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Photos from ten years ago

Old photos from March 2012

It’s the end of the month – here’s another in my series of posts with photos from ten years ago.

When McKinnon station had a level crossing, this was a common and slightly unnerving sight – cars driving across just before the booms went down and citybound trains (two of them) came through.

McKinnon level crossing, looking towards Bentleigh as two citybound trains approach, 2012

It’s not just those with mobility difficulties who benefit from accessible trams. It’s a plus for people with luggage too.

Struggling with the tram steps, 2012

Tram jams are common in Melbourne, but this is three of the same route (55, now route 58) queued on William Street southbound in peak hour. Since then, the tram stops have been converted to platform stops (and rationalised), and more longer and low-floor trams use the route.

Tram jam on William Street, 2012

Nobody should pretend that La Trobe Street was a motorist’s paradise before the separated bike lanes were installed. This photo shows bumper to bumper lunchtime westbound traffic.

La Trobe Street, 2012

Speaking of traffic, here’s Punt Road in evening peak. All the people (and more) in the cars could be carried in the bus and the tram – but so often it’s the middle and outer suburban options that result in people driving through the inner-city.

Punt Road, Melbourne, 2012

Corner of Swanston and Bourke Streets, lunchtime.

Swanston Street/Bourke Street, Melbourne, 2012

Why hello there Darling! This pic from the Steamrail Open Day, which still runs most years.

Swing-door train

A drive in the wet near Nagambie.

Near Nagambie, 3/3/2012

Platforms 15 and 16 at Southern Cross, under construction

Regional Rail Link works at Southern Cross

The transition from Metcard to Myki rolled on. Messages for the end of weekly and monthly Metcards flashed up on Passenger Information Displays at stations.

Periodical Metcards to be replaced with Myki, March 2012

Advice on how to touch your Myki card on the retrofitted readers on Metcard gates.

How to touch your Myki card on a reader, 2012

Remember kids, when you could buy a ticket on a tram?
(Myki was planned to have tram ticket machines too, but these were removed from the scope in 2011.)

Buying a Metcard on a tram, 2012

By Daniel Bowen

Transport blogger / campaigner and spokesperson for the Public Transport Users Association / professional geek.
Bunurong land, Melbourne, Australia.
Opinions on this blog are all mine.

2 replies on “Old photos from March 2012”

Impressive to see the PID used there has the same format that is still being used on some lines. Probably nothing special when virtually all the PIDs are using the screens now compared to the old dot matrix but still impressive nonetheless. Somehow I wish they used those myki top up machines that they’ve bought for the trams originally. What a waste.

It seems so strange now seeing old photos with crowds of unmasked passengers on public transport.

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