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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Trains for the City Loop depart from platform 1 and 3.

But there is only one track towards Flagstaff station.

So trains have to wait their turn.

You could try looking at the screens on the platform to see which one leaves first.

But instead you can head up to the overhead concourse.

And look towards the departure end of the platform.

Looking at the same thing train drivers are looking for – signals!

Any combination of red, yellow or green lights means go, while two reds mean stop.

With your newfound knowledge, you can now pick the first train to depart.

And save a grand total of a minute.

Footnote

You can read more about how Melbourne’s railway signals work at Vicsig and Victorian Railways.

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We start overlooking Southern Cross Station, where the Docklands skyline was a lot emptier.

As was that of Spencer Street.

And the western edge of the CBD.

Back in 2009 the explosion of (flammable!) apartment blocks was yet to take off, with 3-car trains still used after 6 PM on some suburban railway lines, and low floor E class trams not appearing on route 86 until 2016.

Metro Trains Melbourne had just taken over from Connex, so a rebranding effort was underway, like this train at West Footscray.

These ones parked for the night at North Melbourne.

And this one at Footscray.

Passing beneath the new footbridge.

A decade on Regional Rail Link has changed this entire rail corridor beyond recognition, with new tracks at North Melbourne, the near new Footscray footbridge demolished then rebuilt, a rebuilt station at West Footscray, and an extra pair of tracks between the city and Sunshine.

Next up – a ride to the country, where there was a long line at Southern Cross Station to buy a V/Line ticket.

In the days before myki paper tickets were the only option for V/Line travel, and had to be purchased for a specific date, leading to massive queues in the leadup to holiday periods.

But I followed it up with a far more laid back train journey, heading to Tocumwal with the Seymour Railway Heritage Centre.

With Santa even coming along the the ride.

I also headed home to Geelong for Christmas, and passed a McDonnell Douglas DC-10 firefighting air tanker stationed at Avalon Airport.

Registration N17085, it was based at Avalon from January to March 2010 for the summer fire season, but I don’t think it was ever called into service.

On the other side of Geelong, I photographed a V/Line train headed further afield to Warrnambool.

Back then the area south of Grovedale was empty paddocks.

And empty country roads.

But change was coming – stage 4A of the Geelong Ring Road was underway, turning the area into a commuter destination.

Today the paddocks are the Armstrong Creek urban growth area – the Anglesea Road level crossing was grade separated in 2011, Waurn Ponds station opened in 2014, and the Baanip Boulevard connection to the Surf Coast Highway was completed in 2015.

Footnote

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

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New infrastructure

Work on the new platform at Laverton was well underway, with tracks laid but not connected.

At Footscray station the new footbridge was starting to look real.

But the rickety old timber bridge was still in place.

While at North Melbourne the new concourse had finally opened, with both Metcard and myki ticket readers provided.

Allowing the old northern exit to be closed off.

With Connex staff on hand to direct any confused passengers.

The extension of the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre had also wrapped up.

The new Seafarers Bridge was open to pedestrians.

And the wharf sheds at the Duke’s and Orr’s dry dock were being restored for use as a bar.

Changes around Geelong

I visited the Barrabool Hills, where the Geelong Ring Road climbs away from the Barwon River.

Back then it was empty paddocks.

But now it’s full of houses, occupied by people who commute to Melbourne.

I also went past the Ford casting plant at North Shore, where engine blocks for Ford cars were produced.

The plant closed in 2016 following Ford’s withdrawal from Australian manufacturing, and is currently being demolished.

And scenes that are gone

Remember when trams stopped at each intersection along Swanston Street, and you needed to climb up from road level?

Design work for platform stops at City Square, Bourke Street and the State Library commenced in 2010, with the new stops completed in 2012.

Southern Cross Station used to be a lot emptier.

As was the Docklands skyline to the west.

The station is now filled with shops, while I’ve lost track of all the buildings built in Docklands.

Over at ‘E’ Gate I found a much more industrial scene, where loaded steel wagons were being shunted.

Followed by a steel train bound for Hastings.

But now the entire area is an empty paddock: the yard closed in 2015 to make room for the ‘E’ Gate development, but will instead be covered with flyovers for the West Gate ‘Tunnel’ project.

I also headed out to West Footscray station.

This entire scene is now gone following the Regional Rail Link project, with the current West Footscray station opened in 2013.

The view in the other direction is also gone.

Every single house on the north side of Buckley Street was compulsorily acquired to make room for the additional tracks, and the footbridge I was standing on demolished and not replaced.

And around the corner was the Rising Sun Hotel.

Back then it was abandoned, but it has since been reborn – the pub was converted to apartments in 2012, with the mural peeking out from behind.

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Around Geelong

We start down in the Geelong suburb of Waurn Ponds.

Which a decade ago was the southern terminus of the Geelong Ring Road.

But work was underway to extend the freeway over the Waurn Ponds Creek valley.

And up the hill via Anglesea Road.

The nearby streets had bus stops to nowhere.

With new houses stretching as far as the railway line.

Back then only thrice-daily trains to Warrnambool used this line.

But a decade later it is now the site of Waurn Ponds station, terminus of the majority of V/Line services from Melbourne.

The Geelong Football Club made it into the 2009 AFL Grand Final, so V/Line ran special trains from Geelong to the MCG to carry the thousands of fans.

With a special ‘Geelong Cats’ headboard decorating the front of one train.

More construction

The new concourse at North Melbourne station opened in September 2009.

With Connex staff outnumbering the passengers on the first day of operations.

But for the first few weeks passengers still used the old northern entrance, as work on the new station building was still underway.

At Laverton station, the third platform was now starting to look real.

And the lift shafts for the new footbridge towering above the existing footbridge.

The new footbridge at Footscray was also rising at a rapid pace.

Multiple sections of bridge were ready to be lifted into place.

With others awaiting ramps and stairs to be added.

After the turning of the first sod for the Regional Rail Link project in August 2009, work at Southern Cross Station ramped up. The pile driver continued work on the future platform 15 and 16.

And the trackbed north of Latrobe Street was cleared to make room for the new Regional Rail Link tracks.

And some trains

The first of Melbourne’s ‘interim’ order of X’Trapolis trains had arrived at the Newport Workshops in September 2009.

A decade later we’re still ordering more of the aging design, but with no commitment to updating it, Alstom’s Ballarat plant may close down.

A much older train was the Steamrail Victoria special I followed through the eastern suburbs of Melbourne.

A decade later, this station at Heatherdale no longer exists – replaced by a rail-under grade separation in 2017.

Neither does the station at Mitcham – replaced in 2014.

Or the rickety footbridge at Ringwood – replaced in 2015.

Another steam train was this Steamrail Victoria special for Ballarat.

I also captured it at North Geelong C.

Where the century-old semaphore signals have only just been replaced.

I also followed the transfer of a V/Line power van from Melbourne to the Ballarat Workshops for refurbishment.

And the return working on a refurbished classmate.

Both vans are used by V/Line on their frequently failing V/Line Albury service.

And finally we end on the derailment of a V/Line train at Stonyford on the Warrnambool line.

On the evening of Saturday 12 September 2009 the train collided with trees lying across the track, felled by strong winds.

Which resulted in the derailment of the locomotives and four of the five passenger cars.

But the presence of a second locomotive on the train may have reduced the impact of the crash – there were only minor injuries to both locomotive drivers and one passenger.

As a result of the crash V/Line has taken a much more aggressive attitude to trees near railway lines.

Footnote

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

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Remember Connex and Metcards? Here we see the ticket gates at Glenferrie station.

Down at North Melbourne station the new concourse at the city end was almost complete. This massive steel deck was required to protect the gas mains underneath from the heavy crane used to remove the last bits of formwork.

Down the line at Footscray station, rail replacement buses were running, thanks to a damaged section of overhead wiring on the track towards Newport – all thanks to a scrote who threw a chair over the edge of the station footbridge.

Note the lack of low floor buses – you can blame Sita Buslines for that.

The footbridge in question was still the rickety timber and tin structure dating back to the 1900s.

But the bridge’s days were numbered.

With construction on the $14.7 million dollar replacement about to start.

Another upgrade was the introduction of ‘Parkiteer‘ bike cages around the network.

Launched in February 2008, initially $1 million in funding was allocated for the installation of up to 20 bike cages.

But $1 million is a drop in the ocean in the money spent on railway station car parks.

In 2009 the massive car park at Laverton station was undergoing yet another expansion – stretching halfway to Aircraft station.

By 2014 the car park was rated the ‘worst in Melbourne for finding a space‘, with local residents getting sick and tired of motorists from elsewhere clogging their suburb, but the 2018 State Election saw the promise of still more parking spaces made by the Andrews Government.

July 2009 also saw me take a wander around the back blocks of Docklands.

There were plenty of abandoned railway tracks running around the wharves – this is now the corner of Collins and Bourke Street.

While the other end was shed 21 – since demolished, erasing the last trace of Victoria Dock.

Closer to North Melbourne station was the former ‘Hump’ at Melbourne Yard.

Opened in 1968, the yard was used to sort freight wagons. Each wagon would be pushed to the top of the ‘hump’ and then released, being allowed to roll into a destination track.

The entire yard was controlled by a primitive computer, with remote controlled brakes and points ensuring that each wagon ended up on the correct train.

But by the time of my visit the yard was long closed – the last train passed over the top in 1987.

The bulk of the yard was demolished in 1997 to make way for the Docklands Stadium, but the ‘hump’ crest lasted until 2010, when it was demolished to make room for the new Regional Rail Link tracks.

I also swung past the Melbourne Steel Terminal, used to tranship freight for the BlueScope Steel plant on the Stony Point line at Hastings.

Located in the middle of the ‘E’ Gate urban renewal precinct, the freight terminal was closed in 2015 and cleared of tracks soon after.

But all of those plans have come to naught – the land has been handed over to Transurban for city access ramps connecting to the West Gate ‘Tunnel’.

And finally, we end down on the outskirts of Geelong, where the railway towards Warrnambool passed through anonymous empty paddocks.

But in 2013 this spot was chosen as the site of the new ‘Grovedale’ station, which opened to passengers as ‘Waurn Ponds’ on October 2014.

Footnote

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

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Remember how open and spacious Southern Cross Station used to be? Nevermore!

But one thing that has changed for the better is the queue to buy V/Line tickets – on the Friday night before the Queens Birthday long weekend I found 50 or so people waiting to buy one.

Before the introduction of myki to V/Line commuter services in 2013, passengers could only buy tickets in person from major railway stations, or a limited number of ticket agents in country towns – which led to massive queues at Southern Cross Station.

June 2009 also saw the first Myki ticket machines deployed to suburban stations.

It took until December 2009 for them to be switched on for passengers, with the Metcard machines removed from November 2012.

Another improvement was down at Laverton, where work was well underway on a third track and turnback platform. There were ‘Road closed’ signs blocking the rails.

A platform minus track.

And new overhead wires being strung.

Over at North Melbourne station the new concourse was almost complete.

The structure emerging from above the steel and timber crash deck.

June 2009 also saw site clearance work start for the new Footscray station footbridge.

Ready to replace the rickety timber and tin footbridge that linked the platforms.

A short distance from Footscray is the rail freight yards of North Dynon freight yard.

In the decade since much has happened – QR National rebranded as Aurizon in 2012 only to quit the intermodal freight business completely in 2017, while the northern Melbourne CBD skyline is now crowded with new apartment towers.

But things were much quieter at the Newport Workshops, where the railway sidings lay empty.

Currently used y a number of railway heritage groups to restore steam locomotives, in 2019 VicTrack announced that the groups would not have their leases on the site renewed.

I also caught a a V/Line screwup at Southern Cross Station – the points changed beneath a carriage set in the yard, leading to multi-track drifting.

And finally something completely different – semi-submersible oil platform ‘Kan Tan IV‘ being towed into Corio Bay.

Bound for Lascelles Wharf, the rig was in Geelong for refurbishment.

Footnote

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

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We start over at Flinders Street Station, where Hitachi trains were still in service with then-suburban train operator Connex Melbourne.

Connex was replaced by Metro Trains Melbourne in November 2009, but the Hitachi trains hung on until December 2013.

Nearby signal box Flinders Street ‘A’ was being rebuilt as part of the ‘Signal’ youth arts centre.

But around the corner was the abandoned trackbed of platform 11.

It has since been turned into the ‘Arbory’ bar, opened in 2015

We’ve been watching the construction at North Melbourne station for months now, and in May 2009 the temporary scaffolding was coming down, exposing the new concourse at the city end.

Down near Moonee Ponds Creek I photographed a V/Line train headed out of the station.

Since Regional Rail Link opened in 2014 these tracks are only used by suburban trains, with V/Line now using their own tracks that bypass North Melbourne station entirely.

Once upon a time passenger trains all over Victoria once carried parcels as well as passengers, but in 2009 the ‘Green Star’ parcel service still operated using V/Line trains.

The public parcel service was wound up in 2010, but V/Line still continues transporting blood products for the Australian Red Cross Blood Service as part of a separate agreement.

Another much heavier freight task is the movement of steel products from the BlueScope Steel plant at Hastings, to the Melbourne Steel Terminal next door to Docklands.

A decade on the trains still run, this freight terminal no longer exists – the site was cleared in 2015 to make way for the ‘E’ Gate development, only for Transurban to acquire it in 2016 as part of the West Gate ‘Tunnel’ city access ramps.

Around the corner at the South Dynon depot, I found a 114 tonne diesel locomotive being lifted by a crane.

B64 originally entered service in 1952 and was in service with V/Line for 40 years until retired in 1992. It then went through a succession of owners who intended to restore it to service, but to naught – it’s currently dumped out the back of the railway workshops in Bendigo.

Another similarly aged locomotive is steam engine R761.

It also entered service in 1952, but was withdrawn far earlier in 1974, but retained for use on special trains, such as this run to Ballarat.

The steep climb out of Bacchus Marsh drew quite a crowd.

As did the spin on the turntable on arrival at Ballarat.

Along the way I stopped into the ghost town that was Rockbank station.

The station is currently being upgraded as part of the Regional Rail Revival project, but there is nothing ‘regional’ about Rockbank – the new station is intended to serve sprawling new suburbs of Melbourne.

While I was up in Ballarat, I stumbled upon for the former Joe White Maltings plant in Wendouree.

A complex series of conveyors and elevators once moved grain around the facility.

But by the time I visited the plant had closed, bulk of the site having been demolished in 2006, leaving just the silos.

The site then lay empty, with the silos demolished in late-2010 after plans to convert them into apartments fell through.

We end down in Geelong, where I picked up a “Short Term Ticket”.

They were a cardboard single use smartcard ticket, sold on buses in Ballarat, Bendigo and Geelong following the introduction of Myki in 2009.

The rollout of short term tickets was cancelled by the Baillieu government in June 2011, acting on advice contained in a secret report by consultants Deloitte. Supposedly the continued rollout was cancelled because the cards cost $0.40 cents to manufacture – making up almost half of the $0.90 charged for a concession bus fare in Geelong!

Despite the objections of locals, the sale of two hour and daily short-term tickets ended in Geelong on Friday 19 April 2013.

Footnote

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

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Flinders Street Station

Flinders Street Station platform 4 and 5 get incredibly crowded in peak times, with every passenger bound for Sunbury, Craigieburn and Upfield lines trying to squeeze onto it, along with a handful of passengers wanting to make their way out to Blackburn on a stopping-all-stations trains.

As a result, in 2012 the entire eastern end of the platform was cleared out – vending machines, seats and timetables.

But that wasn’t enough – Authorised Officers are sometimes deployed on crowd control duty, telling clueless passengers to keep on walking down the platform.

North Melbourne Station

North Melbourne platform 1 is another pinch point in morning peak, as passengers wanting to access the City Loop try to squeeze onboard already crush loaded Craigieburn line services.

Authorised officers are deployed to get passengers to wait away from the escalators.

But sometimes crowds of passengers still get left behind.

Congestion also occurs at North Melbourne platform 5, so ‘For safety reasons please keep hatched area clear at all times’ signs have been added beneath the escalator.

But congestion also occurs in the reverse direction – exiting passengers in morning peak swap the single escalator towards the overhead concourse.

So authorised offices have been posted on the platform with portable fences, directing waiting passengers away from the busiest doors.

At least the number of escalator failures seems to have dropped since their 2015 peak!

Footscray Station

A different problem occurs at Footscray platform 1, where passengers run at the closing doors.

The reason – V/Line passengers changing for the City Loop have to exit the station then enter again to find their citybound train.

Metro’s solution – post authorised officers to the platform to tell people not to force the train doors.

Southern Cross Station

Southern Cross Station is the prime example of platform congestion.

Platform 13 and 14 is ‘bad’ – when in morning peak an entire train load of Werribee line passengers will swamp the pair of ‘up’ escalators at the Collins Street end in no time.

But the morning queues on platform 9 and 10 are worse – waiting passengers block the train driver’s view down the curved platform, meaning trains are delayed in departing.

The queues for the escalator often outlast the train that deposited the passengers.

So Metro often posts Authorised Officers on crowd control duty to keep the edge of the platform clear.

Platform 10 also has a different problem in evening peak – passengers crowding the first door of trains, thanks to the staggered platform layout at the Bourke Street end.

In February 2018 Metro tried roping off the Bourke Street end to distribute passengers along the platform, as well as prevent last minute arrivals from running for the train, but it didn’t seem to go anywhere.

But the armageddon of platform congestion happened in April, when two of the three escalator failed at the same time.

Metro had to post a platoon of customer service staff to direct passengers up the sole remaining escalator.

Extra staff at the Bourke Street end, to encourage passengers to use the other exit.

Along with staff to provide extra ‘incentive’.

As well as a supervisor on the Collins Street configure to keep an eye on the entire operation.

Footnote

Over at Melbourne on Transit is a post on the escalator saga – Southern Cross Station: How it works (or doesn’t)

And a sidenote from Hong Kong

Metro Trains’ parent company in Hong Kong deploys plenty of platform staff to keep passengers clear of the doors.

Holding up ‘STOP’ signs to passengers while the doors close.

And a housekeeping announcement

I’ve just launched my page on Patreon! In case you’re wondering, Patreon is a simple way for you to contribute to this blog every month, and you get a sneak peek at what’s coming up in return!

Head over to https://www.patreon.com/wongm to find out more.

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Road trip!

An extended road trip through Western Victoria was on the agenda, starting down the Princes Highway to Warrnambool.

As I followed the daily freight train down to the container terminal at Warrnambool.

Then return to Melbourne.

I also stopped inspected a long list of abandoned stations along railway west to Adelaide.

Westmere.

Maroona.

Murtoa.

Stawell.

Pura Pura.

Dahlen.

I did see a few freight trains along the way – like this one at Lubeck.

And container wagons in the yard at Horsham.

A few stations had become home to freight wagons stored due to a lack of traffic – grain hoppers at Portland.

And louvred vans at Murtoa.

Out west are also a number of closed railway lines, like the route to Mount Gambier.

Closed in 1995, the level crossings were still in place but the tracks have been paved over.

While at Ararat I found the mothballed Avoca line that ran north to Dunolly.

After a decade lying idle, it was upgraded as part of the Murray Basin Rail Project and reopened to trains in 2018.

Chasing trains

The log train that once ran between Bairnsdale and Geelong is a common theme in my “photos from ten years ago” series, and this month is no different – this time we see the empty train passing through Corio at sunset.

The final log train ran in June 2009.

Back in 2009 V/Line trains were still painted red and blue, such as this Warrnambool bound service passing the abandoned station of Pirron Yallock, just west of Colac.

This was replaced by a grey and white livery in 2007, and the current PTV livery in 2017.

The other notable train I photographed was a refurbished Hitachi train way off the beaten track.

One would never expect to see a suburban train sitting under the roof at Ballarat station.

or headed along the tracks without any overhead wires.

Originally intended to have been retired following the 2006 Commonwealth Games, six Hitachi trains stayed in service with Connex Melbourne thanks to an explosion in patronage on the Melbourne suburban network.

In 2008 rust was found in the floors of the aging trains, which led to the trains being transferred to the Alstom Ballarat workshops for rectification works, which saw them back into service until retired for good in December 2013.

Construction

Work was continuing of the $36 million upgrade of North Melbourne station. The superstructure had been completed.

And the first section of concourse roof had assembled, ready to be slid into place along temporary tracks to it’s final home.

The new concourse was opened to passengers in November 2009.

Construction was also underway on a brand new station on the Craigieburn line at Coolaroo.

Tracks needed to be relocated to make room for the platforms, with the station eventually opening in June 2010.

Over at Southern Cross Station the ‘Yardmasters’ building was starting to take shape north of platform 5 and 6.

While the Myki rollout was slowly proceeding, with the discovery centre at Southern Cross closed for renovations.

So that working ticketing equipment could be installed.

It took until December 2009 for Myki to be accepted for travel on Melbourne trains, in a last ditch attempt to meet a “working by the end of 2009” pledge.

Finally, January 2009 saw an extended heatwave hit Melbourne crippling Melbourne’s rail network, leading to a parliamentary inquiry and a day of free travel for train passengers.

Ticket barriers were thrown open.

With signage at stations telling passengers there was no need to buy a ticket.

Footnote

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

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