Waking up in Geelong

I realised the other day I’ve never written a complete piece about the history of V/Line operating nine car long trains – so here goes.

In the beginning

The story starts back in December 2005, with the introduction of the VLocity trains to the V/Line fleet. Each set consisted of two carriages seating a total of 140 passengers, with a drivers cab at each end. For the peak hour express trains on the Geelong line, they would coupled together three units to make a six car train.

We then saw a politically motivated 20% cut in V/Line fares in 2007, resulting in an explosion in patronage, especially on the Geelong line.

One response to this was the ordering of additional trains for V/Line, who saw their first three-car long VLocity set enter service in August 2008.

But with patronage still growing and suburban and V/Line trains sharing the tracks out of Melbourne, running more services on the Geelong line wasn’t an option. But V/Line had another solution – 7-car long VLocity train, made up of two 2-car sets with a 3-car set.

These trains were introduced to the Geelong line in November 2008 and ran until June 2015, when Geelong trains commenced using the new Regional Rail Link tracks, and the last of the 2-car VLocity trains had been extended to be three cars along.

So what next?

As early as 2011 V/Line knew longer trains would be required – their ‘Initial Strategic Operations Plan’, obtained by the Greens under the Freedom of Information Act, says the following:

V/Line anticipates that by this point in time (2018) a high capacity style DMU will be required for Geelong services. It is expected that these trains would operate in 8- or 9-car consists and would each be able to carry 750 – 800 customers. It is expected that the eight peak hour services would be operated with the high capacity DMUs.

And the Regional Rail Link project also included provision for these longer trains – providing 250 metre long platforms at Footscray, Tarneit and Wyndham Vale stations to cater for a hypothetical nine car long train, made up of three 3-car sets.

But for some unknown reason, they decided only only build a 190 metre long platform at Sunshine, despite plenty of space at the city end for a 250 metre long one.

But in 2016 the State Government’s focus switched to a ‘high capacity next generation regional train’ – from the PTV website:

High capacity next generation regional trains

The 2016-17 State Budget includes $10 million in development funding for High-Capacity Next Generation Regional Rolling Stock to cater for the future needs of regional Victoria.

A next generation high capacity regional train will be commissioned in the coming years to cater for strong patronage growth and provide new peak services.

With V/Line saying in 2017 that nine car trains are possible, but won’t be happening any time soon – from the Geelong Advertiser.

Nine-carriage V/Line trains possible, but no plans for Geelong line yet
23 October 2017

The boss of the regional rail network has admitted for the first time nine-carriage trains on the Geelong line are a possibility.

Potential for a mega-train carrying more than 660 passengers comes after calls from commuters and rail experts to reduce peak-time overcrowding on the line.

But while James Pinder said a nine-carriage train was possible, he said it was not a current priority.

Mr Pinder said V/Line’s priority was bolstering its fleet from three to six-carriage trains.

“The (VLocity) train is capable of running in a nine-car configuration. (To run nine-carriage trains) it becomes an issue around infrastructure and number of vehicles (available),” he said.

“We don’t currently have any plans to run nine-car ser­vices. To run large numbers of nine-car services we would have to have a look at (increasing) platform lengths.”

On Monday, a spokeswoman for the Public Transport Minister did not say if the Government was considering introducing nine-carriage trains on the regional network.

The Geelong Advertiser under­stands platforms at Geelong station are long enough for nine-carriage trains — which could open the possibility for Geelong to Melbourne express trains.

Platforms at other smaller stations on the line would need to be extended for a stopping-all-stations Waurn Ponds to Southern Cross train.

Mr Pinder said nine-­carriage trains did not run across the V/Line network at present.

And they finally happen

On Sunday 21 June 2020 V/Line ran their first nine car VLocity train on the mainline, taking it from Southern Cross Station to Wyndham Vale and back to test their operation, as well as platform clearances.

Sunshine station being the sticking point.

The last one and 1/2 carriages fouling the junction when the front was stopped at the city end of platform 3.

Or sticking out in front after the rear of the train was brought onto the platform.

These tests were then followed in July 2021 by more testing, this time between Ballarat and Lal Lal, which doesn’t see any V/Line passenger services run along it.

ThebusofdoomFSX video

But it took another year for the first nine car train to take passengers – following the 30 May 2022 timetable change.

Passengers in Melbourne’s west now have more space on selected peak services with 9-car VLocity trains running to and from Wyndham Vale Station for the first time.

The longer trains, which have the highest-capacity of any regional commuter train in Victoria, will boost capacity by 50% cent on the busiest part on the V/Line network.

The new 9-car services will run each weekday, with 1 in the morning peak starting at Wyndham Vale and 2 in the evening peak departing from Southern Cross.

As well as improving capacity, the 9-car trains also provide more doors for boarding, reducing crowding in corridors particularly in peak periods.

Platforms will also be extended at Sunshine Station to allow nine-car VLocity trains to stop there in the future.

But due to the short platforms, these nine car services had to run express through Sunshine, as well as Deer Park.

Extending the platforms at Sunshine

With level crossing removal works at Deer Park station regularly closing the Geelong and Ballarat lines, V/Line took the opportunity to finally extend the platforms at Sunshine. In March 2023 the piled foundations were installed.

The real work kicking off in April, with assembly of the steel platform supports.

And pouring of the concrete deck.

They then left the completed section of platform fenced off for a month.

The nine car trains still having to skip the stop.

Until May, when they decided to take down the fence between new and old.

And the introduction of a new timetable from 28 May 2023 adding a stop at Sunshine to the nine car Wyndham Vale services.

However in recent months I haven’t seen a nine car train run – possibly due to a shortage of VLocity railcars following the retirement of the H set locomotive hauled carriage fleet.

And so they choose to cut down a nine car train to six cars, than a six car train to three.

And now to Melton?

In May 2021 the State Government announced that funding would be provided to allow nine car VLocity trains to run to Melton, a promise repeated in October 2022.

And reiterated yet again in March 2024.

The Melton level crossing removal works will help introduce larger nine-car VLocity trains as part of the $650 million Melton Line Upgrade, increasing capacity for passengers by 50 per cent and creating 1,000 jobs during construction – while making roads safer and less congested for pedestrians.

To support the introduction of nine car trains, a new train stabling facility is being investigated at Cobblebank where trains could be stored when they are not operating, further supporting local jobs in construction and ongoing maintenance.

But look at what else was happening at the same time – a brand new station at Deer Park was opened in April 2023, with platforms only 215 metres long – half a carriage (10 metres) too short!

That flew under the radar until August 2024, when the State Opposition gave a media drop to the Herald Sun, and then it was all over the news.

Footnote: it’s not just platform length

The new platform extensions at Sunshine also happen to be ~100mm higher than the existing platforms.

This happens to be a new platform height standard, which was also used at Deer Park station – and happens to be incompatible with the outward swinging plug doors fitted to V/Line’s Sprinter railcars.

And so those trains are banned from stopping at the new platforms.

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