The first coincidence

The story starts in 1977, when the Victorian Railways called tenders for 100 new air-conditioned trains for the Melbourne suburban network. Comeng Dandenong won the $108.5 million contract in 1979 with a stainless steel train with GEC traction equipment.

The first train of what are known as the ‘Comeng trains‘ was handed over in September 1981.

Weston Langford photo

A follow-on order for 90 additional trains followed in 1982, the last of which entered service in June 1989, with around half of the fleet still in service today.

Meanwhile over in South Australia, in 1983 tenders were called for 20 suburban diesel railcars for Adelaide. Both Comeng Granville and Comeng Dandenong submitted bids for various combinations of single and double-deck trains with diesel-electric and diesel-hydraulic transmissions.

In 1985 it was announced that the Comeng Dandenong design was the winner, marrying a Victorian Railways derived stainless steel bodyshell with a Stromberg diesel-electric traction package. The body shells were assembled at Dandenong and then transported by rail to Dry Creek in Adelaide for final fitout.

The first of the ‘3000/3100 class‘ railcars entered service in November 1987.

Image via Wikipedia

An additional 50 railcars being completed by Clyde Engineering between 1992 and 1996, with the fleet still being in service today.

And lighting strikes twice

In 2001 the Victorian Government called tenders for 29 2-car diesel railcars for V/Line. The $206.8 million contract was awarded to Bombardier Transportation, who had taken over the Comeng Dandenong plant through a series of corporate takeovers. The train was designed at their Brisbane offices, and was intended to follow on from their previous XPlorer train designed for NSW, but used a new bodyshell mated with a cab designed by the team behind the Transperth B-series electric multiple unit.

Dubbed ‘VLocity‘, the first train entered service in 2005.

And in the decades since, over 100 trains to the same design have joined the V/Line fleet thanks to dozens of follow-on orders.

And in 2011, the South Australia approved the electrification of the Adelaide suburban network, and needed some new electric trains to run on it. Bombardier con the contract, based on their bid combining the VLocity railcar bodyshell with the underfloor design of the Transperth B-series electric multiple unit.

Classified as the ‘4000 class‘, the first train entered service in February 2014.

Like the previous Adelaide order the Dandenong plant was involved in the contract, but this time they were responsible for completion of the entire train, which was then transported carriage-by-carriage by road for the thanks 700 kilometre section of standard gauge between the broad gauge rail networks of Adelaide and Melbourne.

An interior related footnote

As delivered the Comeng trains in Melbourne had 2-by-3 seating with tartan cushions on white fibreglass bases.

John Dunn photo

A design also applied to the Adelaide version.

In the 2000s the Melbourne trains were refurbished, with the seats replaced with a more spartan design with less padding.

An idea also copied by Adelaide.

But Victoria’s VLocity trains designed for country services received 2-by-2 high back seats with comfortable padding.

A seating layout that the Adelaide 4000 class trains also received, but with a more suburban style seat.

Sources

The book series “Comeng: A History of Commonwealth Engineering” by John Dunn covers the history of all four classes of train mention in this piece, across Volume 4 (1977-1985) and Volume 5 (1985-1990 plus ABB, Adtranz and Bombardier to 2012).

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Some background

Adelaide Airport is located approximately 6 kilometres from the Adelaide CBD.

With the suburbs of Brooklyn Park and West Richmond under the approach path to the main runway.

Approach lighting directs aircraft towards runway 23.

Airservices Australia – YPAD Aerodrome Chart

But the airport land ends just a short distance away from the runway threshold.

So the approaching lighting continues beyond the airport fence.

On the hunt for approaching lighting

The first set of approach lights are found at the corner of Morley and Trennery Street, on a piece of land fenced off from the public but outside the airport perimeter fence.

Turn 180 degrees, and you’ll find a another gantry holding approach lights, this time just sitting beside the nature strip.

Heading along Trennery Street, you’ll find a set of lights wedged between two houses.

A few doors down is an short fence on an empty block of land, and a set of runway lights at the rear.

Around the block on Ralph Street, there is a set of lights in a backyard.

And another on the block next door, which no longer has a house on it.

Next door the runway light is in the front yard.

Down the street is another gantry just chilling on the nature strip.

And few houses along I found the last set of runway lights – on a double block of land with a short fence preventing public access.

All lit up at night, they look like this.

Photo by Airport Electrical

So who owns the land?

The Adelaide Airport master plan details current and future aircraft approach lighting situation.

Aircraft approach lighting is operated and maintained by Adelaide Airport Limited (AAL). The approach lighting is located at the ends of the Adelaide Airport runways, extending into residential areas at West Richmond for Runway 23 where such lighting is generally held under easement or by ownership of specific allotments.

The long-term continuity of this lighting in the vicinity of the current sites is aligned with aviation services at Adelaide Airport. It is possible that such lighting will be replaced with more efficient systems within the next 20 years.

AAL has purchased freehold land outside of the airport site to ensure the long-term protection of the runway approach lighting corridor. Additional land will be secured as it becomes available. The freehold land is not subject to the airport lease arrangements or Airports Act regulatory framework.

The parcels of freehold land are indicated on the master plan map.

And include:

• the three parcels I’ve already identified on Trennery Street and Ralph Street,
• one parcel on Lyons Street which is empty,
• and a parcel on Britton Street which adjoins the airport.

The most recent acquisition appears to be 17 Ralph Street – older Google Street View imagery shows the runway lights in a backyard, not an empty block. The property was sold in June 2017 for $325,000.

Another hut

In between houses on Press Road in Brooklyn Park I found another aviation related building – an Airservices Australia equipment hut.

Located around 1000 metres from the end of Adelaide Airport runway 23, I suspect it houses the instrument landing system (ILS) ‘Middle Marker’ beacon transmitter.

More lights on Marion Road

Over on Reddit someone mentioned that the high voltage power lines along Marion Road also have aircraft warning lights atop them.

A total of 10 power poles have them – stretching from Brooklyn Avenue in the north to Knight Street in the south – seen here with a Qantas 737 flying overhead.

And another lucky Google Street View catch

Back in September 2019 the Google Street View car was driving down Lyons Street in Brooklyn park where it captured something interesting in the sky.

A plane on final approach

A Jetstar A320 to be precise.

Coming in over the the houses.

And in to Adelaide Airport.

A technical footnote

The Airservices Australia Aerodrome Chart lists the following approach lighting at Adelaide Airport.

Runway 05: HIRL MIRL
Runway 23: HIRL MIRL HIAL – CAT 1 HSL
Runway 12: MIRL
Runway 30: MIRL

Notes:
– HIAL non-standard 4 bar system
– HIAL CAT 1 aligned with ILS GP

Translated into something resembling English.

HIRL: High Intensity Runway Lights
MIRL: Medium Intensity Runway Lights
HIAL: High Intensity Approach Lighting System
HSL: Hold Short Lights

And ILS GP:

Instrument Landing System Glide Path

Sources

• Adelaide Airport charts, Airservices Australia
• Adelaide Airport master plan

Further reading

• Adelaide Airport: a brief overview of its history by the West Torrens Historical Society
• Planespotting in Adelaide at Weekend Notes
• Adelaide Airport at spottersguide.net

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Photo by Weston Langford

Some background

The One Nation package was launched by then-Prime Minister Paul Keating in a policy statement delivered on 26 February 1992.

After seven years of growth, Australians are now experiencing hard times. Nearly a million people are out of work. Families are worried about the future.

This Statement explains what the Keating Government will do to bring back jobs and prosperity.

It describes what the Government will do right now to create jobs – and also what the Government will be doing over the next four years to create more and better jobs, while building a stronger economy.

It shows how the Government will quickly get things moving again by boosting private spending and boosting big public investment projects.

It included a package of direct stimulus payments, and reform to the tax system, industrial relations, and competition policy.

We will give spending an immediate shot in the arm by making a special one-off payment to families with children. We will increase spending to help the unemployed back into jobs and offer special help to farmers hit by poor seasons and poor prices.

At the same time as we give immediate help, we will lay down the framework for a stronger and more prosperous society. The reforms to the business tax system will encourage firms to invest in new machines, new equipment and new factories to house them.

Changes in the aviation and electricity industries will increase competition and lower costs. The encouragement we will give to workplace bargaining will continue the revolution in our industrial relations, which has already seen a new spirit of cooperation unimaginable a decade ago.

And the reason I first noticed the package – upgrades to freight rail.

So what rail upgrades were included?

Attachment C of the policy statement lists the projects that made up the One Nation package.

Investment in a National Rail Network
The Government proposes to provide up to $454m to secure an upgraded standard gauge rail network to provide reliable services from Brisbane to Perth, including efficient connections to ports. Individual projects include:

• Sydney-Melbourne ($181m)
Construction of passing loops, replacement of wooden bridges, resleepering and the construction of a dedicated freight line from Campbelltown to the Enfield terminal in Sydney

• Sydney-Brisbane ($82m)
Construction of passing loops, replacement of bridges, resleepering and track upgrading

• Melbourne Rail Terminal ($20m)
Assistance to the NRC to increase the capacity of the South Dynon terminal and improve the efficiency of container handling

• Melbourne Port Interface ($5m)
Provision of a direct road link between Swanson and Appleton Docks and the South Dynon Rail Terminal

• Melbourne – Adelaide Gauge Standardisation ($115m)
Conversion of the broad gauge mainline to standard gauge to complete a direct Brisbane-Sydney-Melbourne -Adelaide-Perth standard gauge link

• Outer-Harbour improvements in Adelaide ($8m)
Construction of a rail loop at Outer Harbour to allow block trains to be used at an upgraded intermodal facility at the port

• Fremantle-Kalgoorlie-Adelaide ($13m)
Intermodal upgrading, track improvements and extension of passing loops

• Port of Brisbane ($30m)
Extension of the standard gauge rail link to Fisherman Island from Acacia Ridge

Urban rail.

Building Better Cities (BBC)

The BBC Program will be refocussed, through negotiation with States and Territories, to enhance its infrastructure component. Projects to be funded under the Program include infrastructure provisions for the Multi-Function Polls in SA, extension of the Brisbane-Gold Coast railway from Beenleigh to Robina, upgrading of the Geelong-Werribee-Melbourne rail link and construction of railway stations and expanded modal interchange facilities on the Pakenham and Cranbourne lines in Victoria.

Development of airport terminals.

Provision of Domestic Airport Common User Terminal Facilities

The Commonwealth will support the development of common user facilities at Sydney and Melbourne Airports by the Federal Airports Corporation (FAC) and will negotiate with the FAC to ensure their early completion. The assistance required by the FAC from the Government will be subject to commercial negotiation and cannot be specified. The Government will also liaise with the FAC regarding the need for subsequent development of such facilities at Adelaide, Perth and Coolangatta Airports.

And some road projects I didn’t realise were part of the same stimulus package.

Increase in Black Spots Road Funding

The Black Spots Program is directed towards road sites where inadequacies in the existing facilities have led to poor crash records. The Government has decided to provide an additional $25m in 1991-92 and $45m in 1992-93 for this program, bringing to $180m the amount to be spent on the program over the three years since 1990-91.

More than 800 additional projects will be undertaken. All projects will have high benefit-cost ratios, have short lead times, and will generate considerable employment opportunities spread widely across urban as well as rural and remote regions.

National Roads Upgrading and Maintenance

The short-term $255m funding boost will be used to address the major deficiencies in the network. Expenditure will be directed to maintenance and upgrading of the National Highway and other high priority construction projects such as the Kakadu Highway, upgrading the Princes Freeway West and the duplication of Portarlington Road, both in Victoria.

Accelerated Funding for Selected National Arterial Projects

• Victoria – Western Ring Road ($75m)
Work on the Ring Road is divided into four stages – the first stage, linking the Hume Highway and the Tullamarine Freeway, will be completed later this year. Stage 2, which upgrades the link between the Calder Highway and the Western Highway will be accelerated so that it is completed by the end of 1993-94. By that time it is expected that the major structures (eg: interchanges) associated with Stage 3 (linking the Princes Freeway to the Western Highway) would be completed, with traffic flowing on the entire ring route via upgraded roads in the remaining stages

• Port of Brisbane Link ($40m)
This route provides a 41km link from the existing National Highway at Ipswich to the port at Fisherman Island. Upgrading this route as a major transport link to the port will take over ten years. The additional funds provided by the Government will, however, accelerate the high priority projects such as grade separated interchanges.

• Liverpool-Hornsby Ring Road (Sydney) ($25m)
This route provides a direct link between the Hume Highway at Liverpool and the Sydney-Newcastle Freeway. The additional Government funding for this project will enable the completion of the section covered by Pennant Hills Road, upgrading it to six lanes and improving the existing arterial routes. These measures will assist in relieving the traffic pressure on these roads.

So what was actually delivered

The gauge standardisation of the Melbourne – Adelaide railway was the big ticket item, and delivered a third track between Newport and Geelong, and gauge conversion west to Adelaide.

But the work left much to be desired – cost overruns saw funding diverted from other One Nation projects, the track on the Gheringhap-Maroona section had to be upgraded in 2000 to meet mainline standards, and a lack of crossing loops and use of the inefficient ‘Section Authority Working’ safeworking system limited the number of trains able to use the line – flaws not addressed until 2010.

The scope of the Sydney-Melbourne package was also slashed, with the dedicated freight line from Campbelltown to the Enfield terminal abandoned because the cost exceeded the available funds.

The dedicated freight link wasn’t delivered until 2013, when the
Southern Sydney Freight Line was completed.

And the scope of upgrades to the Sydney-Brisbane line was also cut to virtually nothing.

Photo by Ellis678, via Wikimedia Commons

Just two deviations totalling 9.8 km in length were built, resulting in a saving of 0.9 km on the intercapital journey.

Today, none of the ‘One Nation’ signs are left beside the Melbourne-Adelaide railway.

Photo by Weston Langford

But at the Melbourne Freight Terminal at South Dynon the ‘One Nation’ name lives on.

A plaque marking the opening of the upgraded Melbourne Freight Terminal by National Rail on 15 July 1994.

And a ‘KM Zero’ plaque unveiled by Paul Keating in 1995 to mark the completion of standard gauge tracks across Australia.

A process started in 1912 with the Trans-Australian Railway.

But was it worth it?

State Rail NSW had this to say following the completion of the project in 1995.

National Rail were driven by the time and cost criteria and although they expounded the virtues of contracting to which they were committed, when challenged by SRA on the standard of the product NR were proposing to hand over, the answer, because of fund constraints, was “Its better than what you had before”

Calling the program short-sighted.

Had One Nation been a $1Billion over 10 years (similar to road funding) then projects like the Bethungra spiral may have been a major deviation ( $13M ) rather than a rectification on the existing alignment ( $6M ). The Wagga Viaduct may have been a new bridge ($ 30M ) with improved alignment and grade instead of a tarting up and strengthening of the old structure ( $7M ), and the list goes on.

Meanwhile gauge conversion of the Melbourne-Adelaide railway was a case of swings and roundabouts – direct Melbourne-Perth and Melbourne-Brisbane services are now possible, but steel traffic to Hastings still needs to be gauge converted.

Grain on the Portland, Yaapeet and Hopetoun lines can run thanks to those branches also being gauge converted, but the line Mount Gambier wasn’t, and had has lay idle ever since.

And the question of gauge across the rest of Victoria is still unsolved – after years of stalling, in 2016 work started on the Murray Basin Rail Project, only for funding to run out midway through.

Sources

• One Nation at Wikipedia
• One Nation policy statement, 26 February 1992
• National Rail Corporation: reforming interstate freight, National Rail Corporation, 1994
• One Nation infrastructure project, State Rail, 1995
• One Nation funding: lessons learned, Freight Rail, 1995
• Gauge conversion in South Australia (1990 to 1995), Australian National, 1995

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King William Street and North Terrace northbound

The first example is at the intersection of King William Street and North Terrace in the CBD, and is used by northbound Adelaide Metro route buses headed for the eastern suburbs.

It’s also the key junction of Adelaide’s tram network.

Tram tracks leading in all four directions.

With trams able to turn in four of the eight possible directions.

But this hook turn is also intended to right turning buses clear of road traffic – it actually pre-dated the reintroduction of trams to the intersection.

King William Street and Currie Street eastbound

An even less known hook turn is a few blocks further south, at the intersection of King William Street and Currie Street, and again only applies Adelaide Metro buses – this time turning right for the southern suburbs.

Google Street View

King William Street has both trams and buses running north-south along it.

While Grenfell Street and Currie Street form Adelaide’s main east-west bus corridor.

Leading to the O-Bahn guided busway.

So the reason for the hook turn here doesn’t appear to be to separate trams and road vehicles, but to keep traffic moving along Currie Street – especially given the only turning movement for buses here appears to be empty movements out of the nearby Clarendon Street bus layover area.

Footnote – Adelaide’s ‘Grand Union’

The intersection of King William Street and North Terrace once used to be a full ‘Grand Union’ junction, allowing trams to turn in any direction – a situation that remained until the system was closed in 1958, leaving just the Glenelg tramway.

Photo by , via Wikimedia Commons

Trams returned to North Terrace in 2007, when a 1.2 kilometre extension of the Glenelg line north to Adelaide Railway Station. The intersection at King William Street then became a tramway junction once again in 2018, following the opening of a 900 metre extension east along North Terrace to the Botanic Garden, and a 350 metre extension north along King William Road to the Adelaide Festival Centre.

But one sticking point hit the news in October 2017 – the lack of a right-hand turn for trams from King William Street into North Terrace, thanks to the new junction layout only catering for four out of a possible eight turning movements.

Image via Wikipedia

The Liberal opposition seized on this, promising in March 2018 they would build it at a cost of $37 million, but then scrapped the whole idea in November that year, quoting an engineers report and stating constructions costs had escalated to $47 million, and that new trams costing $70 million would need to be purchased – so the interesection was left as it is today.

From Aurecon’s ‘King William & North Terrace Right Turn Feasibility Report’ for DPTI

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Tourist stuff

I headed down to Glenelg on the tram.

Wondered about the ‘Polities’ signs everywhere.

Headed to the beach at Grange.

Wandered along Rundle Mall.

And visited Victoria Square.

Suburban trains

I rode Adelaide’s since retired ‘Jumbo’ railcars.

And the diesel version of Melbourne’s Comeng railcars.

Finding a six carriage consist, featuring 12 driving cabs.

And passengers riding up front beside the train driver.

I walked along the coast at Marino to capture some trains by the sea.

And stopped off at the bizarre Emerson Crossing – where the intersection of South Road and Cross Road meets the Seaford railway line at a level crossing, with the South Road Overpass passing over it all.

A run down network

I found decrepit stations like the single track terminus of Tonsley.

And the narrow platforms at Keswick.

The line up to Belair was single track, with a handful of toy-like crossing loops along the way.

And instead of automatic pedestrian gates at level crossings, illuminated ‘Caution more than one train’ warning signs were installed at passive crossings.

But there were signs of new life – the extension of suburban trains to Seaford was underway, alongside the electrification of the network.

The Gawler line was also being rebuilt.

But electrification of the line was postponed in 2013, but eventually restarted in 2019 – but has seen many delays since.

Tourist trains

I headed down to Victor Harbor to ride the Steamranger tourist railway.

Taking a trip along the cost to Goolwa and back.

I also stumbled upon the Indian Pacific headed north out of North Adelaide.

And The Ghan almost at the end of a three day journey from Darwin.

At Keswick I found the empty Great Southern Rail terminal.

Carriages for the Indian Pacific being shunted through the train wash.

And spare carriages stabled in the sidings.

Freight trains

West of Adelaide I found a massive ‘double stack’ freight train headed for Perth.

But freight trains towards Melbourne were more constrained – having to pass over the suburban tracks on the level at Goodwood Junction – grade separated in 2014 at a cost of $110 million.

And again at Torrens Junction – grade separated in 2018 at a cost of $238 million.

And buses

A trip to Adelaide isn’t complete without a ride on the O-Bahn Busway.

Buses running along concrete tracks.

Steered along by two small guide wheels.

Buses stop at three bus stations between the Adelaide CBD and Tea Tree Plaza.

‘Sump busters‘ used to prevent unauthorised vehicles from entering the busway.

Another odd feature is the double ended busway recovery truck nicknamed ‘Dumbo’.

Specially designed to enter the O-Bahn track from either direction, and tow away a broken down bus.

Power stations

Don’t you go hunting down power stations when you go on holiday?

I went past the massive 1,280 MW gas fired power station at Torrens Island.

The 58MW Port Stanvac Power Station, made up of 36 diesel generators.

And the 20 MW peaking Lonsdale Power Station, with just 18 diesel generators.

A one way freeway?

A reversible one way freeway sounds bizarre, but Adelaide used to have one – the Southern Expressway between Bedford Park and Old Noarlunga. The three lane road was setup for traffic in either direction.

Changing direction twice a day.

On and off ramps opening and closing based on the current direction of travel.

Indicated by rotating prism signs at interchanges.

With warnings signs to ensure motorists didn’t drive down the wrong way.

Opened in 1997, work on upgrading the freeway to two way operation commenced in 2011, and was completed in 2014.

And ghosts of the past

Adelaide would have to go down as a graveyard of Australian manufacturing.

Home of the former Mitsubishi engine plant at Lonsdale – closed in 2005

The Mitsubishi vehicle assembly plant at Tonsley Park, closed in 2008.

And Mobil’s mothballed Port Stanvac Refinery – demolished in 2014.

But Adelaide also had an abandoned shopping centre – the top floors of the Myer Centre.

And an abandoned international airport terminal.

Replaced by a combined domestic and international terminal in 2005.

But time to fly home

The ‘real’ Adelaide Airport was rather nice.

Big windows looking out over the city.

And a view of aircraft on the apron.

So farewell to Adelaide circa 2011.

I ended up returning in 2015 and 2019 – but travelling on The Overland instead.

Footnote

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

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Trains

Work on Regional Rail Link was kicking off at Middle Footscray.

Excavators having rolled in.

To demolish the compulsorily acquired houses along Buckley Street.

Work on the extension of suburban trains to South Morang was almost complete, with track laid up to the future terminus.

As was duplication of the single track section between Keon Park and Epping.

The Metcard ticketing system was still hanging on, but new LCD next train displays were being rolled out.

Southern Cross Station was in the middle of a revamp – adding more shops.

While South Yarra station still had it’s little kiosk sticking out into the concourse opposite the ticket gates.

Things that go bump

On 26 November 2011 a V/Line train bound for Albury derailed at West Footscray.

The train split between two tracks.

The incident investigation report finding:

Shortly after its exit from the Bunbury Street tunnel the locomotive encountered a track defect at a location beneath the Nicholson Street road overbridge in Footscray that caused the derailment of one wheelset.

The train continued for about 1200 metres with the locomotive in this partially-derailed state until it encountered a turnout, resulting in the complete derailment of the locomotive and the first passenger car, and the derailment of the leading bogie of the second passenger car.

There were no injuries to passengers or V/Line personnel; however the track sustained significant damage.

Trams

Back in May 2011 work started on platform stops along Swanston Street – months later, the stop outside Melbourne Central was still incomplete.

Yarra Trams marking November with fuzzy Movember moustaches on the front of their trams.

They’ve missed a few Movembers in the years that have followed, and switched to a simpler stick on decal.

And some other bits

A $300 million expansion of Highpoint Shopping Centre was underway, with tower cranes at work on the 30,000 sqm extension, taking the centre to a total of 156,000 sqm.

Mobil petrol stations on the way out, having been taken over by 7-Eleven.

Down at the west end of the Melbourne CBD things were much emptier.

Emporium Melbourne was just a big hole between Little Bourke and Lonsdale Streets.

A day of planespotting

I made a trip out to Melbourne Airport to photograph the procession of planes.

Finding Virgin Blue’s only ‘blue’ plane.

Air New Zealand 747 – since retired.

United Airlines 747 – also retired.

V Australia 777 – subsumed into Virgin Australia.

Skytraders A319 – famous for another reason.

Tiger Airways A320 – merged into Virgin Australia and since retired as a brand.

Singapore Airlines A380 – on hiatus thanks to Covid.

And a Strategic Airlines A330 – liquidated in 2012.

And a trip to Adelaide

I ended November 2011 with a trip to Adelaide.

Where I rode some trams.

Their ‘Jumbo’ railcars.

And the diesel version of Melbourne’s Comeng railcars.

Footnote

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

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Open House Melbourne

The last weekend of July is usually Open House Melbourne, so I did the rounds of places normally closed to the public.

First off, the underground Russell Place electrical substation.

Complete with mercury arc rectifiers.

Hamer Hall, which was mid renovation.

The former Land Titles Office on Queen Street.

Toured the back of house areas of the State Library of Victoria.

A rooftop garden at 278 Flinders Lane.

The Myer Mural Hall.

Melbourne’s first skyscraper – ICI House.

Up to the top of 50 Lonsdale Street.

And down into the Royal Melbourne Hospital steam tunnels.

Trains and trams

One morning I was on my way to work, and found something odd – a V/Line train being pushed by a suburban electric train!

The V/Line train had run out of fuel at Footscray, so to keep things moving in the lead up to morning peak, it was pushed out of the way by the first train behind.

I found another public transport oddity down at Appleton Dock – a tram sitting on the back of a truck.

The Bombardier-built Flexity tram had just arrived from Germany by sea, and was ready to head for Adelaide to run on the Glenelg line.

But an everyday sight back in 2011 was ticket machines onboard Melbourne trams.

Removed following the decommissioning of the Metcard ticketing system in December 2012, it was originally planned to replace them with Myki machines, but the idea was abandoned in 2011.

Another then-unremarkable view was this one from Wurundjeri Way looking back towards Southern Cross Station.

A pair of office towers now occupy the western roof of Southern Cross Station, the Regional Rail Link tracks now occupy the roadside, and the skyline behind is full of new apartment towers.

Abandonment

A forgettable building in the Melbourne CBD is 405 Bourke Street. Launched back in 2007 as ‘The Foundry’, by 2011 the shopping centre had been boarded up, the original developer having gone into liquidation.

But a decade later things have changed – a new 43 storey tall office development has been built on the site, cantilevered 10 metres over the heritage listed building.

Another unremarkable building was the last remaining part of the West Gate Bridge toll plaza – the abandoned VicRoads control room in Port Melbourne.

Located next door to the tensile membrane roofed service station.

The site had just been sold to a developer, with demolition commencing a few months later.

Warehouses now occupy the site.

Finally, another abandoned site I visited this month was the former Gilbertson’s Meatworks in Altona North.

Empty for years, the site was finally cleared in 2012, and rezoned for residential development – with ‘Haven’ by Stockland and ‘The Fabric’ by Mirvac both under construction today.

And new construction

In 2011 demolition was well underway at the former Myer store on Lonsdale Street.

The facade was still there.

But a wall of scaffolding was on the way up.

Ready to support the building.

While the guts were ripped out of the middle.

Emporium Melbourne was then built on the site, opening to shoppers in 2014.

Footnote

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

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I’ve spotted them up in Queensland, where they use the 25 kV AC electrification system.

I’ve spotted them over in Adelaide, which also adopted the same voltage for their new electric trains.

And I’ve noticed them in Sydney, which uses the same 1500 volt DC system as Melbourne.

And curiously, on the Sydney Light Rail, which uses 750 volt DC power for traction.

The reason for these insulation gaps is safety – if the overhead lines that power trains fall to the ground, the last thing you want to happen is the entire railway station become live, and electrocute any passengers who happen to be touching a metal object! By providing insulated gaps in metal fences between the ‘trackside’ and ‘station’ sections, this risk is reduced.

Back in Melbourne, I’ve never seen an insulated gap in our station fences – only jumper cables between the overhead stanchions and the running rails.

And grounding connections between the tram fences and the tram tracks.

It makes me wonder – why doesn’t Melbourne have insulated gaps in the metal fences around out railway lines?

Some recent developments

About five years ago Melbourne started adding some new.

Insulating plastic shrouds around overhead stanchions on station platforms.

I wonder what the driver for their rollout was?

Further reading

The Transport for NSW Asset Standards Authority (ASA) has published Guideline on Earthing and Bonding at Railway Stations that explains the safety issues further.

At railway stations, three main types of risks may exist:

1. Risks associated with 1500V DC stray leakage or fault current.
2. Electric shock risk due to 1500V DC touch & step potential rise under fault condition
3. Electric shock risk due to high voltage/low voltage distribution systems’ touch & step potential rise under fault condition

There is a possibility that overhead wiring structures may rise to a potential above earth. The risk of persons receiving an electric shock when standing beside an overhead wiring structure and touching the structure is present and is of concern.

Other hazardous situations where persons could receive an electric shock is when physical contact is made by touching overhead wiring structures at the same time as they touch lighting poles, metallic parts of canopies or awnings, steel troughing, metal fences or rolling stock.

In order to minimise these risks, methods have been developed and deployed for the overhead wiring system.

As well as a document detailing the specifications for insulation panels found in their fences.

Insulation Panels

Insulation panels, a minimum of 2200mm in length, are required in metallic fencing in the electrified area to break the fence up into short electrically isolated sections. The panels consist of the fence material with supporting posts that are non-metallic. The panels are installed where ‘continuous’ fencing:

• would otherwise approach within 2.0 metres of an OHW structure (including any metallic attachments to the OHW structure such as switch handles, back anchor guy rods etc)
• would otherwise approach within 2.0 metres of station fences, foot bridges, rail bridges, entrance fences and metallic buildings
• runs parallel to, and within 2.0 metres of, above ground metallic signalling/cable troughing or air lines. The insulating panels must be located directly adjacent to the insulated joint in the signalling/cable troughing or air lines
• meets any high voltage substation fence (either RailCorp or local electricity distributor). Where the substation earth mat extends outside the substation fence, ‘continuous fencing must not enter the area of the earth mat.
• meets any pole mounted or pad mounted substation (either RailCorp or local electricity distributor). The ‘continuous’ fencing must not enter the area of the earth mat. The continuous fencing must also not be closer than 2.0 metres from exposed substation metal fittings.

Insulation panels are to be installed:

• to ensure that persons cannot contact ‘continuous’ fencing and any other metallic service such as OHW structures, station fences (associated with the station low voltage earthing system and water pipes) and footbridges that extend outside RailCorp property,
• at approximately 300 metre intervals in the ‘continuous’ fencing (with a maximum spacing of 800m in areas away from above ground signal troughing).

The non-metallic posts shall have a clearance of minimum 50 mm and maximum 100 mm from the adjacent metallic post of the ‘continuous’ fencing. Each non-metallic post must have a warning sign attached as shown on the drawing.

The bottom rail shall be installed so as to remain 80 mm clear of the ground.

Security and High Security Fences

When installing security and high security fencing, the fence shall be designed and positioned so to reduce or eliminate the requirement for insulation panels. Where insulation panels are required and can not be avoided, they shall be of a design that complements the high security performance of these fence types.

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A different skyline

The skyline west end of the Melbourne CBD was much emptier.

Melbourne Star observation wheel still in pieces.

Nothing behind Southern Cross Station.

Or Docklands Stadium.

Worries of flammable cladding yet to come.

The asbestos filled Spencer Street Power Station was gone, with a display suite for the ‘Upper West Side’ development occupying the site.

The $550 million development was completed in 2016, with 2,207 apartments across four towers.

And over at Spotswood, VicTrack had started cleaning up a similarly contaminated railway yard.

The soil contaminated with arsenic, copper, lead and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons was entombed beneath a concrete slab, at what is now a rail freight depot for Sadleirs Transport.

The former Royal Dental Hospital had also been turned into a big hole.

The Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre was built on the site, opening in 2016.

But the Royal Women’s Hospital was still there.

It lay empty for another decade, until recently demolished for a $425 million University of Melbourne expansion.

Transport

On 6 June 2010 the ribbon was cut on a brand new railway station – Coolaroo on the Craigieburn line, between Broadmeadows and Roxburgh Park.

With then-Premier John Brumby and Minister for Public Transport Martin Pakula in attendance.

Over at Southern Cross Station the platforms were covered in artificial grass.

As part of Dairy Farmers’ “City to Country” campaign for yoghurt.

2010 saw new trains finally arriving on the Melbourne rail network to address peak time crowding, but there was nowhere to park them at night.

So a $12 million stabling yard at Newport was under construction.

But even bigger money was also being spent on road projects – work was underway on the $371 million West Gate Bridge Strengthening project.

With a web of scaffolding erected beneath the bridge.

The work reinforced the bridge to carry five lanes in each direction, following the narrowing of traffic lanes from 3.5m to 3.1m wide, with a 0.5m shoulder.

And a holiday related footnote

I headed over to South Australia on holiday.

Where I found The Overland passing through Mount Lofty.

Making a trip down to Victor Harbor for the horse tramway.

And the SteamRanger tourist railway.

And going for a ride on their clapped out diesel suburban trains.

But the South Australian Government was busy spruiking their upcoming public transport investments.

Footnote

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

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The Melbourne Metro webpage for the third platform project has the full details:

A new platform for West Footscray Station

To get the most out of the new underground rail line and the relief it will provide to crowding, we will be building a new platform and track at West Footscray. This will allow some Sunbury line services to turn around at this station.

This additional platform will enable trains to terminate and commence services at West Footscray station. It is not anticipated that Metro trains will be stabled at the station.

How Melbourne Metro will benefit West Footscray Station

The additional platform and track to the north of the station (Cross Street side) will service city bound trains coming from Sunbury in the morning and afternoon peak periods. The existing city bound platform will be used for Sunbury line trains to terminate and commence services at West Footscray station. This will help trains run on time and reduce delays.

Providing an additional platform and length of track for Sunbury line trains will also facilitate an increase in the number of services at West Footscray station during the morning and afternoon peak.

Works at West Footscray station involve realigning regional, suburban and freight tracks, construction of new tracks and turnouts (to enable trains to change direction), a new passenger platform and alterations to the existing station concourse. No works are required on private land.

Track and station work would likely be conducted in stages to limit disruption to commuters and the local community.

So time for a critical look at what is being proposed – I’m going to ignore the fact that West Footscray station just got rebuilt as part of the Regional Rail Link project – and instead explore why the proposal is a triumph of operator convenience over passenger amenity.

An additional platform at West Footscray doesn’t make things any easier for passengers – it makes things harder. With the new platform isolated on the north side of the tracks, citybound passengers will be presented with a new choice:

• walk down to the new platform 1 to board the next train ex-Sunshine and hope you can fit onboard,
• or walk down to the existing citybound platform where an empty train is currently awaiting departure back to town, and hope that it leaves soon.

And good luck to any passenger who makes the wrong choice – by the time you can see the next citybound train, it will already be too late to change platforms via the overhead concourse!

The only redeeming feature I can see with the proposed works that any outbound passengers on a train terminating at West Footscray only need to walk across the island platform in order to catch the next train towards Sunbury.

One has to take the small wins.

Elsewhere in Melbourne

Melbourne’s rail network has a number of triple track sections, and all suffer from the same problem – in the middle of the day the centre track changes direction, which requires passengers to check their watch before choosing a platform.

And at Watergardens station, citybound passengers face the same problems that West Footscray passengers will face in future – services coming from Sunbury use platform 1 while terminating trains head back to the city across the tracks on platform 2.

We also have Laverton station – $93 million was spent in 2009-10 to rebuild the station, with a third platform being added to the north side, freeing up space for trains from Altona to terminate free of the mainline. Again the same problem – citybound trains leave from different sides of the station.

And finally Westall station – a total of $153 million was spent in 2009-10 on a third track and turnback platform that spent the first year out of service, and suffers from the same flaw – citybound trains don’t depart from the same island platform.

Notice a recurring theme?

A solution

Centre turnback platforms aren’t something new that Melbourne has invented – they exist on rail networks all over the world, and can be incredibly convenient for passengers.

This is achieved with a ‘Spanish solution’ platform layout – four platforms are provided to serve three tracks, with the centre track having platforms on both sides, allowing passengers from either side to board the train.

In Hong Kong I found one at Choi Hung station on the MTR Kwun Tong Line.

But a rail network doesn’t need to have platform screen doors in order to place platforms on both sides of a track – Fo Tan station on the MTR East Rail line is out in the open.

And closer to home, even Adelaide can do it – Glanville and Brighton stations feature centre turnback tracks with a platform on each side.

Brighton station photo by Normangerman via Wikimedia Commons

Why should we in Melbourne settle for anything less?

Diving deeper

After I shared my initial thoughts about centre turnback platforms, I got the following response:

why not send those “short run” Sunbury trains to say Melton.

Why didn’t I think of that!

With the growth of Melbourne’s western suburbs, Footscray station will soon be the equivalent of South Yarra, and Sunshine station will be the equivalent of Caulfield. If someone proposed turning back trains at Toorak station they’d be laughed out of the room – so why is it any different for the other side of Melbourne?

While West Footscray station located on a double track railway, it is only two stations beyond the massive apartment developments of Footscray, and two stations from the major rail junction that is Sunshine.

Provided the new high capacity signalling system is rolled out as far as Sunshine, there isn’t any technical reason why trains for the Melbourne Metro can’t be split between the existing Sunbury line and the future electrified Melton line – just make sure to build a grade separated flyover to split trains on the two routes.

Footnote

Building a new station only to tear it down a few years later – the same thing happened at Footscray where a new footbridge opened in 2010, only to be partially demolished in 2013 for Regional Rail Link works.

When will they learn – you can’t plan ahead if you don’t know where you are headed.

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