Headed in

The open day was held on the closed off section of Domain Road, east of Anzac station.

With food stalls.

And kids activities.

Including a train ride.

But the reason I was there was to see inside Anzac station itself.

Touring the station

We headed downstairs.

The Domain Road entrance having a single up escalator and a flight of stairs.

As well as a lift, that doubled as a light well.

We were then greeted by the unpaid area concourse, which passes beneath St Kilda Road.

And the tram stop above.

A trio of escalators and a lift connect the station concourse to the south end of the tram stop.

And a single escalator, steps and lift to the northern end.

The unpaid area walkway then continued west to the station entrance on Albert Road.

With a pair of escalators.

Along with a lift.

Down to the platforms

Now it was time to head down to the platforms.

Obviously no trains running.

But the passenger information screens had been installed.

Through the ticket gates.

With sunlight still streaming in from the glass roof above.

We went past the pair of lifts down to platform level.

And took the escalators down instead.

A wide island platform greeting us.

But still no trains.

Temporary fencing in place across the platform screen doors, with a demarcation still in place between active rail tunnels and the under construction railway station.

But network ‘strip maps’ already displayed.

Along with customer help points.

The big orange pendant light fittings also a design feature.

Along with the orange ceiling details.

It was then time to head back out again, so we took a trio of escalators back to the concourse.

And then back out of the same ticket gates we entered through.

Past the customer service counter.

Past the hidden away back of house area.

Back down the unpaid concourse towards Domain Road.

Back up the escalator.

And back into the sunlight.

Ending the tour.

Footnote: a few other things I noticed

Anzac station isn’t completely finished yet – the retail spaces are still taken up by temporary facilities for construction workers.

With a few bits of wall cladding also missing.

I also noticed a separate set of stairs beside the Domain Road entrance.

Locked away from public use, for firefighter access in case of emergency.

I also found a second lift door hidden away at the back of the Domain Road lift – presumably it leads into the back of house area of the station.

And on Domain Road the tram tracks have been rebuilt, with new platform stops installed – despite route 58 trams still using the tracks along Toorak Road West they were diverted along back in 2017 to make way for the construction of Anzac station.

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Some background

Early government media releases used generic language such as:

“This project will create space to run more trains, more often, right across Melbourne. We’re getting it done.” said Premier Daniel Andrews.

As well as:

“We know these changes will be disruptive but we need to get on and build the Metro Tunnel – so we can deliver the frequent, reliable, turn-up-and-go transport system passengers need.” said Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan.

The only hard figures being an increase in peak capacity.

And the Melbourne Metro Program “Business Case Baseline” document dated February 2016 showing half of off-peak trains terminating at West Footscray.

Leaving Sunshine as a station where V/Line services outnumber ‘Metro’ ones.

But those pathetic sounding numbers didn’t actually reflect the service that the government intended to provide through the Metro Tunnel – a spokesperson ringing up blogger Daniel Bowen and telling him it was just a “base case” and not a service plan – which just left us all in the dark as to what the Metro Tunnel would deliver.

But is this it?

In September 2022 the Victorian Government published the Melbourne Airport Rail business case, with a 296 page main report, and a 413 pages of appendices.

And on page 11 of the appendices is what we’ve all been waiting for – a proposed service specification for the Metro Tunnel.

The assumed service specification of each option is summarised in the tables below. Note these assumed service specifications are for the purpose of comparing the options only. All changes to the Base Case under each option are highlighted orange.

The number of trains due to use the Metro Tunnel before the opening of the Melbourne Airport line.

And after the Melbourne Airport line has been completed.

So if the above is to be believed, the Sunbury line is in line for a massive off-peak service increase once the Metro Tunnel opens:

• Sunbury – twice as many trains, from every 40 minutes to every 20 minutes,
• Watergardens – twice as many trains, from every 20 minutes to a ‘turn up and go’ 10 minute frequency,
• Sunshine – three times as many trains, with a ‘turn up and go’ 10 minute frequency, with three more trains slotted in between,
• West Footscray – four times as many trains, with one every 5 minutes.

And once Melbourne Airport line opens, things will become even better – the Sunshine and West Footscray shortworkings will be extended through to Melbourne Airport, providing a 5 minute off-peak frequency to the Sunbury line as far as Sunshine.

Now we just need to hope that this is what actually gets delivered!

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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.

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Current state

The City Loop isn’t one tunnel but a network of four separate tunnels that encircle the Melbourne CBD, with train services from different lines taking different routes around it at different times of day, before finally arriving at Flinders Street.

A result of this is that inbound trains full of passengers will slowly empty out as they make their way around the entire loop.

Before arriving at Flinders Street Station almost empty.

A loading pattern shown in this diagram from the 2012 PTV Network Development Plan.

Figure 16-2: Existing City Loop operation and train loadings – 2012 PTV Network Development Plan

Which goes on to say:

Constraints in the Northern Group revolve around the need for Craigieburn and Upfield lines to merge in the City Loop, thereby restricting the combined frequency to 24 trains per hour.

On the Burnley Group, the terminating and turning back of Burnley local trains at Flinders Street limits capacity on all Burnley Group local lines.

The current routing and efficiency of the loop and terminating lines in the city is an inefficient use of resources (trains and infrastructure), as demonstrated in Figure 16-2. The line thickness designates an indicative train loading for the AM peak period.

From the above figure, it can be seen that the loop operation is inefficient because all trains entering the loop will be overloaded. However, by the time they run across the viaduct between Flinders Street and Southern Cross, they will be nearly empty, which is a waste of valuable central area track capacity.

In addition, Burnley local services (the Glen Waverley and Alamein lines) that run direct to and terminate at Flinders Street will be underutilised as many passengers will transfer onto loop services at Richmond, which again is a sub-optimal use of trains and infrastructure.

And a solution?

The 2008 East West Rail Link ‘Analysis on Rail Capacity’ report introduced a solution – reconfiguring the City Loop tunnels.

Northern – Burnley loops connected

The existing four city loop tunnels operate independently from each other. Rather than operating each group independently, this option would see trains running between North Melbourne and Richmond, either via Flinders Street (FSS) and Southern Cross (SXS), or via the Melbourne Underground Rail Loop (MURL). For this option, the following operations could be achieved:

• Sydenham to Glen Waverley / Alamein / Blackburn via FSS, SXS
• Craigieburn / Upfield to Belgrave / Lilydale via MURL

Operations would assume that layovers and crew changes would take place at suburban termini rather than at Flinders Street or Southern Cross.

By allowing Burnley and Northern trains travelling in the Melbourne Underground Rail Loop (MURL) to continue on to North Melbourne or Richmond respectively rather than looping around to Flinders Street, track and platform capacity at Southern Cross, Flinders Street and across the viaduct would be released. In association with discontinuing the practice of reversing trains at Flinders Street station, this would allow for direct services from each group to be linked.

The spare capacity at Flinders Street station could be used for services from Caulfield and Clifton Hill groups, and allow for network expansion.

The infrastructure works required to enable Northern-Burnley operations as shown include:

• new tunnel connection from the Burnley loop tunnel west of Flagstaff to the existing western loop portal south of North Melbourne;
• new tunnel connection from the Northern loop tunnel south of Parliament to a new portal situated in the Jolimont rail yards and connected to existing Burnley down track;
• new platform 7 at North Melbourne, forming an island platform with existing platform 6;
• track slewing on either side of North Melbourne to enable sectorisation of lines.

Passenger impacts would need to be carefully managed due to need to terminate Werribee/Williamstown trains at Southern Cross. Furthermore, this option does not offer new travel opportunities or CBD connectivity, and introduces some risk of overcrowding issues which would need special attention during the design of this option.

This option would allow the metropolitan rail network to transport around 114,000 passengers into the CBD in the morning peak hour.

And the concept was further refined in the 2012 PTV Network Development Plan.

The removal of loop operations on the Northern and Caulfield loops and the connection between specific lines on each side of the city will result in the creation of two new Cross-City lines, with capacity for an additional 30 trains per hour in the peak (Craigieburn – more than six trains per hour, Upfield and future Northern lines – more than 18 trains per hour and Burnley local lines – more than six trains per hour)

High level scope of works:

• New tunnel link between Flagstaff (Caulfield loop) and North Melbourne platform 2. This will enable trains from Craigieburn to run into the Caulfield loop to Flagstaff, then exit via the existing portal at Richmond platform 5 and continue on to Frankston via Parliament
• New tunnel link between Parliament (Northern loop) and Richmond platform 3. This will enable trains from Frankston to run into the Northern loop to Parliament, then exit via the existing western portal at North Melbourne on to Craigieburn via Flagstaff
• Enabling works for new tunnel link from City Circle loop to down Burnley Through line to facilitate through running from Clifton Hill Loop Line to Ringwood Loop Line for the purposes of stabling and maintenance
• New fly-over from the Upfield line onto the through suburban lines at North Melbourne (over other Northern Group tracks)
• Bi-directional signalling at North Melbourne platform 1 to enable operation of city-bound and outbound Seymour services to Southern Cross

The package of works identified for this period will provide the following benefits:

• Free up two viaduct tracks following removal of loop routing, effectively providing two new tracks through the city
• Provide greater capacity for growing passenger demand on Craigieburn and Upfield lines and all Burnley express and local lines
• Enhance service reliability through the full sectorisation of lines through the city and suburban sections
• Enable quicker travel times for outbound journeys on the Burnley express line through segregation from local stopping services
• Provide faster cross-town journeys by eliminating the need for passengers to backtrack or suffer layover time at Flinders Street
• Extend the network connectivity for Burnley local services by providing direct through services to Southern Cross and the west
• Facilitate easier cross-town travel through the city for all northern lines to employment, education and retail precincts clustered in the east
• Provide a better balance in passenger loadings on trains bound for either the underground city stations (Flagstaff, Melbourne Central and Parliament) or the surface stations (Southern Cross and Flinders Street), as opposed to the heavily loaded loop services and relatively lightly loaded direct services terminating at Flinders Street
• Simplify the rail network by providing direct access to and from all city stations at all times of the day, reducing current confusion and inconvenience associated with daytime loop reversals
• Increase efficiency of train movements through the city by removing loop services
• Reduce train congestion at Flinders Street by eliminating terminating and turnback manoeuvers for Burnley local services, thereby increasing train efficiency through reduced train fleet requirements
• Enable the rationalisation of track and removal of excess point work in the central area to reduce maintenance requirements
• Provide network capacity to enable new rail corridors to be built in future years to serve new developments in the northern outskirts as well as an express link to Melbourne Airport

Along with a clear visual showing how two small sections of tunnel result in such a large uplift in the overall passenger capacity.

Figure 16-3: Proposed reconfigured loop operation and train loadings – 2012 PTV Network Development Plan

While 2021 Infrastructure Victoria spoke of the best time to deliver the City Loop reconfiguration project – now.

The Melbourne Metro Tunnel will enable some new services on Craigieburn and Upfield lines, but these would reach capacity by the mid-2030s. If these new services were introduced without
reconfiguring the City Loop first, they would be heavily disrupted for long periods during the project’s construction, and affect many more passengers.

Reconfiguring the City Loop immediately after completing the Melbourne Metro Tunnel minimises disruptions to passengers, particularly as the realignment of the Cranbourne and Pakenham services through the Melbourne Metro Tunnel upon opening can leave one of the two loop tunnels affected by this project empty. The Victorian Government should start detailed design and planning quickly to identify critical works to undertake before the Melbourne Metro Tunnel is completed. This can avoid significant disruption to the network.

The window of opportunity to deliver the City Loop reconfiguration project will close as demand continues to increase, and the network may only temporarily have enough spare capacity to change train service patterns during construction to minimise passenger impacts.

The Victorian Government should complete a business case for the project within the next two years. Reconfiguring the City Loop would enable more frequent and reliable services by creating two high frequency separated lines connecting northern and south-eastern areas. The business case should consider timing, including starting the project immediately after the Melbourne Metro Tunnel is completed.

Footnote: passenger capacity at the stations themselves

Turns out running more trains isn’t the silver bullet to increasing the number of passengers able to travel – capacity on the escalators and through ticket gates at railway stations is another.

A problem also flagged in the 2012 PTV Network Development Plan:

16.8 City Loop station upgrades

Service frequencies through the City Loop stations will increase with the provision of high capacity signalling on the Clifton Hill Group and better utilisation of existing signalling systems on the other loops. Moreover, the connection of the Northern and Caulfield loops will result in a higher proportion of train loads alighting at the City Loop stations.

Preliminary investigations completed to date, utilising simulation software and focused on Parliament station at this stage, have indicated that some additional escalator capacity will be required as well as an enlargement of the forecourt areas and an increased number of barriers at the main entrances.

At this stage of the investigation, platform capacities do not appear to be an issue even though these are causing some concern at present. This is due to the fact that in future all trains through a given platform will be running to no more than two stopping patterns and destinations.

It is currently considered that additional escalator capacity can be provided by insertion of new escalators into the existing escalator banks. The extension of the forecourt areas is an at-surface construction issue that should not be overly complex.

Key benefits
• Ensure station access and platform capacity can support passenger movements at peak times
• Reduced congestion and therefore improved travel times at key CBD stations.

High level scope of works
• Install new escalators at City Loop stations
• Widen forecourt areas and install additional ticket barriers where necessary to improve throughput.

And which is being addressed at Melbourne Central station as part of the Metro Tunnel project, with two new escalators being installed between the concourse and platform 1/2 to cater for the increased number of interchange passengers once the adjacent State Library station opens.

Further reading

• 2012 PTV Network Development Plan
• 2008 East West Rail Link Analysis on Rail Capacity report
• Infrastructure Victoria Reconfiguring the City Loop
• “Why Melbourne’s outgrown the City Loop” at Melbourne on Transit
• “Melbourne’s City Loop – the work of the Devil” at Under The Clocks

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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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Welcome to South Kensington station

South Kensington station has two platforms flanking tracks used by trains on the Werribee and Williamstown line.

V/Line trains speed past on the Regional Rail Link tracks to the south.

And to the north, Sunbury line trains speed past “stopping all stations except South Kensington”.

On the narrow citybound platform, four concrete bus shelters are the only protection from the elements for passengers.

Everyone else left exposed to the elements.

While over on platform 2, there’s only one shelter.

And good luck standing behind the yellow line – you can’t even see it any more!

The only way out – steep and narrow ramps.

Which leads to a leaking pedestrian underpass.

And out on the street – a crappy little brick building that’s actually a miniature prison.

Enter the Metro Tunnel

Back in 2008 the ‘East West Link Needs Assessment Study‘ proposed a new rail tunnel running under Swanston Street, connecting Footscray to Caulfield.

Melbourne Metro Business Case, December 2011

The design was refined in the years that followed, until April 2015 when it became the ‘Metro Tunnel’ as we know it today, with a western portal located beside South Kensington station.

The City of Melbourne saw this as an opportunity to move South Kensington station westward.

Future Melbourne Committee Agenda item 7.1
Notice of Motion, Cr Leppert: South Kensington Station
1 December 2015

Motion
1. That the Future Melbourne Committee:
1.1 Resolves that the City of Melbourne supports in principle the moving of the South Kensington Station westward, from its present location to above Kensington Road; and
1.2 Notes that a full list of legacy projects associated with the Melbourne Metro Rail project are being considered by management and will be publicly canvassed in 2016.

Background

Kensington Banks has the lowest access to public transport of all residential areas of the municipality. The closest train station is South Kensington Station (in some instances more than 1km away).

South Kensington and Kensington stations are relatively close together, servicing common parts of Kensington. The below map shows a 500m radius from the entrances to Kensington and South Kensington Stations (in orange) and a 500m radius from a potential new location of South Kensington Station (blue).

The State Government contemplated moving South Kensington Station westward during the planning for Kensington Banks urban renewal, but did not progress with any plans. It has the opportunity to revisit this during Melbourne Metro Rail works. Even if the station is not moved westward as part of the project, there would be scope to ensure that the new Metro Rail works are designed in a way which anticipates the potential future construction of a Station above Kensington Road.

Future populations will also benefit from a station above Kensington Road; land adjacent to the Maribyrnong River north and south of the railway and along Kensington and Hobsons Roads is currently undergoing or is earmarked for urban renewal. (See for example agenda item 6.2 on the 1 December 2015 agenda.)

The City of Melbourne frequently and formally engages with the Melbourne Metro Rail Authority and the subject of South Kensington Station has been discussed. This motion prompts a public discussion.

An idea rejected, but they still pushed for upgrades to station access.

Melbourne Metro Rail Project
Environmental Effects Statement
City of Melbourne Submission
July 2016

The Concept Design for the project does not include any changes to South Kensington Station. The EES states that the Melbourne Metro Rail Project (MMRP) will enable further upgrades to the Williamstown and Werribee train lines in the future.

It is unclear from the EES documents whether there will be construction impacts on the operation of South Kensington Station from the MMRP. Given the proximity of the works to South Kensington Station and the subway entrance to the station, it is submitted that should construction activities affect the operation of the station, this should be used as an opportunity to upgrade the existing station and it’s access. This would be consistent with the EES evaluation objective ‘to enable a significant increase in the capacity of the metropolitan rail network and provide multimodal connections, while adequately managing effects of the works on the broader transport network, both during and after the construction of the project’.

During the Melbourne Metro Rail Project public hearing process, the poor state of South Kensington station was also brought up.

Inquiry and Advisory Committee Report
Melbourne Metro Rail Project
21 November 2016

The Minister for Planning appointed a joint Inquiry and Advisory Committee (the Committee) to provide an opportunity for people to speak in support of their submission through a s, and to make findings and recommendations on the environmental and planning effects of the Project.

In addition, the Committee comments on the poor state of South Kensington station and suggest there is a legacy opportunity to upgrade the station.

The Metropolitan Transport Forum (submission 328) noted:

South Kensington station does not meet modern standards in any respect and will be due for an upgrade or repositioning to serve a larger catchment at some stage. It is critical that no future plans for South Kensington station be jeopardised by this Project, as the Western portal is close by.

This was echoed by submission 124, who called the lack of inclusion of an upgrade to the station “a lost opportunity”.

The Committee undertook a daytime inspection of the South Kensington Station and noted its poor standard and lack of amenity. There are no toilet facilities, no vending machine, no staff, limited shelter, limited tactile paving and narrow platforms particularly on the city bound side. The Committee is concerned that the Project may constrain the ability for a future increase in the width of the train platform or implement other improvements should they be deemed necessary to meet standards.

An upgrade of South Kensington station could be considered as part of this Project to balance the impacts to the community in this Precinct and bring the station up to current standards.

But the Melbourne Metro Rail Authority still considered improvements out of scope.

$11b Metro Rail project fails to fix ‘utterly inadequate’ station in its path
Clay Lucas
October 12, 2017

When Therese Fitzgerald moved to Kensington in 1975, not that many people used the nearby South Kensington railway station.

Skip forward four decades and a flood of passengers use it – last year almost 400,000 passengers used the station, 90 per cent more than 10 years ago.

And yet the facilities at the station, wedged between industrial rail yards and a park, are – to be polite – basic.

“It’s a bus shelter, not a railway station,” said Ms Fitzgerald, a member of local group the Kensington Association.

A Melbourne Metro Rail Authority spokesman said that, as the new Metro Tunnel project would not link to South Kensington railway station, its upgrade was “not within the scope” of the project.

Still, locals pressed on, with local member for Melbourne, Ellen Sandell, launching a ‘Upgrade South Kensington station now’ petition in June 2018.

Construction begins

By 2020 work on the new tunnel portal started.

Along with the emergency access and services shaft building.

Diagram from “Western Portal Development Plan” dated 2020

The connection back to the existing Sunbury line.

And a big flood wall.

But still, local residents were not happy with the level of disruption the project was causing, with no benefit to them.

The Metro Tunnel western portal’s clashes with residents
Meg Hill
18th February 2021

Plans for the Metro Tunnel’s western portal in South Kensington in 2015 required the demolition of 10 houses and 14 businesses. But pressure from locals changed those plans. The tunnel entrance was moved, and only one house was demolished.

They’ve struggled with long construction hours, noise, dust and vibrations since 2017. Although the residents support the infrastructure investment, they have taken issue with the lack of benefit for Kensington.

“The reality is that Kensington and South Kensington doesn’t benefit at all from this project, we’re just the entrance to the tunnel. We don’t get a station or anything like that, but we got a lot of disruption,” Ms Fitzgerald said.

The bitter feeling is exacerbated by tensions over the state of South Kensington Station, which locals have long complained about.

The Age reported in 2017 that Minister for Planning Richard Wynne had been advised by experts that an upgrade to the station should be considered as part of the Metro Tunnel project to bring it “up to current standards”.

Mr Hammond said that residents had been treated unfairly.

“There has never been any proper noise mitigation – if you look at RMIT they’ve got acoustic sheds, they put roofs over the works around Melbourne University and the hospitals,” he said.

“In the last financial year, the project did 46 weeks of out-of-hours work.”

“While it’s a good project and we all support the Metro Tunnel, it’s a seriously important piece of infrastructure, there’s no balance between getting the project built and the ability for residents to have some normal life.”

North West City News understands that part of that disruption is due to major construction of what is known as a “decline structure” at the tunnel entrance that has required extended hours of work due to challenging ground conditions.

Residents are sometimes offered voluntary purchase of their homes, or long-term relocation, when they complain if they’re eligible – although it is not entirely clear what constitutes eligibility.

A Rail Projects Victoria (RPV) spokesperson told North West City News that it had worked closely with the Kensington community.

“The Metro Tunnel is a project our city and state needs. It’s how we’ll deliver more trains, more often to and from our suburbs and free up vital space in the city loop,” the spokesperson said.

“From the early stages of planning the Metro Tunnel, we have worked closely with the Kensington community on many project elements including the design and location of the western tunnel entrance to minimise acquisition of homes and businesses.”

“Our workers on the ground do their best to keep noise to a minimum but we’ve been clear from the beginning of construction that a project of this size will cause some disruption.”

A fig leaf

In June 2021 South Kensington station finally made it to the top of the Metro Trains Melbourne list of stations to get a refresh, with work crews moving in.

Platform 2 was relaid in fresh asphalt, receiving a new platform edge with tactile edge markings, and a new fence along the rear.

And a new shelter for passengers in wheelchairs was provided at the departure end.

Platform 1 also received new tactile edge markings – not that the platform is wide enough to stay clear of the yellow line!

And finally something from the Metro Tunnel project

Rail Projects Victoria continued to dodge the question of South Kensington, but eventually committed to deliver some minor upgrades.

Upon completion of the Metro Tunnel, passengers using South Kensington Station will benefit from improved capacity and more frequent services on the Werribee and Williamstown lines.

While a new station in South Kensington or connection from the existing station to the Metro Tunnel is not in the scope of the project, we will undertake upgrades near the tunnel entrance.

Upgrading the entrance to the station.

Rail Projects Victoria artists impression

Works featuring:

• upgrades to Childers Street, with a new road surface, pathways, lighting, pavement and extensive landscaping, including water-sensitive rain gardens
• a new station forecourt and entrance canopy, including the realignment of Childers Street to create an enlarged station entrance area and improved pedestrian connections
• a new public space next to the egress building, with bike storage racks, lighting, seating areas and extensive landscaping
• a new pocket park at 135 Ormond Street with open space, extensive landscaping and enhanced integration with JJ Holland Park and the new station forecourt.

Justifying the works in an incredibly wordy way.

Western Portal Development Plan
Rail Infrastructure Alliance
4 May 2020

Alterations to South Kensington station are not proposed or required as part of the scope and extent of the Western Portal. Nevertheless, in accordance with Clause 3.3.c.2, the creation of the Station Forecourt and architectural treatments to the public realm at the entrance of the station seek to respond to and improve the physical, social and functional context of being a station on the metropolitan railway network.

With work on the revamped station entrance was well underway in April 2023.

Along with the associated landscaping.

Footnote: the real wildcard

Turns out the Melbourne Metro Business Case dated February 2016 investigated a downright bizarre idea – spending $1.65 billion on an underground station at South Kensington.

3.2. Decision A2: Is a South Kensington Station investment justified?

3.2.1. Options identification

Two options have been identified on this matter: retaining the status quo (Baseline) or adding additional Sunbury line platforms at South Kensington station.

– No additional station (Baseline): South Kensington Station remains as it is currently configured, serviced by the Werribee and Williamstown lines as it is today, and receiving the service boost to those lines as a result of the Melbourne Metro project.

– New South Kensington station: A new station (pair of platforms) is provided next to the existing station, enabling Sunbury line services to also start servicing the South Kensington area.

3.2.2. Options assessment

The existing South Kensington Station provides a suitable level of service to support the existing medium density residential catchment and JJ Holland Park. The station will receive an uplifted service on the Werribee corridor as a result of the Melbourne Metro. The current station is not DDA compliant and would require a total rebuild including realignment of the Werribee line tracks to provide improved accessibility to the station in approximately the same location. The design of the Western Portal can ensure this rebuild is possible at a future point in time when future growth in patronage warrants.

The existing intermodal freight uses on the southern side the rail corridor requires a long term investment in the Western Intermodal Freight Terminal and its connecting freight rail infrastructure before this use can be relocated from this site. This accordingly means the future redevelopment of the Dynon Precinct is a longer term proposition for which the scale, form and transport planning is relatively undetermined. Consideration has been given to an extension of tram services along the Dynon corridor given its length and for moving South Kensington Station to better connect to the future redevelopment of the area.

Adding a new pair of platforms at the existing South Kensington Station would entail rebuilding the existing station and track work to create a connection from the underground station platforms and concourse to above ground platforms. The space required for Melbourne Metro platforms would force the portal for the tunnel back to just east of Footscray Station and require tunnelling under the Maribyrnong River and would add in the order of $1.65bn (P90, nominal) in costs.

Table 8 – Summary analysis for Decision A2: South Kensington Station option:

No additional station (Baseline)

• Sufficient service level for existing land uses.
• Existing station gains a service boost with Melbourne Metro.
• Dynon precinct opportunity currently has an indeterminate, long term time frame in terms of generating new demand which would require the station infrastructure and access to be upgraded and or relocated further west.
• Baseline design can make provision for future upgrade in current location.

New South Kensington station

• (+ve): Significantly higher number of train services stopping at South Kensington (compared to relatively modest demand from medium density catchment).
• (-ve): Adds 1 minute travel time for Sunbury Line passengers due to additional stop, for limited local benefit at South Kensington given the timing of the future Dynon Precinct redevelopment.
• (-ve): Increases construction complexity and risk by requiring an additional river crossing at the Maribyrnong River and with significant additional tunnelling compared to baseline.
• (-ve): Requires increased private land acquisition to construct the portal at Footscray.
• (-ve): Requires much higher levels of rail disruption to the Werribee, Sunbury and RRL services given the rebuild of South Kensington Station and the realignment of tracks.
• (-ve): Increases the project cost by $1.65bn (P90, nominal).
• Detailed economic appraisal not undertaken due to poor strategic case for station.

Decision A2: Is a South Kensington Station investment justified?

It is recommended that the project retain the Baseline in this area, with no additional South Kensington station (Baseline).

So why would the business case looking into such an expensive option? I suspect by including it, they could say “they looked into South Kensington station” while avoiding the possibility of having to deliver anything.

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Tracking the rail replacement buses

PTV rolled out a new, more readable style of poster summarising upcoming rail replacement buses across the Melbourne suburban network back in May 2022, giving passengers an overview of which lines were going to be closed for weeks on end, just for a weekend, or just for evening works.

Throughout August and September 2022 the Mernda line was closed for an extended period, while the lines to Upfield, Lilydale, Belgave and Alamein were closed for a weekend.

In late September the Craigieburn and Sandringham lines joined the weekend closure club.

October it was the Williamstown, Werribee and Sunbury lines.

But come November – trains running everywhere, except for a single night on the Lilydale and Belgrave lines.

But come Sunday 27 November, buses were replacing trains on six separate lines.

And they’re back – during December 2022 nine lines were replaced by buses, including two extended line closures.

So why the lack of replacement buses?

Turns out there was one major event in November – the 2022 State election, held on Saturday 27 November.

So did someone high up in the government tell transport operators November was off limits for project works, because they wanted trains to keep running? I don’t know, but I can’t think of a better explanation.

And they’re still more

Since the election we’ve had tram replacement buses on St Kilda Road due to Metro Tunnel works and buses on the Upfield and Craigieburn lines due to Dynon Road works for the West Gate Tunnel project.

And coming up – closure of the underground stations on the City Loop from 2 January through to 15 January 2023; replacement buses on the Cranbourne, Pakenham, Frankston, Stony Point and Sandringham Lines for three weeks from 4 January 2023 for Metro Tunnel works; and the Lilydale and Belgrave lines from 23 February to end of May for the removal of the level crossing at Union and Mont Albert Roads.

However the ability for operators to supply buses and drivers might be in trouble – the most recent round of occupations have been described as “the worst ever” with run times not allowing traffic conditions, with buses running 15+ minutes late compared to the driver’s schedules, and multiple concurrent projects have seen the available fleet of buses spread thin, causing even further crowding.

The only respite – the rumoured hiring of buses and drivers from South Australia and New South Wales to shore up the rail replacement fleet.

Footnote: New South Wales tries the same thing

March 2023 saw a state election up in New South Wales, and they’ve done the same thing as Victoria.

Hundreds of rail workers have been temporarily redeployed from their main jobs because the state’s transport agency has had an order in place for almost three weeks preventing a raft of maintenance and project work on signalling and operational systems across the rail network.

Two weeks before Saturday’s state election, the transport agency made the order halting “any non-essential work on signalling, operational technology and control systems” until further notice.

Transport for NSW’s internal memo to maintenance workers – obtained by the Herald – said the suspension was aimed at reducing the “risk of system failures” and to “minimise train service disruptions”. The agency refers to the suspension as a “brown out”.

At the election the New South Wales government changed so I suppose the incoming team had a reason to start asking questions – but with no change in the top in Victoria, everyone kept their lips shut.

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Waiting for a bus

After I arrived at the Commercial Road end of the tram replacement bus service, I had to wait six minutes before the first tram replacement bus towards the city to show up.

Luckily for the big crowd waiting two buses arrived at the same time.

But they filled quickly, with passengers crammed up against the front windscreens of both buses.

But despite two crush loaded buses, there was still a crowd of waiting passengers at Commercial Road

Five minutes after the last two buses left, another one turned up.

I boarded that bus, which was also packed to the gunwales by the time we left.

But we didn’t get far – at the first tram stop down St Kilda Road out path was blocked by some disgruntled passengers, they’d been waiting for the past 20 minutes for a tram replacement bus, but were unable to board any because they were already full.

The bus driver defused the situation with a “sorry mate, not much I can do about it, I just drive the bus – you’ve gotta complain to the Yarra Trams people down there”.

The bus then continued down St Kilda Road, then turned off onto Kings Way to detour around the Anzac Station works site.

Delays at Kings Way and Park Street

We then got stuck at the intersection of Kings Way and Park Street for TEN whole minutes, waiting in a queue of cars trying to make the right hand turn. It was at this point I gave up on the tram replacement bus at the next stop, and walk the rest of the way.

First I wandered back down to Kings Way and Park Street.

Where I spotted two buses stuck in the queue to turn right.

Taking three minutes to crawl a few car lengths through the queue.

Only to be stuck waiting for the next traffic light cycle.

Three more buses joined the queue soon after.

It took these three buses five minutes to turn right at Park Street.

Interestingly the route 58 tram replacement buses were running almost empty.

Presumably passengers were leaving the tram at South Yarra station and catching a train to the city instead.

Empty route 58 buses being a theme throughout the afternoon.

Anyway, I walked back to St Kilda Road, to check out the work on the new tram tracks at Anzac station.

Struggling up St Kilda Road

On St Kilda Road what do I find – another tram replacement bus with passengers pressed up against the front windscreen, this time fleet number #1276.

I kept walking up St Kilda Road, and what do I find stuck in traffic – the same bus #1276 I saw two minutes ago.

Soon enough I caught up on foot.

And then overtook it. (I wonder what the passengers were thinking I was up to?)

Turns out there was a bus lane on St Kilda Road for the tram replacement services, but other vehicles were so banked up that the buses couldn’t actually reach it.

But 10 minutes after I first met bus #1276 on St Kilda Road, it was finally able to overtake me once it reached the bus lane at Southbank Boulevard.

And the crowding never ends

At Southbank Boulevard I found a bus headed back to the suburbs, also with passengers pressed up to the front windscreen.

With articulated buses also unable to cope with the numbers of intending passengers.

Eventually, I reached the Arts Centre.

Where a massive queue of outbound passengers was waiting for a bus back down St Kilda Road.

After waiting 8 minutes, a bus finally showed up.

ONE bus.

Do you think everyone will fit?

Of course not – most of the queue got left behind.

But luckily this time they didn’t have to wait too long – a larger articulated bus showed up a few minutes later, clearing the queue.

At least until next bus also gets stuck in traffic, causing another queue to form.

So what’s the problem?

At first glance the problem is far too few buses were being allocated to the St Kilda Road tram replacement service for the number of intending passengers, but that isn’t the whole story…

Delays due to a lack of bus priority is actually the real issue here – buses are waiting 10 minutes to make a single the right turn off Kings Way, and waiting another 10 minutes behind cars before they reach the bus lane along St Kilda Road – what should be a 10 minute trip up St Kilda Road is blowing out to 30 minute or more!

And there is the crux of the matter – a single bus that could normally move three return loads of passengers per hour, is lucky to make a single return journey instead – giving a third of the possible passenger throughput if buses were not delayed by traffic.

Footnote: a count of the buses I saw

I photographed seven unique buses running the Arts Centre to Commercial Road shuttle along St Kilda Road. Their registration plates were:

• 7696AO
• BS07KJ
• BS02IA
• 7691AO
• BS02MF (articulated)
• 6654AO
• 7479AO

Along with five unique buses on the route 58 service.

• 7626AO
• 6674AO
• 6370AO
• 6651AO
• 6373AO

The cycle time from Arts Centre to Commercial Road and back to the Arts Centre was around 40 minutes: the outbound leg only took 10 minutes because buses could proceeded directly along St Kilda Road past the Anzac station work site, avoiding the 10 minute wait to turn from Kings Way into Park Street, and the second 10 minute wait due to queued traffic trying to access the Melbourne CBD.

Footnote: “Busminder”, a nifty tool

The Ventura buses being used on the St Kilda Road tram replacement service are using a real time tracking system called “Busminder” to report their current location.

On the evening of Saturday 3 December there were only four buses running the tram replacement service along St Kilda Road, and six buses on the route 58 service between South Yarra and the CBD.

However I’m told that the non-Ventura buses also being used on the tram replacement service aren’t capable of showing up on said map, so the actual number of buses may be under-reported by Busminder.

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The PR puff pieces

Over on the State Government’s ‘Big Build’ website they give a high level overview.

Untangling the City Loop means more trains, more often. It will make travel easier for you with more frequent trains carrying more people to destinations across Melbourne.

Some of Melbourne’s busiest metropolitan train lines – Sunbury, Cranbourne and Pakenham – will run exclusively through the new tunnel. By taking these lines out of the City Loop, other lines will be able to run more services.

As a result, room will be created on the network to enable over half a million additional passengers per week across Melbourne’s train network to use the rail system during the peak periods.

They also break it down.

Line by line.

Cranbourne / Pakenham lines:
The Metro Tunnel and associated network improvements will create room for 121,000 passengers every week on the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines during peak periods. That’s 45% more peak capacity.

Sunbury Line:
The Metro Tunnel will create room for 113,000 more passengers every week on the Sunbury Line during peak periods. That’s 60% more peak capacity.

Craigieburn Line:
The Metro Tunnel will create room for 54,000 passengers every week on the Craigieburn Line during peak periods. That’s 27% more peak capacity.

Upfield Line:
The Metro Tunnel will create room for 45,000 passengers every week on the Upfield Line during peak periods. That’s 71% more peak capacity.

Werribee and Williamstown lines:
The Metro Tunnel will create room for 63,000 passengers every week on the Werribee and Williamstown lines during peak periods. That’s 24% more peak capacity.

Frankston Line:
The Metro Tunnel will create room for 36,000 more passengers every week on the Frankston Line during peak periods. That’s 15% more peak capacity.

Sandringham Line:
The Metro Tunnel will create room for 72,000 more passengers every week on the Sandringham Line during peak periods. That’s 48% more peak capacity.

So where did those numbers come from?

Enter the ‘Wider Network Enhancements’

Turns out building a new tunnel across Melbourne to divert trains from the existing City Loop isn’t all that’s needed to increase overall network capacity, but a package of other works are needed around the network.

The Metro Tunnel business case from February 2016 lists these in a chapter titled ‘Wider Network Enhancements’.

Melbourne Metro will create a through-running suburban corridor from Sunbury in the west to Cranbourne and Pakenham in the east (the Sunshine – Dandenong Line) through two new 9km tunnels with five new stations. The new twin tunnels connect the existing Sunbury Line to the existing Cranbourne / Pakenham Lines, allowing this corridor to operate independent of the existing City Loop and creating capacity through the inner core of the network to support service growth on other corridors.

Melbourne Metro will also facilitate delivery of a range of Wider Network Enhancements to capitalise on this additional capacity in Central Melbourne and, together with other planned works, deliver an uplift in service frequencies on the new alignment as well as the Werribee, Craigieburn, Upfield, Sandringham and Frankston Lines.

The Wider Network Enhancements comprise a range of works, including infrastructure to facilitate access to sidings, turnbacks, signalling headway improvement works, other works to support service frequency across the existing network and some changes to the operation of the tram network. More work is being undertaken to refine various aspects of the works.

The Wider Network Enhancements will facilitate delivery of the benefits of Melbourne Metro. The nature of the works will be further developed to ensure the benefits are maximised and that interfaces with other Victorian works are coordinated to efficiently deliver an optimal solution.

Appendix 3 of the business case titled ‘Scope of Works’ went into the Wider Network Enhancements further.

Sunshine to Dandenong corridor works

• Systems and infrastructure to support a safe and reliable operation to meet the service requirements on the Sunshine – Dandenong rail corridor including HCS
• Passive provision for future works in corridor – Melton electrification & Sunshine -Deer Park West quad track
• Infrastructure to support service continuity during planned and unplanned disruption (Resilience for Day 1 Operation)

Other corridor works
• Turnback facility to allow turn-back of services from the Cross City line (Eastern Turnback)
• Infrastructure to facilitate short turnback of services at Gowrie
• Signalling improvements to support additional services on Craigieburn Line
• Infrastructure to facilitate short turnback of services at Essendon
• Reconfiguration of Carrum stabling access
• Signalling upgrade on Cross City Line
• Turnback capacity to terminate new services at Cheltenham

With the business case detailing the reasoning behind each enhancement.

Infrastructure to facilitate short turnback of services in the east to service the Cross City Line

The increased service frequencies (which reflect demand) on the Cross City Line on project opening results in a difference between peak period, inter-peak period and off peak services levels from the eastern and western ends of the corridor.

To balance the service frequencies required on the east and west side of the corridor, turnback locations are required to turn back more frequent trains to the Werribee end of the corridor. Existing network infrastructure on the Cross City Line may not facilitate the number of turnback moves required and therefore additional turnback infrastructure may be required.

There are more services from the western side of the Cross City Line as the population and rate of growth is higher at Wyndham/ Werribee, and there are also services from Laverton via Altona and Williamstown. In comparison, the Sandringham line serves an established area and therefore customer demand is not growing as quickly.

A turnback will therefore result in some services from the west being able to turn back to the west without having to travel for a significant length of the Sandringham line. This will reduce the number of train sets required to serve the Cross City Line and associated operating costs.

Infrastructure to facilitate short turnback of services on the Craigieburn Line

The increased frequencies on the Craigieburn Line on opening requires a turnback in the vicinity of Essendon to achieve the most efficient train paths and stopping patterns and maximise the number of services that operate on that line.

To effectively meet customer demand on this corridor, not all services need to go to Craigieburn. Some services can start in the vicinity of Essendon, which is a major interchange station, particularly in the peak periods. This will help to serve customers south of Essendon station, whilst reducing the number of train sets and operating costs serving the Craigieburn line, as not all services will need to operate all the way to Craigieburn. It also reduces the need to further upgrade infrastructure north of Essendon for a higher number of trains operating in the AM / PM Peak hour.

Infrastructure to facilitate turnback of services on the Upfield Line

Delivering the required uplift in service frequencies on the Upfield Line requires a turnback short of Upfield to mitigate the existing single line section of track between Gowrie and Upfield. This single line, when combined with sharing the Northern Loop with the Craigieburn Line, represents a significant constraint in increasing the number of services operating on that line.

Infrastructure to facilitate short turnback of services on the Frankston Line

Whilst some services on the Frankston line already commence at stations other than Frankston, the increased frequencies on the Frankston Line on opening requires a turnback in the vicinity of Cheltenham / Mordialloc to achieve the most efficient train paths and stopping patterns and maximise the number of services that operate on that line.

To effectively meet customer demand on this corridor, not all services need to go to Frankston. Some services can start in the vicinity of Cheltenham or Mordialloc, which are major interchange stations, particularly in the peak periods. This will help to serve customers north of Cheltenham / Mordialloc station, whilst reducing the number of train sets and operating costs serving the Frankston line, as not all services will need to operate all the way to Frankston. It also reduces the need to further upgrade infrastructure south of Cheltenham / Mordialloc for a higher number of trains operating in the AM / PM Peak hour.

Improvements to access to sidings on the Frankston Line

In order to achieve the increased frequencies on the Frankston Line on opening, efficient access to the limited stabling facilities available on the Frankston line is required to achieve the most efficient train paths, stopping patterns and limit moves that have the potential to impact upon the reliability of the service.

Signalling headway improvement works

Signalling infrastructure will largely determine the frequency of train services that can be run on any given line because it will dictate how close together trains can be scheduled. Conventional signalling works on a system of blocks (defined by lineside signals) where a train may only enter a block or section of track once the train in front has cleared it.

Existing constraints on the network preclude achieving the full uplift potential of Melbourne Metro in service frequencies. Upgrades and improvements are required to reduce the number of minutes between scheduled trains to accommodate the frequencies prescribed for opening of Melbourne Metro and beyond and remove unnecessary constraints on train moves.

These include:
– Signalling improvement works on the Sunshine – Dandenong Line
– Signalling and other rail infrastructure improvement works on the Werribee Line
– Signalling improvement works on the Craigieburn Line
– Signalling improvement works on the Frankston Line.

And delivering them

The 2016 Metro Tunnel business case also looked at how and when the Wider Network Enhancements should be delivered.

The Wider Network Enhancements are being considered separately to the other packages, consistent with the approach recommended in the 2013 Procurement Strategy. The key reasons for considering the wider network works as a separate package (or series of packages) are as follows:

– The scope and location of these works means that they can potentially be undertaken independently of other scope elements.
– They have very different technical characteristics to the tunnel and stations works, are geographically separate, are of a brownfield nature and will be undertaken in a live operating environment with significant interface and stakeholder management issues.
– The required timeframe for procurement and delivery of these works differs to the rest of the project. These works need to be completed to coincide with completion of the tunnel and stations works, but have a much shorter construction duration.

Wider Network Enhancements will be packaged with other works where there are clearly demonstrable benefits such as procurement and/or delivery synergies. As noted above, the eastern turnback will form part of the Rail Infrastructure package and the signalling upgrades on the Sunshine – Dandenong Line will form part of the Rail Systems package. Other Wider Network Enhancements may ultimately form part of these packages and, where appropriate, works will be incorporated with the Level Crossing Removal Project to reduce costs and minimise disruption. Further detailed assessment of any such opportunities will occur as part of the detailed pre-procurement planning activities

So what’s happened?

Signalling improvement works on the Sunshine – Dandenong Line are well underway, with the High Capacity Signalling rollout well underway.

And upgrades to stabling along the Frankston line were delivered as part of the Level Crossing Removal Project – the troublesome single compound leading into the siding at Carrum has been ripped up.

To make way for a new elevated railway station.

Photo by Philip Mallis, via Wikimedia Commons

With the stabling yard relocated to Kananook.

Cheltenham station also got a new, more flexible centre turnback siding as part of the recent level crossing removal works.

But no changes at Essendon station – the third platform there is still too short for a 6-car Metro train to stop at, despite the level crossing at the city end being removed.

And the Upfield line has also missed out, with Gowrie station the same as it was back in the 1990s.

So what is left?

The Victorian Auditor-General’s Office detailed the current scope of the Metro Tunnel project in a June 2022 report, including scope cuts made in May 2022.

As of May 2022, Rail Projects Victoria forecasts that the overall project will cost $12.58 billion. This is a $1.55 billion (14 per cent) increase over the 2017 approved project budget.

This comparison does not allow for the wider network enhancements and High Capacity Signalling work which have been descoped. Adjusting for this, the overall project increase over the 2017 approved is $1.88 billion (17 per cent).

The value of the savings? $244.8 million by removing the Eastern Turnback and signalling upgrades from the Wider Network Enhancements scope. Rail Projects Victoria gave this reason for the cuts.

RPV’s rationale for this request was that pre-cursor works assumed in the original Metro Tunnel Project business case have not been done, and therefore the original network enhancements scope cannot achieve network benefits. The funds released by the government’s descope decision have been reallocated within the wider MTP budget

So will the Craigieburn and Upfield lines be able to make the most of the extra track capacity through the City Loop released by the Metro Tunnel project?

It looks like the answer is “kinda sorta” – more trains will be able to run than today, but even more trains could run if the cancelled Wider Network Enhancements works had have been delivered.

A High Capacity Signalling footnote

The Metro Tunnel project has also saved $91 million by cutting the High Capacity Signalling scope by about a third (or 27 kilometres of double rail track) — from the original announced scope of Watergardens to Dandenong, to a new scope of West Footscray to Westall.

Note that this dollar figure was based on the original estimate for the work, with Rail Projects Victoria estimating in 2022 that the actual cost would more likely cost between $300 million and
$500 million.

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Photo via Adam Bandt

The flooding

The recent Maribyrnong River flood inundated the inner west.

Coming up beneath the railway line at South Kensington.

Maribyrnong River flooding viewed from the Sunbury line train. Kensington Rd under. Some buildings impacted. pic.twitter.com/MsQtTXLAvD

— Melbourne Way (@MelbourneWay) October 13, 2022

And putting Kensington Road underwater.

Luis Ascui photo via The Age

Which isn’t unexpected, given the entire area is covered by a ‘Land Subject to Inundation Overlay’.

As is the low lying land around Moonee Ponds Creek.

Enter the Metro Tunnel

The western portal to the Metro Tunnel is located beside South Kensington station, right in the middle of the floodplain.

So flooding was a consideration when designing the project, with the “Surface Water Impact Assessment” report dated April 2016 examined the risk of flooding to the tunnel, from four different sources.

• Maribyrnong River, which is approximately 500 m from the western portal
• Moonee Ponds Creek, which is approximately 100 m from Arden station
• Yarra River. This is approximately 120 m from CBD South station and could also potentially impact on the eastern portal at South Yarra
• City of Melbourne drainage systems along Swanston Street, adjacent to CBD South station.

The context of the Maribyrnong River at the tunnel portal.

The area immediately to the west of the western portal precinct is subject to flooding from the Maribyrnong River. The Maribyrnong River is one of metropolitan Melbourne’s most significant waterways. It’s catchment area upstream of the three parallel railway bridges to the west of the western portal is approximately 1,400 km2.

The three existing railway bridges through the rail embankment form a significant constriction to flood flows. The floodplain upstream of the bridges is relatively wide, and includes Flemington Racecourse on the east bank and parkland on the west bank. The floodplain upstream of the railway bridges is of the order of 800 m wide, yet the span of railway bridges is only of the order of 100 m. While there is a large bank of culverts through the embankment that forms the right (west) abutment for two of the bridges (the third – the Regional Rail Link Bridge – is a series of bridge spans), the only opening in the left abutment is along Kensington Road. The rail embankment is relatively high and would only be overtopped by an extreme flood event.

Flood gradients along the Maribyrnong River are relatively flat. Consequently, any flood level increases due to works in the floodplain are likely to propagate upstream for a significant distance.

Residential developments and associated compensatory mitigation works have been undertaken along the floodplain upstream of the rail bridges in recent decades. These include, for example, the Edgewater Development. This development included landfilling to enable residential development and excavation of the floodplain to provide compensatory flood conveyance.

Under existing conditions, a one per cent AEP flood would inundate Childers Street near JJ Holland Park to a depth of around a metre.

Looking into the probability flooding in these waterways would impact the tunnel.

Maribyrnong River:

The area around the existing rail embankment, in which the western portal (tunnel decline structure, and cut-and-cover section of tunnels) would be constructed, forms part of the Maribyrnong River floodplain. Under existing conditions, a one percent Annual Exceedance Probability (AEP) flood would inundate Childers Street near JJ Holland Park to a depth of around a metre. There is potential for Maribyrnong River floodwaters to fill the tunnels within hours during a flood event. Up to a days warning would typically be available in advance of such an event.

Moonee Ponds Creek:

The Arden station construction work site, and permanent entrances to Arden station, are in the Moonee Ponds Creek floodplain. The land around the station box and entrances is subject to flooding in events as frequent as 10 per cent AEP. Flood warning times in Moonee Ponds Creek are typically relatively short at only one to two hours.

Yarra River via City Loop:

The Melbourne Metro tunnels are potentially subject to flooding from the existing City Loop tunnels through the underground interconnection at CBD North station. Of the six City Loop tunnel portals in the area between Flinders Street and Richmond Stations, the portal on the line between Flinders Street and Parliament stations, near Federation Square, is at by far the greatest risk of riverine flooding, and is subject to flooding from the Yarra River in an event more frequent than a Year 2100 (ie including allowance for climate change impacts) one per cent AEP Yarra River flood. Up to three day’s warning would typically be available in advance of such an event. The Melbourne Metro tunnels could fill within hours once inundation thresholds were exceeded.

Yarra River via Eastern Portal:

In the absence of any additional mitigation works, the eastern portal would be subject to flooding from the Yarra River in an estimated Year 2100 0.1 per cent AEP (1,000 year ARI) event. A flood immunity risk assessment is required to determine whether this is acceptable.

Overland flows along Swanston Street:

The permanent entrances to CBD South station are subject to flooding from overland flows along Swanston and Flinders Streets. The Flinders Street Station entrance facing Swanston Street, in particular, is subject to some slight ponding of stormwater flows. Very little warning (tens of minutes) would typically be available in advance
of a major overland flow event at this site.

And detailed mitigations to prevent the Metro Tunnel from turning into a giant water slide for trains.

Maribyrnong River:

In the absence of any additional mitigation works, the permanent portal would be protected against flooding from the Maribyrnong River in an estimated one per cent AEP (100 year Average Recurrence Interval (ARI)) event, under Year 2100 conditions, with a 600 mm freeboard allowance. This would be provided by a proposed retaining wall on the north side of the rail embankment along Childers Street. It is proposed that automatic flood gates be installed during the project’s operational phase to protect the portal against flooding from more extreme events. These gates would extend to the full height and width of the portal and thus provide protection against even the most extreme flood event.

Moonee Ponds Creek:

The permanent station entrances in the Concept Design would be above 0.1 per cent AEP flood levels, including allowance for climate change impacts. The adequacy of this would need to be determined by flood immunity risk assessment.

Yarra River via City Loop:

Flooding from the existing City Loop tunnels through the underground interconnection at CBD North station could be mitigated by installation of flood gates on the City Loop tunnel portal near Federation Square to provide protection during both the construction and operational phases of the project. The other five portals in this area are all immune from flooding in a Year 2100 0.1 per cent AEP (1,000 year ARI) Yarra River flood event. A flood immunity risk assessment is required to determine whether this is acceptable.

Yarra River via Eastern Portal:

At a very minimum, it is recommended that a flood warning system be implemented, such that rail services could be suspended and the tunnels and stations evacuated in advance of an extreme flood. If the risk is not deemed to be acceptable, additional emergency management measures such as sandbagging or flood gates would need to be put in place to protect the tunnels from flooding in an extreme event during both the construction and operational phases of the project. It is currently proposed that the portal incorporate works to allow flood gates in the form of stop logs to be installed across the portal in advance of an extreme flood event. It is also proposed that stop logs be stored adjacent to the portal.

Overland flows along Swanston Street:

All entrances would need to be elevated slightly to provide an appropriate level of flood protection to be determined by flood immunity risk assessment.

A follow up report in August 2016 titled “Flood Defence Options at Tunnel Portals” looked deeper at the flood defence options, and included some additional options.

Eastern Portal:

The Surface Water Impact Assessment recommends that a flood warning system be implemented at this location. In my opinion it will be necessary, as part of the assessment of potential flood protection measures at this location, to also consider the installation of automatic flood gates as a response to extreme flood events. A flood warning system would continuously monitor precipitation and Yarra River water levels and, once predefined flood levels were reached, the system would issue a series of warnings to the operators (including operational and maintenance staff). Once the critical flood level was reached, the operational system would then close down the rail infrastructure (e.g. de-energise the OCL) and automatically close the flood gates.

Western Portal:

The Surface Water Impact Assessment recommends automatic flood gates be installed. Due to the relatively short advance warning times involved, an automated flood gate defence system that integrates an appropriate flood monitoring, warning and fault reporting system is recommended. Once the critical flood level was reached, the operational system would then close down the rail infrastructure (e.g. de-energise the OCL) and automatically close the flood gates.

Interconnection between the MURL and Metro Tunnel Rail Network:

The proposed interconnection between the MURL (Melbourne Central Station) and Metro Tunnel (CBD North Station) networks would provide pedestrian access between the underground station platforms, thereby providing an ingress for water to the Metro Tunnel. As with the Eastern and Western Portals, it is recommended that automated gates are installed at each MURL tunnel portal vulnerable to flooding during a ‘Probable Maximum Flood’ event. Alternatively, it is possible to install a flood gate in the connecting tunnels which would isolate the Metro Tunnel from any flood water in the MURL tunnels, should the MURL not have flood defences retro-fitted.

A final decision

December 2017 saw the flood mitigation scope set, following the signing of the “Metro Tunnel – Tunnel and Station PPP Project Agreement“.

5.2.7 Drainage and Flood Control

(e) The Tunnels, Stations and Portals must be protected from flooding through the most effective, practicable means. Active flood control may be required to prevent flooding into the Portals and some Stations. Passive means must be used where appropriate.

(f) Protection from surface water flooding must be provided as follows:

i. A freeboard that is 300mm above the 1:200 year Average Recurrence Interval (ARI) rainfall event level (plus provision for climate change) must be provided at all openings into the Tunnels and Stations to protect against surface water or other non-river flooding event.

ii. At the Portals, transverse drainage must be placed across the entrance to the Tunnels to capture the 1:200 year ARI flood event (plus climate change considerations for rainfall) in the decline structures and discharge the storm water in a controlled fashion to the local drainage system in accordance with the requirements of the statutory authorities.

(h) To protect against a river flooding event, a freeboard that is 600mm above the 1:1000 year ARI flood event level (plus provision for climate change considerations for rainfall and sea level rise) must be provided at all openings into the Tunnels and Station.

(i) Any flood waters from the Yarra and Maribyrnong Rivers must be prevented from entering the Portals. The design must:

i. determine appropriate warning systems;
ii. determine likely warning times;
iii. determine active responses which may include a manual or automatic responses; and
iv. consider the ease of tunnel closure in the case of a large flood event.

Works at the portals.

5.4 Portals
5.4.1 Project Co must:

(f) design, supply and install active flood protection (1:1000 year event);

And requirements for specific locations.

5.8.1 Arden

(b) At Arden Station, to provide levels consistent with surrounding properties designed in accordance with the “Melbourne Water Guidelines for Development in Flood Prone Areas”, entrances and all openings must be as a minimum 600mm above the Moonee Ponds Creek 1:100 year ARI river flooding event level (plus provision for climate change).

5.8.2 CBD North

(c) Floodwaters from the Yarra River must be prevented from entering the CBD North Station via the connection to Melbourne Underground Rail Loop (MURL) at platform level.

(this change removed the need for changes to the City Loop to remove the flooding risk via that source)

It also required climate change to be taken into account.

15.4 Climate Resilience

15.4.1 The design must include measures for all high and extreme climate change risks to ensure the infrastructure, Stations and precincts are resilient to the projected impacts of a changing climate over the relevant asset’s Design Life. This should be in accordance with the adopted climate change projections and scenarios within the MMRA Climate Change Risk Assessment and Climate Change Adaptation Plan.

And another problem

The “Western Portal Development Plan” dated 2020 details the solution to another problem – how to prevent the emergency egress structure at South Kensington turning into a giant plughole leading into the tunnel.

The building itself is large.

The functional requirements of the ancillary building, combined with required setbacks from existing infrastructure, largely dictate the form and scale of the building and demand a robust and enduring materiality. The building footprint is approximately 22 metres long, 12.5 metres wide and 9.1 metres high. This consists of two levels above ground facing Childers Street, and a basement below ground reaching the tunnels.

But is still in the middle of the floodplain.

But couldn’t be moved.

The above-ground building serves two core functions for the safe operation of the railway tunnels. Firstly, it contains spaces and equipment associated with safe emergency egress
of passengers from the tunnel, and secondly, having created an opening to below-ground infrastructure, the building is required to provide flood immunity through elevating all shaft and stair
openings above the predicted future flood levels.

As it needed an exit to ground level.

So the solution.

Flood immunity at the Western Portal is achieved by elevating all shaft and stair openings above the predicted future flood levels. The additional 3 metres in height (making up the total approximate 9.1 metre height of the ancillary building), is required to house a lift overrun and mechanical plant for the safe operation of the tunnel and emergency egress.

The ancillary building concrete treatment is reflective of the local context of the Western Portal and is required to provide water resistance. The proposed treatment of the upper section of the ancillary building, which is situated above the 1 in 1,000-year flood level, is perforated powder coated aluminium façade panels for screening the roof mounted plant.

Raising everything above flood level.

And building it

Walking past the Metro Tunnel portal at South Kensington, the tall concrete flood wall has been disguised by artwork.

But is clearly seen from inside the approach ramp.

The flood doors themselves to be installed at a later stage.

The lack of openings in the ventilation and emergency egress structure beside South Kensington station is also visible.

But the raised entrance at the future entrance to Arden station is still hidden behind the construction hoardings.

The flood doors in the link between State Library and Melbourne Central stations is also in the future.

But one completed aspect is the signal equipment room beside the railway at Hobsons Road, South Kensington.

Built atop an elevated steel deck.

Which has already kept it above the most recent floods.

Photo via Adam Bandt

Sources

• Melbourne Metro Rail Project Surface Water Impact Assessment (April 2016)
• Melbourne Metro Rail Project Flood Defence Options at Tunnel Portals (August 2016)
• Metro Tunnel Western Portal Development Plan (October 2020)

February 2023 update

The Age has published a piece Metro Tunnel among projects that may have exacerbated flood.

Footnote: examples elsewhere

In Hong Kong the Mass Transit Railway uses flood gates to protect the system from flooding via a damaged immersed tube tunnels.

Connections between stations and basements of neighbouring buildings are also protected by flood doors.

And station entrances are raised above street level to prevent localised flooding from entering stations.

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