Another instalment in my photos from ten years ago series – this time it is October 2010.
Down in Docklands
We start down in the windswept streets of Docklands.
Where I had a look over the last remaining part of Melbourne Yard – the heritage listed No. 2 Goods Shed completed in 1889.
And looked across to 67 Spencer Street – the former Victorian Railways head office.
Then walked home past the ‘Wailing Wall‘.
None of these views are possible today – the Melbourne Quarter development covers the block bounded by Wurundjeri Way and Collins Street, the retained wall partially demolished to provided vehicle access.
Taking off
October 2010 saw me pay a visit to Essendon Airport.
Where the terminal looked much the same as when it served as Melbourne’s international gateway.
But the scene is different today – a $4 million renovation completed in 2019 has converted the main arrival hall into office space.
An even more dramatic transformation was at RAAF Williams in Laverton.
Once empty paddocks between the Princes Freeway.
A decade later the airfield is gone, turned into the suburb of Williams Landing.
Big road spending
Work on the $371 million West Gate Bridge Strengthening project was well underway, with scaffolding covering the bridge while work was completed to add a fifth traffic lane in each direction.
Another road project was the $48.5 million Kororoit Creek Road duplication, which removed a level crossing on the Werribee line.
And Laverton station received yet another car park extension, taking it all the way to the Princes Freeway overpass.
At the rate the car park is being extended, it will soon join up with Aircraft station!
New trains
Delivery of more X’Trapolis trains was starting to ramp up during 2010, the imported body shells waiting outside the Alstom plant in Ballarat awaiting final fitout.
And a new stabling yard had just opened at Newport to park all of these extra trains.
A decade later the new HCMT fleet is being built at Newport, the Alstom Ballarat plant mothballed due to with no work, the workers redeployed to the V/Line maintenance workshops down the road.
Forgotten heritage
I made my way up to the Seymour Railway Heritage Centre.
Where I found a tine capsule from the 1980s.
Buffet carriage ‘Tanjil’.
The carriage remains in storage today, awaiting a future restoration to service.
Meanwhile in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, the Preston Workshops was a dumping ground for retired W class trams.
But the scene today is different – in 2014 the old trams were moved out and given away to new homes, making way for the ‘New Preston Depot‘ that opened in 2016 for the fleet of brand new E class trams.
Meanwhile Flinders Street Station was a dank and crumbing place.
The only upside being a dance party happening in the Campbell Arcade subway.
A decade later the tiles have finally been fixed, part of the $100 million Flinders Street Station upgrade project, but for the Campbell Arcade the future is not as rosy – half the shops are due to be bulldozed by the Metro Tunnel project to provided a connection to the new Town Hall station.
And things that never change
Promotional crap blocking access to Melbourne Central Station.
It just keeps on happening.
Footnote
Here you can find the rest of my ‘photos from ten years ago‘ series.
Ten years later Docklands is no long wind swept…
There is an historic plaque along the Wailing Wall but I could not access it due to scaffolding and barriers.
Is this the plaque?