale and Little Bourke Street in the CBD there was a massive hole.

That was once occupied by Myer Melbourne.

The site was being cleared for the Emporium Melbourne shopping centre, completed in 2014, and which sits behind the facades of the former Myer store.

Over at the former RAAF Williams airfield in Laverton, I found a runway that wasn’t in very good shape.

Last used in 1998, the site is now the suburb of Williams Landing.

On Buckley Street in Footscray I found a row of abandoned houses, with windows boarded up.

Compulsorily acquired for the Regional Rail Link project, the remaining sliver of land is now occupied by townhouses.

While beside the West Gate Freeway another abandoned building was being demolished – the former West Gate Bridge toll plaza.

Made redundant in 1985 following removal of tolls on the bridge, VicRoads retained the site as a conference centre before selling it to a developer in 2010. The site is now the Expressway Business Park.

Things that are gone

Remember yellow ‘Bumblebee’ trams?

By 2014 the bee themed decals were looking rather tatty, so the trams were repainted into the standard Public Transport Victoria livery.

How about the mX newspaper?

Handed out free to homeward bound commuters at CBD railway stations, readership declined thanks to the rise of smartphones, with the final edition published on 12 June 2015.

And the food court at Southern Cross?

It was located on the mezzanine floor at the Collins Street end, and overlooked the country platforms.

The food court closed in November 2011 to make way for a redevelopment of the food and retail outlets at the station, with a Woolworths Metro supermarket now occupying the site.

And things that are the same

Marketing stalls blocking the main entrance to Melbourne Central Station? Still there!

Waiting 20 minutes for a train on the Craigieburn line after 6pm? Still there!

‘Smartbuses’ stuck in traffic in the Melbourne CBD? Still there!

And something foreboding?

Outside Melbourne Central Station I found a line of people dressed in Tyvek coveralls.

But they weren’t testing patients at a COVID exposure site – but handing out marketing junk for the 2011 film ‘Contagion’.

Footnote

Here you can find the rest of my ‘photos from ten years ago‘ series.

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Digging deeper

First stop – the 2019/20 State Budget papers:

New trains for Sunbury

The Sunbury line will be transformed as part of the largest rail corridor upgrade in Victoria’s history. A range of platform, stabling and traction power upgrades will be undertaken on the Sunbury line to support the end-to-end operation of High Capacity Metro Trains on the Sunbury to Cranbourne-Pakenham rail corridor.

This investment complements other recent investments by the State on this corridor including the Metro Tunnel project, the removal of several level crossings, and power, signalling and other infrastructure upgrades on the Cranbourne-Pakenham line.

The Metro Tunnel page on “upgrades to the rail network” has a map showing the scope of the work.

As well as explaining the upgrades themselves.

High Capacity Signalling

As part of the Metro Tunnel Project, High Capacity Signalling (HCS) will be installed from Watergardens to Dandenong.

High Capacity Signalling will enable Victoria’s new fleet of High Capacity Metro Trains to run on the Cranbourne, Pakenham and Sunbury lines and through the Metro Tunnel.

Sophisticated HCS equipment will be installed in both the rail corridor and within the driver’s cabin of each train, allowing trains to safely run closer together.

Track side communication equipment will also be installed along the length of the corridor.

Dedicated control centres will be built in Dandenong and Sunshine to support the new technology and will be fully staffed by experts who will monitor trains on the new Metro Tunnel line.

Train stabling

Stabling facilities are used to maintain and store trains when they are not in service. The existing Calder Park stabling facility is proposed to be expanded to store and maintain the new High Capacity Metro Trains. Changes may also be required to existing train stabling at Watergardens and Sunbury to accommodate the new trains.

Platform modifications

New High Capacity Metro Trains are being delivered by the Victorian Government to meet the future needs of Melbourne. The new trains will have more carriages, carry more passengers and be longer than trains used today.

Some existing stations on the Sunbury, Cranbourne and Pakenham lines may require platform extensions and ancillary works to support the longer trains.

Works at West Footscray station, including an extra platform, will also be undertaken to enable some Sunbury-bound services to turn around at this station.

This will enable trains to terminate and commence from West Footscray station which in turn, will create more services towards the city on this line.

Power upgrades

Electricity upgrades are proposed to power the new trains and systems that are part of the Metro Tunnel. This may include upgrading a number of existing substations and potentially building new power facilities along the rail corridor.

They also provide a basic map showing where the works are required.

But what will the upgrades like look like?

No need to wonder – identical works are underway on the other side of the city as part of the Cranbourne-Pakenham Line Upgrade (CPLU) project.

A new signal control centre has been built at Dandenong station.

With plenty of new electrical conduits installed along the tracks.

And signal equipment rooms.

New cables are being run.

Connecting to new line side signals.

New overhead stanchions have been installed along the corridor.

Supporting brand new overhead wires.

Additional copper traction power feeder cables have been added in parallel with the normal pair of catenary and contact wires, to supply the power hungry High Capacity Metro Trains.

Along with new traction power substations, which convert the 22kV AC mains power to the 1500V DC used by trains.

And finally – platform extensions.

Some are short and basic.

Others include ramps and shelters for wheelchair passengers.

But the extension at the down end of Springvale platform 1 takes the cake – it’s only 1.5 metres long!

The rebuilt Springvale station opened in 2014 – did someone miss the “new platforms must be 160 metres long” memo?

So what about the cost?

The 2019/20 State Budget papers break downs the funding allocated to the Sunbury line upgrade, due to be delivered over the next four years.

$2.1 billion is a lot of money, so let’s compare it to some other recent contracts.

The Metro Tunnel has two separate works packages currently delivering similar work, at a cost of $1 billion each:

Rail Systems

The Rail Systems Alliance (RSA) will include the design, supply, installation, testing, integration and commissioning activities in relation to train and power control systems, operational control systems, conventional and high capacity signalling.

Rail Systems works will be undertaken by a consortium comprising CPB Contractors and Bombardier Transportation.

Rail Infrastructure

The Rail Infrastructure Alliance (RIA) will include works at the eastern and western tunnel entrances (portals) including cut and cover tunnelling, decline structures and the reconfiguration and realignment of existing lines to connect the new Metro Tunnel rail tracks to the existing surface network.

RIA will also deliver a new platform at West Footscray and associated suburban rail upgrades that will maximise the benefits of the Metro Tunnel.

A consortium comprising John Holland, CPB Contractors and AECOM will deliver these works, in partnership with Rail Projects Victoria and Metro Trains Melbourne.

We also know how much the Cranbourne-Pakenham Line Upgrade is due to cost, thanks to the 2018/19 Victorian Budget:

The new Sunbury to Cranbourne-Pakenham corridor will be transformed as part of the largest rail corridor upgrade in Victoria’s history.

The project includes a range of signalling, power and infrastructure upgrades along and Cranbourne-Pakenham corridor, as well as initial readiness works and further design and development work on the Sunbury line. These upgrades will increase capacity, improve system resilience and accommodate the new High Capacity Metro Trains on the Sunbury to Cranbourne-Pakenham corridor.

It also includes planning and development activities for a future Cranbourne line duplication and associated works at the Dandenong and Caulfield rail junctions.

The funds for the Cranbourne-Pakenham part of the upgrades is as follows:

Hmm – $539 million? That’s a quarter of the Sunbury line works bill!

More buried figures

Turns out the Cranbourne-Pakenham Line Upgrade isn’t the only project currently underway to get the corridor ready for the new High Capacity Metro Trains – the Level Crossing Removal Authority is also responsible for delivering upgrades, as part of the “CD9” Caulfield to Dandenong (CTD) Level Crossing Removal Project.

The April 2018 media release for the Cranbourne-Pakenham Line Upgrade touched on this:

The Victorian Budget 2018/19 will provide $572 million to deliver further upgrades to Melbourne’s busiest rail corridor – delivering power upgrades, and modern signalling from the city to Cranbourne and Pakenham.

The existing project to remove the level crossings between Caulfield and Dandenong has included the delivery of upgraded power, new track, longer platforms and modernised signalling.

This new project will expand these upgrades along the entire corridor to ensure new, high-capacity trains can reliably run all the way from Cranbourne and Pakenham to Sunbury – linked through the CBD by the Metro Tunnel.

While the Level Crossing Removal Project business case dated May 2017 spelled out the interdependencies between the projects.

The LXRP plays a critical role in enabling the full benefits of major rail projects such as the Cranbourne Pakenham Line Upgrade (CPLU) and the Metro Tunnel to be achieved. This business case also includes a combined appraisal of these three critically interdependent transport projects.

Many of the level crossing removals are critical components of the Victorian Government’s program of major rail network upgrades. In particular, the removal of nine level crossings on the Caulfield-Dandenong corridor and three level crossings on the Sunbury corridor, allow for the rail service increases planned under both the Cranbourne Pakenham Line Upgrade (CPLU) and the Metro Tunnel.

But it is the Auditor General who gets to the bottom of the money trail, in the December 2017 “Managing the Level Crossing Removal Program” report, where three areas of scope creep are raised.

Poor network integrity

Poor network integrity has already contributed to cost increases for some rail projects, such as those along the Cranbourne Pakenham rail corridor that include the HCMT, CTD and the MTP.

In March 2017, PTV predicted that the long lead times of projects in the CPLU program would necessitate parallel development and delivery to meet key delivery dates. However, detailed consideration of the appropriate network requirements, and their subsequent application to the projects currently in delivery, highlighted some scope gaps and interface management issues that need to be resolved.

Futureproofing

The business case was set up on the assumption of like-for-like replacement of existing infrastructure, but this was not realistic. For example, as the program progresses, works at level crossing removal sites along the Frankston and Cranbourne/Pakenham lines—such as required traction power upgrades and High Capacity Metropolitan Train (HCMT) requirements—are being identified. These requirements were known at the time of the business case development.

The business case provides for the construction of futureproofing works for 13 of the 16 crossings identified as requiring such works. These works include:
– increasing station platform length
– widening the rail corridor
– building wider road bridges.

LXRA will make provisions for the remaining three crossings — for example, by setting aside the required land — but will not construct the works as part of the current program.

Power upgrades

MTM and PTV have an agreed electrical network standard requiring a minimum 1 300 volts under normal conditions and 1 150 volts for first-order traction power failure conditions. The standard allows for changes to the service plan including the integration of HCMT rolling stock and proposed service level changes. The majority of the traction power network does not comply with the new standard.

The LXRP business case is based on maintaining existing network capacity. LXRP provides for the removal and replacement of overhead systems and associated infrastructure only where the removal requires new track. New substations for future traction power requirements were specifically excluded from the business case cost estimates, as the LXRP is not a network upgrade project.

And gives a dollar figure for two of the three areas:

An indicative cost estimate for addressing poor network integrity issues was $381.3 million — $158.6 million for additional work required in 2017–18 and a provision to cover associated risks of $222.7 million. The business case estimates the cost of futureproofing works at all 16 sites to be $148 million.

Giving a total of $529 million.

The final sums

So it looks like the “$539 million” for the Cranbourne-Pakenham Line Upgrade got a lot of work done for free by the Level Crossing Removal Authority! Track, signalling, stations and overhead built from scratch thanks to the level crossing removals between Caulfield and Dandenong, and longer platforms, upgraded overhead and additional substations thrown in after the fact – and all completed at the same time to avoid additional spending on rail replacement buses.

However there is 35km of track between South Kensington to Sunbury – far less than the 11km of track between Flinders Street and Caulfield, 14 km between Dandenong and Cranbourne, and 27km between Dandenong and Pakenham to be done under the “$539 million” budget on the eastern side of Melbourne. Perhaps there is more cost shifting onto other projects going on?

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A wholesale rewrite of the suburban timetable was supposed to happen at the same time, but was delayed to later in the year – instead we got this:

The Werribee line will get an additional service in the morning peak and an additional service in the afternoon peak.

Meanwhile on the Sunbury line, the removal of V/Line trains from the tracks has actually resulted in trains running early: a common sight in morning peak is Sunshine-Footscray express services arriving at Footscray station two minutes ahead of schedule.

A few months on, the Sunbury line has received a minor timetable change – two existing services have been extended to Sunbury:

Member for Sunbury Josh Bull announced today that two new Watergardens services will be extended to Sunbury, with an extra service on the morning and afternoon peaks.

Mr Bull said that he had been fighting hard for more Sunbury metropolitan services to boost capacity, in light of recent changes to V/Line’s regional train policy.

In the morning peak, an extended service will depart Sunbury at 7.36am and Diggers Rest at 7.40am, before forming the 7.47am service at Watergardens, stopping all stations to Flinders Street via the City Loop.

In the afternoon peak, the 5.04pm Watergardens service from Flinders Street will be extended, stopping Diggers Rest at 5.50pm and arriving Sunbury at 5.56pm.

The new timetable will take effect on Monday, 10 August 2015.

At present the Sunbury line sees a 20 minute service every second service in peak times to Middle Footscray, West Footscray and Tottenham stations, a 20 minute off-peak service as far as Watergardens, and a 40 minute off-peak service to Sunbury.

I can’t see one extended peak service in each direction making much of a difference!

Footnote

I’ve been told that this service extension was made possible by a change to where trains are stabled overnight.

At Sunshine a new traction power substation was been built in the railway station – presumably it has been put in place to power the new train services that are expected to run along the Sunbury line in a few months time.

Substations aren’t sexy, but at least seeing new ones built shows that the essentials have not been forgotten.

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