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

Yes, more Regional Rail Link this month! First off, a V/Line train headed over the newly upgraded North Melbourne flyover bound for Southern Cross, avoiding the suburban trains down below.

The sharp curves catching V/Line unaware a few years later, when almost the entire VLocity train fleet was withdrawn from service due to wheel wear issues.

At Footscray the upgraded station was open to passengers, with the forecourt to Irving Street nicely landscaped.

And restoration work underway on the heritage listed station buildings.

There were also works happening in the background – a new traction power substation was under construction, so that extra suburban services could use the track capacity freed up by giving V/Line trains their own route into the city.

But despite the infrastructure upgrades, little use was made of the extra capacity – by 2018 only half of the extra capacity was being used.

And still on the trains

I photographed a slice of the past out at Beaconsfield, where the 1950s-era overhead wiring and traction power tie station was still in place. It’s all since been replaced by a modern power supply as part of the work to support the rollout of High Capacity Metro Trains to the Pakenham line.

At Flagstaff station I found a set of defective myki gates under repair – presumably from being smashed open by a fare evader.

While over at Southern Cross were Authorised Officers in their new military-style vests, looking out for the next person trying the same trick.

On the trams

A decade ago City Circle trams were still in the maroon and gold livery, and the ‘shard’ at Federation Square had yet to be demolished for the Metro Tunnel entrance.

The original Z1 class trams were also still running down Swanston Street, with only two doors per side and dinky little sliding windows.

East Preston Depot was still open to serve the high floor B2 class trams used on route 11 and 86 – all since replaced by the low floor E class trams based out of ‘New’ Preston Depot.

While testing of the new E class trams was still continuing – I found one at the route 57 terminus in West Maribyrnong on a late night test run.

Meanwhile on Collins Street, things were going backwards – passengers having to step up to trams from street level.

The platform stops closed so they could be dug up and raised to current standards, despite only being a decade old.

Buses

Transdev had taken over from National Bus, but the transition into the new PTV colour scheme was going in fits and starts.

While route 286 through the back streets of Blackburn was removed, but then a few months later, reintroduced as route 271.

Another changed bus stop can be found at Melbourne Airport – the route 901 service to Broadmeadows and eventually Frankston once stopped outside Qantas terminal T1.

But these days it’s hidden at the far end of the ‘Ground Transport Hub’, a long walk from terminal 4.

And something different

My next stop at Melbourne Airport a decade ago was Brisbane.

Catching a train from Brisbane Airport into the city.

To Roma Street – the Brisbane Transit Centre since demolished for the Cross River Rail project.

While I was in town, I photographed some of their first generation EMU trains.

The Merivale Bridge.

And buses on the network of Brisbane City Council operated busways.

Which include underground bus stations.

Passengers boarding buses from air conditioned platforms.

But the reason for my visit was a trip on The Sunlander.

A locomotive hauled sleeping train that ran from Brisbane to Cairns until December 2014.

When I woke up the next day, we were well into cane country.

But the trip north is a long one – not arriving into Cairns until that evening.

While in Cairns I rode the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway up to Kuranda, and with some lucky timing spotted a Kuranda-bound train stopped at Barron Falls.

After lunch, it was time to head to Kuranda station, where I found a signal box still in service.

And caught the Kuranda Scenic Railway back down the range to Cairns.

Unfortunately I didn’t have time for the four day journey on the Savannahlander, but I did see it arrive back into Cairns.

But it was time to fly home via Sydney – my plane passing over the Hawkesbury River railway bridge on our descent.

The Inner West Light Rail

And a Pacific National container train shunting the freight yard at Cooks River.

Time to change planes, and soon enough I was back in Melbourne – greeted at the airport luggage claim by propaganda for the Napthine Government’s East West Link, CityLink Tulla Widening, and an unfunded Melbourne Airport Rail Link.

A decade on we’ve gotten the west half of the East West Link, the Tullamarine Freeway has been widening, and airport rail – still talking.

Footnote

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

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The original

The first locomotive numbered #6029 is a New South Wales AD60 class Beyer-Garratt 4-8-4+4-8-4 heavy goods steam locomotive, which entered service in 1954 and is now preserved by Transport Heritage NSW.

The young one

The next locomotive numbered #6029 is a UGL Rail C44aci diesel electric locomotive, operated by Aurizon on freight services across Australia since delivery in 2012.

And the ring in

And the electric version of #6029 is actually a tram – a Melbourne E-class which entered service in 2015.

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Regional Rail Link

These has been an ongoing theme for many months now, but ten years ago Regional Rail Link was nearing the finishing line – the finishing touches were being applied to the new platforms at Footscray.

And the site offices were being cleared away.

The road under rail grade separation on the Sunbury line at Anderson Road was open to traffic.

Noise walls were going up beside the existing railway line around Ardeer.

And the new railway through Wyndham Vale.

Wyndham Vale station looked ready for trains.

But the street entrance was boarded up – the first train was still a year away.

V/Line trains still sharing the suburban tracks into North Melbourne station.

But Ballarat trains were snaking across the new tracks to use the new country platforms at Sunshine station.

Flinders Street Station

Metro Trains Melbourne was more interested in making money at Flinders Street Station than running trains.

Leasing the site of the long abandoned platform 11 for the construction of a bar.

With views of the Yarra River.

The station also gained a massive video wall on the concourse, screening an endless loop of advertisements.

They didn’t stop until 25 November 2022, where an activist covered it with paint, shutting it down until June 2023 when a replacement screen was installed.

Southern Cross Station

V/Line’s fleet of A class diesel locomotives were still in frontline service a decade ago.

While the western end of Southern Cross Station was a much brighter place.

But not for long – work on the 699 Bourke Street development atop the station was underway.

The work supposedly the reason for the failed lighting above the platforms, which has never been fixed.

New signalling

The Kensington Racecourse Essendon Signaling Project (KRESP) was wrapped up on the Craigieburn line.

The old signalling equipment placed trackside waiting collection.

The project enabled the retirement of the 1885 signal box at Flemington Racecourse, 1918 signal frame at Kensington, and 1969 signal panel at Essendon.

Trams

The last of the Z1 class trams were still in revenue service, but apprantly not too reliable – this one was being followed by mechanics onboard tram recovery truck ‘R10’.

And motorists were having trouble figuring out the bike lanes on Swanston Street – like this wanker driving a BMW through the tram stop at A’beckett Street.

While at the nearby State Library tram stop was the aftermath of an even less competent driver.

And new liveries

June 2014 was the first V/Line train painted into the new PTV ‘shard’ livery – VLocity railcar 3VL40.

The shiny new colors a contrast to the faded livery the rest of the VLocity fleet was then wearing.

The move to PTV colors had also started on Melbourne’s bus fleet, with Westrans moving away from their corporate livery, before their eventual rebranding as part of CDC Melbourne.

Footnote

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

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Arrival into Auckland

I flew into Auckland Airport on the North Island.

And immediately made my way to the Glenbrook Vintage Railway, where steam locomotive WW 644 was running for the day.

I also headed over to the nearby New Zealand Steel mill at Glenbrook, but unfortunately no trains were running there.

Luckily the Te Huia train was runing, complete with ex-Auckland driving carriage.

And closer to Auckland, there were freight trains aplenty at Westfield Yard.

I headed out to the Museum of Transport and Technology Auckland, and look at what I found on their line – a bloody Melbourne tram!

Driving down the North Island

I then started the drive south towards Wellington, finding the first of many of KiwiRail’s dinky little remote controlled shunting locomotives.

I continued south along the electrified North Island Main Trunk, but all I found were diesel locomotive hauled freight trains.

And the thrice-weekly ‘Northern Explorer‘ passenger train.

The 25 kV electrical substations sitting there doing little.

On the way I found a memorial to the 1923 Ongarue railway disaster.

An obelisk marking the driving of the last spike of the North Island Main Trunk railway in 1908

And a memorial for the 1953 Tangiwai railway disaster.

I also found a yard full of ex-Auckland suburban carriages at Taumarunui, abandoned since 2014.

But scrapping of them had started.

And an abandoned double deck bridge over the Ongarue River

Some much taller bridges included the historic steel Makohine Viaduct further south.

And the modern South Rangitikei Viaduct built of prestressed concrete.

A quick stop in Wellington

On arrival into Wellington what was I greeted by – but a rail replacement bus!

My first electric train sighting not being until the next morning.

Across the Cook Strait

Time to take my campervan onto the ferry.

We bid Wellington Harbour behind.

And arrived into Picton.

South Island adventures

I hoped to follow a freight train south from Picton, but fading light put paid to that idea.

But I did find another remote control shunter at work.

And a freight train headed into the opposite direction to me!

Meaning my trip towards Christchurch being scenic, but with no trains along the tracks.

Around Christchurch

I headed out of Christchurch for a day on the TranzAlpine train.

And spent the rest of my time on the hunt for freight trains.

Unfortunately my visit to the Ferrymead Railway didn’t coincide with a running day.

But the Weka Pass Railway an hour north had a diesel locomotive running trains for the public.

There I spotted a two-wire high voltage transmission line that screamed ‘HVDC’ to me – and it was.

Also in Christchurch I rode the gondola to the top of Mount Cavendish, despite the summit being covered in fog.

But I passed on paying $40 to ride the Christchurch tramway – another bloody Melbourne tram!

But one thing they had that I’ve never seen before is their indoor bus station – incoming services get allocated to a random stop, and passengers have to quickly run to the relevant doors to board their bus.

And heading back north

Turns out a Jetstar flight from Christchurch to Wellington was half the price of a combined bus and ferry journey, so onto a plane I went.

The trip into the city went via the single lane Hataitai bus tunnel.

In Wellington I checked out obvious tourist sights, like the Wellington Cable Car.

And gunzel things like the diesel hauled Wairarapa Line service.

The next day I spent on the Northern Explorer train towards Auckland, retracing the route I’d taken a week earlier.

And finished my journey in Auckland.

Catching the ferry over the harbour to Devonport, and catching a bus back.

And ending my trip with a bus ride to Auckland Airport for my flight home.

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Regional Rail Link

Work on the Regional Rail Link project is an ongoing theme, and this month is no different. Over the Christmas and New Years break, rail access to the country platforms at Southern Cross Station was cut off.

With prefabricated track panels being moved into place.

As the tracks towards the station were rearranged.

To direct trains towards the North Melbourne flyover, which was being rebuilt for the use of V/Line trains towards Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo.

The new track pair towards Footscray was starting to take shape.

But the new platforms 3 and 4 at Sunshine were still to come.

With just the pair of tracks for suburban trains in place so far.

Much of the work was able to be completed while suburban trains were still running, but on some weekends passengers were put onto rail replacement buses – with ageing high-floor clunkers without air conditioning still in use.

And trains elsewhere

Work was also underway on the removal of the Mitcham Road and Rooks Roads level crossings in Mitcham, with trains terminating at Blackburn station.

But luckily for passengers they didn’t need to go traipsing through the dank and flooded pedestrian underpass to find their replacement buses

A temporary footbridge was provided at the end of the platform, leading directly to the temporary bus interchange located in the station car park.

Metro Trains Melbourne also used the Christmas and New Year break as an excuse to cut services under a ‘summer timetable’ that lasted two weeks into the normal work year, causing gross overcrowding. Thankfully this practice is now a thing of the past.

While at Southern Cross Station passengers encountered the usual Friday afternoon ticket queue, thanks to the inability to purchase tickets ahead of time.

Trams

In January 2014 the tram tracks on Collins Street were extended westwards by one more stop to the intersection of Collins Street and Bourke Street, which became the new Victoria Harbour terminus.

And work to relay the tram tracks along Mount Alexander Road in Ascot Vale was about to kick off.

The old maroon liveried City Circle trams were still running around the CBD.

And on La Trobe Street I found a route 24 tram, and a Ventura-liveried Transdev bus.

But on January 16 and 17 route 82 high floor trams were replaced by high floor buses thanks to the extreme heat – the trams freed up were used on other routes to replace those expected to fail in the heat.

And the other bits

In the CBD I found a Melbourne Bike Share ute transferring bikes between stations. The service ended in November 2019.

And down at Port Melbourne I found trucks being loaded onto the Spirit of Tasmania for the voyage that night. It moved to Geelong in October 2022.

In Ascot Vale I found a speed and red light camera being calibrated.

And for some reason this Telstra payphone had received a ‘this telephone booth is monitored by Moonee Valley Council. Please use your discretion and be mindful of residents at all times’ sign.

Footnote

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

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Trains

We start the month with an ongoing project – Regional Rail Link. Work was underway to make room for a third pair of tracks through Footscray.

And the rebuilt station was starting to take shape.

Meanwhile at Southern Cross Station was another project – constructing the 699 Bourke Street office tower on top, a design feature proposed a decade earlier.

A hole was cut in the deck above platforms 13 and 14.

And a steel tub installed in it – possibly the base for lift shafts and escalators.

Was this the work that damaged the lights above platforms 13 and 14, leaving them in darkness? It’s quite possible.

New trams

Monday 4 November 2013 saw the first of the E class trams enter service – the first Melbourne-built trams for 20 years.

Trams E.6001 and E.6002 entered service on route 96 through the city.

Supplementing the bright yellow ‘Bumblebee’ trams.

Melbourne Cup

The Melbourne Cup is held on the first Tuesday of November, and the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant used to run a special breakfast tram out to Flemington Racecourse to start the day.

But in the afternoon the most convenient tram stop to leave the racecourse was closed to create an extra lane for cars.

Trams instead shunting through the third track on Union Road back at the Showgrounds.

Or crowding onboard high-floor Z3 class trams on route 57.

Slow progress

Work on the new platform stop at Collins and Elizabeth Streets was still progressing in November, months after the tracks were first relaid.

The yet to be commissioned stops confusing passengers.

A disappearing act

The Franklin Street tram stop on Elizabeth Street – now you see it.

And now you don’t.

In theory the stop was removed to speed the passage of trams through the CBD, but the reality is different – trams have to stop at both the new tram stops, and the traffic lights beside the removed tram stops.

Traffic light priority for Melbourne trams is still a dream!

And another something different

November 2013 also saw me fly off to China, visiting the cities of Shanghai, Beijing and Xi’an and riding high speed trains between them.

Followed by two weeks in Hong Kong.

Along with a short transit through Changi Airport in Singapore.

And a Myki related footnote

I tried my Myki card on the Yikatong card reader in Beijing, and the ‘invalid card’ message appeared quicker than anything the 1st generation Myki readers would give you.

Footnote

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

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The first step is putting up a ‘Out of Service!’ message.

Next up, a splash screen for defunct information technology system provider Affiliated Computer Services, and an old BIOS version – 1.2.116-08.August 2006.

Then the machine dropped into the Phoenix-AwardBIOS boot screen.

It shows that the ticket machine is fitted with a Hitachi HEJ421040G9AT00 40GB 2.5″ Parallel ATA hard drive as the primary boot device, and a Transcend 2.0 solid state drive as the secondary.

The BIOS boot sequence then continues.

Until the Myki software itself is started.

Loading location information, followed by “tariff” data – currently up to version 433.

‘Tariff loaded’ displayed on completion.

Leaving the Myki machine back ready for use.

The whole reboot loop process took around 3 minutes, but loading the Myki software itself takes less than 30 seconds.

Footnote: the end of day for public transport

The end of day for Myki fares is 3am.

You can travel on Night Trains, Night Trams and Night Buses with myki and will be charged your usual fare. You won’t be charged a return fare if you touch on before 3am. A new day of myki fares begins at 3am.

Footnote: so how may tariff versions are there?

Back in January 2016 tariff data was only at version 179.

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Regional Rail Link works

Quite the coincidence given the works currently underway in Melbourne’s west – June 2013 was a two week long shut down of the railway lines to Sunbury, Ballarat and Bendigo for work on the Regional Rail Link project.

Passengers being sent onto buses running via Dynon Road.

But interestingly trains were able to keep running on the parallel Werribee line.

Track gangs playing frogger with passing trains.

But the Sunbury, Ballarat and Bendigo lines were less lucky – their tracks were blocked by construction equipment.

At the new West Footscray station the first section of the overhead concourse was put in place.

While at Sunshine the new overhead concourse loomed over the decrepit timber station building that came before it.

Works were also well underway on the greenfield section of the rail corridor – the platforms at Tarneit station were taking shape in an empty paddock.

Road over rail bridges were in place over yet to be laid track.

And the first spans of the massive rail over rail flyover at Manor Junction had been craned into place.

On Myki

A decade ago Myki had taken over as the only ticketing system in Melbourne, but slow readers resulted in long queues to exit stations. The solution – adding additional Myki readers, in a process that took months.

Ding ding

South Melbourne used to be a swamp, so it’s no surprise the Port Junction tram stop at Whiteman and Clarendon Streets turns into a lake each time it rains.

The tram stop was also used as the departure point for the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant service, with passengers given an oversized tram shelter to hide from the Melbourne weather.

To ensure the tram restaurant didn’t delay normal services, in 2016 the tram stop was rebuilt with a third track, but it didn’t see much use –
Yarra Trams kicked the service off the tracks in October 2018, citing safety concerns.

On the buses

Williams Landing station opened in 2013, with the Point Cook bus network revamped to bring passengers to it.

While at Fishermans Bend passengers were less lucky – having to wait 15 minutes in morning peak for their bus to finally arrive.

And a flushing footnote

In June 2013 the City of Melbourne closed the underground public toilets located at Collins and Queen Street.

Capping the entrances with concrete.

Footnote

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

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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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