New uniforms for most staff, and new automated announcements (“Welcome to Metro”) are the only noticeable changes so far. My train was on time, but others were cancelled according to the upgraded Metro web site.
Channels 7, 9 and 10 were all down at Flinders St Station along with The Age Online to interview passengers, and apparently some media saw off the last Connex train to leave FSS last night.
They’ve already announced more platform staff, which may help reduce train dwell times at platforms. Whether bigger changes (such as running this “Metro” like a metro — frequent trains 7-days-a-week) are coming is yet to be determined.
I haven’t jumped on a tram yet to see what’s shaking there. The Yarra Trams web site has had only a few minor changes so far.
What are you seeing out and about?
Update 10:30am: Here’s what the launch circus looked like:
Update 8:30pm: Video from the Herald Sun, and also from The Age:
(dead video link)
13 replies on “…and hello Metro”
No annoying Connex web address announcement….. got given a card with details of the Metro website asking for feedback…. otherwise same as usual…
It look for a moment like the Myki Mates at Degraves Subway had new white shirts (even though they were only just given blue ones!) but these turned out to be Metro people giving out info on the new operator. Wishing I’d grabbed one.
did see one of the newer Combino trams decked out in the new Yarra Trams livery (at least, I assume that’s what it was) … not much change from the original as far as I could tell, however they had picked out the doors in yellow which was Odd …
Yep, here’s a pic of a Combino in the new colour scheme: http://tdu.to/3512_SwanstonSt_30Nov2009.jpg
Daniel
A simple question, a little off topic – why can’t we open the train and tram windows any more? Closed windows use more power (and carbon), cause delays when aircon breaks down and being able to have fresh air would be nice when crowded.
Is there a good reason?
I tried to join Metro Trains’ Platform 1 club on their website this morning.
I got this error message when I hit enter:
============
ADODB.Field error ‘800a0bcd’
Either BOF or EOF is True, or the current record has been deleted. Requested operation requires a current record.
/metro/register/update_details_1.asp, line 8
============
I tried to email them about it, but the email (to info@metrotrains.com.au) bounced. Not a good start!
Off topic – Saturday screens on Platform 6 were reading for 10.08-ish Cranbourne train with all the stations listed until Cranbourne…..and then Bonbeach, Carrum, Seaford, Kannanook, Frankston.
I must say I was mighty impressed at the amalgamation of these two tracks over such a distance *snort* although an out-of-town visitor was debating this with her friend and was (understandably) a tad confused!
Jon, it’s just the trend now… sealed windows, aircon which (in theory) works better if windows are all closed. But yeah you’ve identified a flaw!
Jayne, ah, the Cranbourne to Frankston line eh!
Must say I’m over the tweaked voice over for the trains now saying ‘Metro arriving at …’
Speaking with a ticket inspector on the weekend apparently they had all been issued with one (1) Metro shirt only to wear for the week. If BO gets the better of them by then they are supposed to wear their old Connex shirt with an orange safety vest over it. So I guess you might see a few safety vests by week’s end!!
That the Connex website is just a white page and doesn’t redirect to Metro’s site is pretty poor form. It took a while to find Metro’s website being Metro Trains.
And I reckon their branding is pretty horrible – it’s about 10 years out of date and looks like bent paperclips. It doesn’t make me like them, it feels cold and technical. And what’s with that Federation Square-ish blue net? Is this really the best we can do, a constant reminder of that concrete dustbowl? Sigh… oh Melbourne, what are you doing?
Wow, they really did keep all the same staff…. Lanie Harris is still doing the PR
Hi Daniel, you might want to fix the “Update 10:30PM”, should be “Update 10:30AM” (morning, not night).
Also I noted the train speakers were’nt saying anything this Friday morning, usually it says either
“Metro arriving at X”
or
“Now arriving at X”
Nick.
Thanks Nick.
Mike, they’ve got the old Connex web site forwarding now.