Another instalment in my photos from ten years ago series – this time it is May 2013.
Regional Rail Link
Work on Regional Rail Link was well underway, with the new flyover outside Fotscray taking shape to carry the new tracks over the Werribee line.
And the cutting closer to Footscray was being widened for the extra tracks.
The new suburban platforms were also taking shape at Footscray station.
And the existing footbridge was being extended north over the future tracks.
The bridge over the low level goods lines was also being widened.
With the rail alignment outside Sunshine also ready for the extra tracks.
While at the stalled Caroline Springs station site, work had restarted – but it was only a road deviation due to RRL related road closures.
The final stage of Regional Rail Link opened in June 2016, but Caroline Springs station had to wait – it finally opened to passengers in January 2017.
And off to Ballarat
I went on a trip to Ballarat onboard a 80 year old diesel railcar.
Along the way we had to give way to some far more modern trains.
Before our arrival into Ballarat.
But there is one thing that hasn’t changed in 80 years – the diesel exhaust belching into the air at Southern Cross Station.
Protective Services Officers
Melbourne’s first group of Protective Services Officers were deployed in February 2012 to Flinders Street and Southern Cross stations, with the roll out ramping up soon after.
The limiting factor on their deployment – providing a prison cell at every railway station.
Ding ding!
A decade ago there were no accessible tram stops or low floor trams running along Elizabeth Street in the Melbourne CBD.
But there was some progress being made – the tram tracks along Elizabeth Street were being relaid.
And Yarra Trams was using their new ‘kletterweichen’ (‘climbing turnout’) to allow trams to terminate short of the works, rather than forcing passengers to walk from the nearest permanent crossover.
However the new crossover still had some teething issues, as the first tram to pass over it derailed!
Yarra Trams having to send their heavy recovery vehicle to the site, to pull the tram back onto the rails.
Meanwhile over on Swanston Street, dimwitted motorists were getting confused by the new platform stops – driving through the bike lanes.
While out at Ascot Vale motorists were inflicting more damage, this driver having impaled their ute on five metres of safety zone fence.
So what was the solution that Yarra Trams has been applying across the network?
“A recent review by Yarra Trams and Public Transport Victoria of the environment and layout at these stops has identified an increased safety risk to passengers and pedestrians. A number of improvement strategies have been trialled with minimal success”
And on the tram stops that remain – hiding network maps behind advertising slogans.
Buses
A decade ago City Sightseeing Melbourne was running a hop-on hop-off bus services around Melbourne using a fleet of open top double deck buses.
The service was a victim of the Covid-19 pandemic, and is yet to restart operations
Another competing tourist service was the Melbourne Free Visitor Shuttle.
It was discontinued in 2017 after years of declining patronage.
Meanwhile out in Footscray, I found a colourful arrangement of Westrans, Sita and Melbourne Bus Link buses running route services.
Today they’re operated by CDC Melbourne, Transit Systems Victoria and Kinetic Melbourne, and the orange PTV livery has replaced that of the private operators.
Myki
Myki had taken over as the only ticketing system in Melbourne, with Metcard ticket machines pulled out of trams, and replaced by an extra seat.
But the reliability of the new system was somewhat lacking – I found this stack trace for ‘log4net‘ displayed on this Myki reader.
And the rest
Remember Melbourne Bike Share?
It ceased operations in November 2019.
Meanwhile over at 447 Collins Street, work was underway to reinforce the failing facade.
The marble facade panels being removed from the lower floors to avoid any further pieces falling to earth.
But it was only a temporary fix – the entire tower was demolished in 2015, with the ‘pantscraper’ known as ‘Collins Arch‘ completed on the site in 2020.
Footnote
Here you can find the rest of my ‘photos from ten years ago‘ series.
That Sita bus probably still has the same livery!
Yes, most Transit Systems buses still have the Sita livery, although some (especially the electric buses) have the PTV livery.
It took Transit Systems until 2020 to even start removing the Sita logos following the merger.
And the PTV timetables still has Sita on them, despite the rebranding to Transit Systems Victoria two and a half years ago. But to be fair, with the 410 timetable, the Night Bus services on Friday nights states that the Night Bus services are operated by Transit Systems.
Luckily Sita put their fleet numbers on the roof – turns out it was bus #154, and I’ve got a 2022 photo of it at the very same location!
I remembered that free Melbourne tourist shuttle, and went halfway hoping to continue it another time. Never got around to it. Ah well.