I was invited by the Level Crossing Removal Authority to look around the Bayswater station grade separation project. This is removing two crossings, either side of the station: Mountain Highway and Scoresby Road. They’re in the final stages of the major works period, with a rail shut down of 37 days almost over, the line ... [More]
Below you can see the current rail network map. As maps go, it’s pretty useless, because it tells you where the tracks go, but not where the trains go. Looking at it, you might assume that trains run from Sunbury to Upfield — but you’d be wrong, of course. (The latest version does at least ... [More]
Another comment piece in The Age: Myki fare hikes favour some users, punish others and increasingly encourage driving Yes, fares are jumping by about 4% in January. This is a CPI plus 2.5% (eg 3.9%) rise that was devised by the Coalition in their December 2013 budget update, and delivered by Labor. So a big ... [More]
Those of you who follow me on Twitter will know I see a lot of motorists blocking intersections, including pedestrian crossings. Here’s road regulation 128: Entering blocked intersections A driver must not enter an intersection if the driver cannot drive through the intersection because the intersection, or a road beyond the intersection, is blocked. Penalty: ... [More]
I’m not sure if it’s new, but I noticed the other day that the old Brinsmead’s Pharmacy in Ripponlea now has a plaque marking its significance. When I was a kid, this was still a chemist. Its survival as a chemist for so long, over sixty years, probably helped the original features stay intact. Nowadays ... [More]
The Night Network trial, in particular running the trains all night on weekends, isn’t perfect, but has solved a lot of problems. No “last train” that revellers have to rush for No long wait until dawn if you miss the last train (this was said to be an issue contributing to CBD night time violence) ... [More]
Another in my series of photos from ten years ago. I found quite a few this month, and also found one from October 2006 which had been missed, and since added to that post. The Bentleigh Festival. Obviously this spot looks quite different now with the level crossing gone. PT spotters will also notice the ... [More]
A couple of years ago I got a ceiling fan fitted in the kitchen. The electrician was pleasant, competent, and did a good job. He said he’d send me an invoice. He never did. A couple of months later I emailed him and asked him to send it. He acknowledged the email and said he’d ... [More]
Remember the Dingley Bypass? The western end was built as the “South Road Extension” as two lanes (one each way) just last decade. It mostly wasn’t dual carriageway, but it was otherwise suspiciously freeway-like. Having appeared in the 1969 freeway plan, it wasn’t difficult to see that it would be expanded. (Dingley Arterial 2015 – ... [More]
Last week on Facebook the Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan published this great photo (along with a couple of others) from Southland Station under construction: Over the weekend of 5-6 November when the Frankston line was closed, they put the pedestrian subway into place. On Facebook the doubters continue to… well, doubt the usefulness of ... [More]
My comment piece in The Age this morning: Metro Trains, it’s time you got your act together This is a result of last Thursday night’s complete train network shutdown — thankfully not during peak hour — when a control room alarm caused an evacuation. Oh crap. @metrotrains control room evacuation. (Showgrounds "good service" has no ... [More]
Some 2-3 months after they all re-opened, Ormond, McKinnon and Bentleigh stations are still being worked on. There’s been a flurry of activity this week ahead of the “Family Fun Day” tomorrow – featuring music, food stalls and a double-ended steam train with old “red rattler” Tait carriages to run between Caulfield and Moorabbin (stopping ... [More]
Well, this is fascinating to watch. I knew it could happen, but didn’t honestly think it would. Breaking news! We have nothing to say! pic.twitter.com/DrQARJN7eI — Daniel Bowen (@danielbowen) November 9, 2016 Nothing will change overnight. The inauguration isn’t until January, but even then… we’ll see how fast he moves after that. I hope his ... [More]
Disclaimer: this post isn’t perhaps as polished as I’d like, but it’s time to get it posted. I love nostalgia. How many blog posts have I written that fondly look back? 78, apparently. But I’m acutely aware that rose-coloured glasses distort our view of the past. And while we might like to visit the past, ... [More]
This coming Saturday the new Bentleigh, McKinnon and Ormond stations are hosting a “family fun day” featuring a steam train. Should be… well, fun. Edit: Here’s the steam train timetable: (Hopefully they’ve checked if steam trains are okay climbing the higher-than-usual 2.5% (ish) gradient heading north out of Ormond station! I’d assume so, given the ... [More]
The level crossing removals at Ginifer (Furlong Road) and St Albans (Main Road) are nearing completion, and yesterday the new stations opened. Originally the plan had been to remove the St Albans (Main Road) crossing — this was funded by the Coalition government in 2014, for a massive $200 million, recouped from savings during the ... [More]