Archive for August, 2016

Looking back at the ‘Cavalcade of Transport’ mural

For decades the ‘Cavalcade of Transport’ mural was a landmark of the otherwise unremarkable main concourse at Spencer Street Station. So how did it come to be?

Cavalcade of Transport mural (photo by Rennie Ellis dated 1983, SLV H2011.150-2517)
Rennie Ellis 1983, SLV image H2011.150/2517

Tigerair flights to Canberra

In August 2016 it was announced that Tigerair would commence daily flights between Canberra and Melbourne, breaking the current Qantas / Virgin Australia duopoly on the route. However this isn’t the first time that the airline has flown into the national capital.

On the apron at Canberra Airport, Tiger Airways A320 VH-VNB

Photos from ten years ago: August 2006

Another instalment in my photos from ten years ago series – August 2006 was a month filled with trains.

Hitachi train departs the train wash at Melbourne Yard

Napthine’s train crashes Daniel Andrews’ party

Politicians have been influencing the direction of Melbourne’s rail network for decades, but down on the Frankston line the removal of the North Road, McKinnon Road and Centre Road level crossings has seen the decisions of two former political foes collide, with no acknowledgement from either side.

X'Trapolis 183M approaches the newly rebuilt low level station at McKinnon with a down Frankston service

Fact check on the Frankston line

On August 1st trains returned to the Frankston line after a five week long shutdown that allowed the tracks to be lowered beneath Centre, McKinnon and North Roads, eliminating three level crossings. A media release was released by the State Government to celebrate the completed works, but the ‘facts’ included within deserve further examination.

'Service to Frankston stopping all stations' displayed on the PIDS of a X'Trapolis train