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Photos from ten years ago transport

Old photos from April 2012

Another in my series of posts of ten year old photos, and this time they’re 100% public transport related.

Around the network, Myki was slowly taking over, but some of the Metcard vending machines were still hanging on. One benefit of Myki was that it handled the weekend saver cap automatically.

Metcard machine, April 2012

There was a Myki campaign to try and get people to touch their cards “the right way” to work with the substandard Myki card readers. Don’t “Tap tap”…

Myki campaign to encourage passengers to touch their cards "properly", April 2012

… instead we were told to “Touch, Hold, Go”, though touching and holding while also going takes a little practice.

Myki campaign to encourage passengers to touch their cards "properly", April 2012

The slow response times caused problems at Flinders Street, with PM peak passengers queuing onto the road. It was enough of an issue to get media attention.

The fact that you can see the City from the Laverton station overpass just shows how high up it is – possibly to cater for double-stacked containers on the standard gauge freight line, at left.

Laverton station, looking towards Melbourne

Westona: a citybound train waits for an outbound train to clear the single track.

Citybound train waits for an outbound train on the single track at Westona, April 2012

22nd of April 2012 was a day of change on Melbourne’s suburban rail network, with weekend loop direction changing for the Northern group, several new stations opening, and ten minute weekend services introduced for some lines.

New timetables, April 2012

Excitement as the Epping line was about to be extended to South Morang. The project had been initiated by the Brumby government after an extended campaign by the community.

New South Morang Line poster, April 2012

The view at the South Morang terminus on a community day just before the official opening – provision had been made to continue the line through to Mernda, a project which would quickly follow, with funding provided in 2015, and completion in 2018.

South Morang station, looking towards Mernda, April 2012

The Epping to South Morang rail extension replaced the “Trainlink” bus – with operating hours and frequencies that mostly matched the connecting train. It was devised a few years earlier when the government had tried to avoid extending the line. Cranbourne also had a Trainlink bus, and Burwood Highway still has a similar service to make up for the tram extension to Knox being cut short.

Trainlink 571 bus to South Morang, April 2012

Part of the South Morang project included a new Epping station. Note the signage with the station name between the platform numbers. I don’t think I’ve seen this elsewhere.

New Epping station, April 2012

New stations at Lynbrook and Cardinia Road also opened on 22nd April. Here’s Lynbrook, with the community coming out in force to have a look.

Lynbrook station on opening day, 22/4/2012

Media was also in attendance – here’s Channel 9’s Andrew Lund interviewing some of the locals.

Andrew Lund interviews locals at the Lynbrook station opening, 22/4/2012

My visit to Lynbrook was enjoyable, but on the way home the Dandenong line shut down due to an incident. At least by the time I’d got there, the buses had been organised.

Rail replacement buses during a Dandenong line disruption, April 2012

A pic from my local neighbourhood in Bentleigh. Before the level crossing was removed in 2016, bus passengers would regularly dash across the road from the westbound stop towards the station. Happily crossing removal project added pedestrian lights adjacent to the station and moved the bus stop there as well – a vast improvement.

Bentleigh: with no convenient pedestrian crossing nearby, passengers cross the road in front of the bus - April 2012

Meanwhile on Swanston Street in the CBD, temporary rudimentary tram stops were in use while the tram superstops at Bourke Street and City Square were being built.

Temporary tram stop on Swanston Street, April 2012

The old Met Shop at Melbourne Town Hall had been rebranded to a PTV Hub. This eventually moved to Southern Cross Station.

PTV hub at Melbourne Town Hall, April 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 April 2012”

“Note the signage with the station name between the platform numbers. I donโ€™t think Iโ€™ve seen this elsewhere.”

I think similiar signage is also used on earlier level crossing removals completed under the coalition government. I think the signage is still in use at Nunawading station, maybe others aswell.

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