Regional Rail Link

The Regional Rail Link project was now approaching the finishing line, with a ‘consolidation train’ running back and forth over the newly laid tracks to bed them down before the commencement of revenue services.

The new platforms dedicated to V/Line services at Footscray were also open.

As restoration works continued on the station buildings.

The new platforms were also ready for 9-car long trains, the first of which didn’t run until 2022.

The new dual gauge tracks across the North Melbourne flyover also opened for trains, but not successfully – the Sydney-bound XPT derailed on the first attempt to leave Melbourne!

The cause of the derailment – the new tracks were incompatible with the wheel flange profile used on New South Wales trains.

And elsewhere on the rail network

The original blue/green and purple VLocity train liveries still dominated the view at Southern Cross Station.

Work had started on the 664 Collins Street development atop the south end of Southern Cross Station.

The escalators at North Melbourne station where entering a steep decline into unreliability.

Myki gates at stations were also failing regularly.

And Metro Trains – they were using the next train displays at Richmond station to promote the Channel 7 TV show ‘House Rules’.

Views that are gone

This view of a V/Line diesel headed over to the South Dynon locomotive depot was an unremarkable sight at the time, but today is hidden beneath the tangle of flyovers for the West Gate Tunnel at Dynon Road.

As were these trains at the Wagon Storage Yard at North Melbourne – now taken over by the Wurundjeri Way extension.

At Footscray station there was only a single small apartment tower to be seen – not the dozens found there today.

And you’d be hard pressed to guess that this scene is now the site of the Metro Tunnel portal at South Yarra – this private garage and car park was cantilevered over the railway cutting on Arthur Street.

And these trees cover Siding Reserve, which has been completely rebuilt to make way for the new railway tracks passing beneath.

Trams

A decade ago route 78 passengers were still having to put up with clunky old W class trams trundling down Chapel Street.

As did route 30 passengers on La Trobe Streets – the old clunkers finally being sent off into retirement in December 2014.

Meanwhile on William Street was a sign of the future – a brand new E class trams headed through on test. However it took until December 2021 for these trams to carry passengers on route 58.

Buses

The transition from National Bus to Transdev Melbourne started back in August 2013, but buses in the old liveries could still be seen on Hoddle Street.

And the Melbourne Visitor Shuttle bus was still kicking around, before it was discontinued in 2017.

Some loose ends

The big stadium in Docklands was still called ‘Etihad Stadium’.

Beside the Monash Freeway at Church Street in Cremorne, I found this small part under construction, on what was once a freeway off-ramp.

And a random photo I took of the Geelong skyline – the Kardinia Park light towers in place, but not the massive new grandstands.

And the view of Saint Mary of the Angels Basilica still dominated the skyline, with the office and apartment towers still to come.

And an Melbourne Airport Rail note

At Footscray station I found a giant banner linked to the Napthine Government’s ‘Moving Victoria’ campaign, promoting their unfunded ‘Melbourne Rail Link‘ project.

With a promise of trains running every 10 minutes to Melbourne Airport.

Conceived as an alternative to the Metro Tunnel, the Melbourne Rail Link tunnel would have run between South Yarra and Southern Cross, serving new stations at Domain and Fishermans Bend – instead of Arden and Parkville, who would be stuck using buses and trams.

But as you might have guessed, the Melbourne Rail Link project went nowhere, construction of the Metro Tunnel started a few years later and is almost finished, work on the Melbourne Airport Rail project has been stop-start, and a rail link to Fishermans Bend is as far away as ever.

Footnote

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

Post retrieved by 35.215.163.46 using

The post Photos from ten years ago: July 2014 appeared first on Waking up in Geelong.

Note the resemblance to the Neighbourhood Watch logo?

Neighbourhood Watch was established in Victoria in 1983, along with their “four heads” logo.

We designed the “four heads” logo which is seen throughout Australia today, and which has become a highly recognisable symbol of the programme. I asked the Logo Committee to design a logo with the police member represented as a person rather than as a badge

We needed to be consistent with our objective to facilitate a friendly and accessible rapport between police and community in the fight against residential crime, and the representation of police as a member of the community was preferable.

The Logo Committee comprised Kay Nichol (school teacher), Don Stevens (graphics designer), and residents Rod Lane and Mike Davey. The Committee, chaired by Kay Nichol, designed the “four heads” logo, as we see it today. My only contribution was the addition of an eye in the leading face! The checked hatband was later added to the police officer’s hat, when the logo was subsequently copyrighted.

The original suggestion was that the yellow colour of the PCIP Working Together logo be adopted as the colour for the NHW logo. After deliberation, the Committee unanimously agreed that the colour was to be the then official “Garden State Victoria” green.

Footnote

The Department of Employment webpage on jobactive had this to say on the new brand:

jobactive is the Australian Government’s way to get more Australians into work. It connects job seekers with employers and is delivered by a network of jobactive providers in over 1700 locations across Australia. jobactive replaced Job Services Australia on 1 July 2015.

Given the Liberal Party’s current attitudes to the unemployed are similar to their attitudes towards actual criminals, perhaps the resemblance between the two logos was intentional?

The plot thickens: another logo

I found this logo for the Girl Scouts of America – designed by Saul Bass in 1978.

I wonder if the designers of the Neighbourhood Watch logo knew of this one, or whether it was their own creation?

Post retrieved by 35.215.163.46 using

The post Jobactive or Neighbourhood Watch – spot the difference? appeared first on Waking up in Geelong.