Metro Trains Melbourne - Northern group
Sunday 10 March 2024
Metro Trains Melbourne services on the Werribee, Altona, Williamstown, Sunbury, Craigieburn and Upfield lines that make up the Northern group.
Pacific National - Melbourne standard gauge freight
Sunday 10 March 2024
Pacific National standard gauge intermodal services from Adelaide and New South Wales meet at Melbourne, running via the western suburbs into the Melbourne Freight Terminal at South Dynon.
Metro Tunnel rail replacement buses - Northern group
Sunday 10 March 2024
Works on the Metro Tunnel portal at South Kensington and turnback platform at West Footscray have required Metro Trains services on the Sunbury and Werribee lines to be replaced by buses between North Melbourne, Sunshine and Newport, as well as V/Line services to Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo.
Metro Tunnel test trains
Sunday 10 March 2024
On the morning of 25 July 2023 the first trains entered the Metro Tunnel via the South Yarra portal to commence the testing program. Additional trains have since been rotated through the tunnel, a full occupation being required on the mainline tracks so they can enter the normally blocked off junction. In November 2023 the first end-to-end testing from Footscray to Hawksburn was completed.
V/Line - Regional Rail Link
Sunday 10 March 2024
V/Line trains using the new Regional Rail Link tracks from Southern Cross Station through Footscray and Sunshine to Deer Park that have progressively come into use since December 2013.
Metro Trains Melbourne - Caulfield group
Sunday 10 March 2024
Metro Trains Melbourne services on the Pakenham, Cranbourne, Frankston and Sandringham lines that make up the Caulfield group.
Pacific National Long Island steel train
Saturday 9 March 2024
Until 2020 Pacific National operated the Long Island steel train to the BlueScope Steel mill at Hastings, south of Frankston. The steel is transferred from broad to standard gauge trains at the Melbourne Freight Terminal at South Dynon. In 2015 this facility replaced the Melbourne Steel Terminal, just west of North Melbourne station.
High Capacity Corridor Upgrade project
Saturday 9 March 2024
The High Capacity Corridor Upgrade project (previously the Cranbourne Pakenham Line Upgrade project) is being delivered by the Level Crossing Removal Authority to support the new High Capacity Metro Train (HCMT) fleet. The work includes track duplication on the Cranbourne line at Dandenong South, minor platform extensions, and the replacement of signalling, overhead wires and traction substations along the Cranbourne and Pakenham railway lines.
Commercialising commuters
Friday 8 March 2024
For Melbourne's privatised public transport operators, they don't make money by moving people - they make money selling their captive audiences to advertisers and other commercial outfits.
Melbourne Airport Rail
Friday 8 March 2024
The Melbourne Airport Rail is building a new double track railway branch from Albion station to Melbourne Airport, running parallel to the existing Albion-Jacana freight line as far as Keilor East, then following Airport Drive and Melrose Drive to the terminal area.
Napier Street railway bridge strike, March 2024
Sunday 3 March 2024
The railway bridge that carries the Williamstown and Werribee lines over Napier Street has a long history of being struck by high vehicles - 3 March 2024 was yet another example.
Port of Melbourne
Sunday 3 March 2024
Trains and railway lines at Melbourne's Victoria, Appleton and Swanson Docks.
Pacific National Tocumwal freight
Sunday 3 March 2024
Pacific National (formerly Patrick PortLink) operate a container service between Appleton Dock in Melbourne and Tocumwal, loading also being attached / removed at Mooroopna (Shepparton).
North Dynon locomotives
Sunday 3 March 2024
Qube Logistics operates a fuel point at the Footscray end of North Dynon Yard, with locomotives also being stabled in common user sidings at the city end.
North Dynon
Sunday 3 March 2024
Located between the main passenger lines at South Kensington and Dynon Roads, along with Moonee Ponds Creek and the Maribyrnong River, the North Dynon precinct includes the Agents Sidings and the P&O Trans Australia container terminal at 'T' gate.
Melbourne suburban passenger information displays
Sunday 3 March 2024
Next train displays at Melbourne suburban railway stations.
Yarra Trams - football specials
Sunday 17 December 2023
Yarra Trams operates additional trams to the MCG and Docklands Stadium for football fans.
Southern Shorthaul Railroad works trains
Friday 15 December 2023
Since August 2019 Southern Shorthaul Railroad has been operating works trains on the Melbourne suburban rail network on behalf of Metro Trains Melbourne.
Bikes at Melbourne stations
Sunday 10 December 2023
Bike parking or lack thereof at Melbourne railway stations
V/Line to Tarneit and Wyndham Vale
Sunday 10 December 2023
V/Line trains on the Regional Rail Link route from Deer Park, through Tarneit and Wyndham Vale, and on to Manor Junction on the Geelong line.
Myki failures and breakdowns
Sunday 10 December 2023
A galley of the many ways that Melbourne's 'Myki' smartcard ticketing system can let passengers down.
V/Line to Bacchus Marsh
Friday 8 December 2023
Photos of the V/Line services that run to Bacchus Marsh, taken between there and the end of the wires back at Sunshine. As well as boring old VLocities and Sprinters, loco hauled trains with A, P and N classes are also used in peak times.
V/Line diversions on the suburban lines
Friday 1 December 2023
Since 2015 all V/Line services towards Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo have used the new Regional Rail Link tracks out of Melbourne. An exception to this is major disruptions, when the trains get sent the 'old' way.
Stony Point line
Sunday 26 November 2023
The Stony Point line is an orphan on the Melbourne suburban network, being an isolated shuttle service without electrification. A class diesel locomotives hauling MTH carriages were the usual consist for a decade, until replaced by Sprinter railcars in 2008.
First public HCMT services on the Sunbury line
Monday 30 October 2023
On 30 October 2023 the first High Capacity Metro Train carried passengers on the Sunbury line, with two morning peak hour services running direct from Sunbury direct to Flinders Street and then through to Pakenham.
Smashed sign at Sunshine station
Tuesday 24 October 2023
What happens when you put a road sign right beside a tight corner, on a footpath leading through the Sunshine station car park? Clueless motorists drive over the top of it, over and over again.
Amskan RFID train identifier tags
Saturday 21 October 2023
At some point in the past Amskan RFID train identifier tags were installed on Melbourne's fleet of Comeng and Hitachi trains, along with readers at Flinders Street Station, and possibly other locations
Footbridges between Flinders Street and Richmond
Friday 6 October 2023
Between Flinders Street Station and Richmond a number of footbridges cross the rail corridor.
Melbourne suburban Digital Train Radio System
Saturday 23 September 2023
The GSM-R based Digital Train Radio System (DTRS) replaced the analogue Urban Train Radio System (UTRS) used for communication on the Melbourne suburban rail network. Approximately 100 base stations make up the system with more than 70 new towers added to cover the network. Work stated in September 2009 and was completed in 2011, with trials of the on train equipment starting in 2012.
PTV Hubs
Tuesday 19 September 2023
PTV Hubs were created in 2012 following the merger of the Met Shop at Melbourne Town Hall with the Central Pass Office and Myki Discovery Centre at Southern Cross Station.
Flinders Street Viaduct
Tuesday 19 September 2023
The Flinders Street Viaduct is made up of six tracks of varying ages, linking Flinders Street Station to Southern Cross Station and forming the main link between the eastern and western parts of the Victorian rail network.
Metro Trains Melbourne first aiders
Friday 18 August 2023
In June 2010 Metro Trains Melbourne commenced placing 3rd party first aid staff at major stations during morning peak, to assist ill passengers while keeping trains moving.
Rebranding Connex to Metro Trains Melbourne
Wednesday 16 August 2023
Metro Trains Melbourne took over operation of the Melbourne suburban rail network from Connex on 30 November 2009, with rebranding of trains and stations commencing right away.
Bayswater Workshops
Saturday 12 August 2023
Bayswater Workshops is the only maintenance facility on the Burnley Group, and serves the fleet of X'Trapolis trains deployed to that corridor.
Flemington Racecourse line
Sunday 6 August 2023
The Flemington Racecourse line is a short branch off the Broadmeadows line in the inner north-west of Melbourne. It is used for special events at the Flemington racecourse and the showgrounds.
Hurstbridge Line Duplication
Sunday 30 July 2023
The Hurstbridge Line Duplication is building new stations at Greensborough and Montmorency; and duplicating the rail track between Greensborough and Montmorency and between Diamond Creek and Wattle Glen.
Metcard
Monday 10 July 2023
Equipment and infrastructure for the Metcard automated ticketing system used throughout Melbourne until December 2012.
Melmax Bus Lines
Sunday 28 May 2023
Melmax is a bus and coach operator based on the Melbourne suburb of Craigieburn.
Surrey Hills level crossing removal replacement buses
Saturday 27 May 2023
During 2022 the Lilydale and Belgrave lines have been closed between Camberwell and Box Hill, buses replacing trains while the level crossings at Mont Albert Road, Mont Albert and Union Road, Surrey Hills are being removed by lowering the tracks, along with the two stations being replaced by the new 'Union Station' in the middle.
Hurstbridge Line Duplication replacement buses
Friday 7 April 2023
Works on the Hurstbridge Line Duplication project have required rail replacement buses from Macleod to Hurstbridge.
Box Hill Miniature Steam Railway
Friday 7 April 2023
The Box Hill Miniature Steam Railway is situated in Elgar Park in Mont Albert North, with the dual-gauge 5 inch and 7.25 inch mainline covering 1.2 kilometres, as well as extensive sidings.
Melbourne transport murals
Friday 7 April 2023
Murals featuring public transport, found at Melbourne railway stations and tram stops
Melbourne tramway squares
Friday 24 March 2023
Melbourne has three 'tramway squares' where 1500 V DC powered trains cross the tracks of 600 V DC powered trams on the level. They are located at Glenhuntly, Riversdale and Kooyong, with the fourth at Gardiner since grade separated.
Crumbling station building at Armadale
Friday 24 March 2023
A look at the crumbling citybound station kiosk at Armadale station on the Frankston/Dandenong lines, where everything is falling apart and ready to fall down onto the platform below.
Stored trams at Newport Workshops
Sunday 19 March 2023
With W class trams heritage listed and unable to be scrapped or exported to tram museums overseas, Newport Workshops has become a dumping ground while they await a final home.
High Capacity Metro Trains at Newport Workshops
Sunday 19 March 2023
The new High Capacity Metro Train (HCMT) fleet is being assembled by Downer at the Newport Workshops in Melbourne's west, with the body shells assembled by CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles in China.
Epping Workshops
Thursday 9 March 2023
Epping Workshops is the only maintenance facility on the Clifton Hill Group, and serves the fleet of X'Trapolis trains deployed to that corridor.
Southbank Depot
Friday 24 February 2023
Southbank Tram Depot located on the Port Melbourne light rail line supplies trams to route 12, 30, 35 and 96.
Damaged level crossing at Brooklyn
Monday 13 February 2023
Clueless truck drivers have a history of destroying the level crossing lights located at the corner of Somerville and McDonald Road in Brooklyn.