Waking up in Geelong

February is a short month, and it’s caught me unaware while putting together my photos from ten years ago series – it’s already March and I’ve missed my February 2012 instalment, but here it is anyway.

Myki

The transition from Metcard to Myki as the ticket to travel on Melbourne public transport was well underway.

But plenty of passengers were resisting the new system.

But Metcard ticket machines were starting to be withdrawn.

Bold red ‘Myki is coming’ stickers placed on the soon to be removed machines.

But the new Myki system wasn’t fast enough to handle the number of passengers using it – resulting in long lines at stations during busy periods, a problem that became even worse as the decommissioned of Metcard continued.

Hitachi trains

The old non-air conditioned Hitachi trains were still running around Melbourne.

I was at Flinders Street Station one evening with some spare time when a Hitachi train turned up.

So I jumped onboard.

And went for a ride out to Williamstown.

And around the stations

Back in 2012 was was well underway to cram more shops into Southern Cross Station.

Management calling it a ‘new retail experience’.

But it was just more shops jammed whether they could, even if they blocked the path towards trains.

Meanwhile over at Flinders Street Station was a different kind of commercial promotion.

A mist cooling system being installed on platforms 2/3 and 4/5 as part of a Lipton Iced Tea promotion.

The system was removed soon after.

New tram stops

Outside Parliament station on Macarthur Street was a new ‘drive over’ platform tram stop.

While on Swanston Street work on the long awaited platform stops was about to start – lengths of brand new rail laid out at Flinders Lane.

Over one weekend the tracks were lowered for the new tram stop.

But the work was nowhere near completed – it took months for the tram stops themselves to be ready for use.

Meanwhile on Plenty Road in Preston, new part time tram lanes had been installed.

LED signs being installed before 12 part time tram lanes between Dundas Street in Preston to Albert Road in Reservoir, directing motorists off the tram tracks during peak times, in an attempt to speed up route 86 services to Bundoora.

But their effectiveness seems doubtful – each of the tram lanes ended before intersections, allowing right turning cars to still block trams.

And forgotten trams

Who remembers tram route 24?

It was a peak-only service from North Balwyn to La Trobe Street via Kew, which was discontinued in July 2014 as part of a simplification of tram routes.

And a decade ago Z1 class trams were still in service.

First delivered in 1975, the bulk of the Z1 class fleet was withdrawn following the introduction of the low floor C and D class trams in 2001/02, but 15 remained in service until 24 April 2016, when the delivery of more E class trams allowed them to be withdrawn. The similar looking high floor Z3 class trams remain in service today.

Demolishing Myer Melbourne

Demolition of the former Myer Melbourne store on Lonsdale Street was kicking along.

The building hollowed out.

With just a façade left.

Haled up with a web of scaffolding.

Cantilevered over the street below.

And 447 Collins Street falling apart

In January 2012 a chunk of 447 Collins Street fell to earth.

The area beneath the building was sealed off, and engineers were sent abseiling down to inspect the remaining facade panels.

Tap tap tap on each, to see if they were loose.

Scaffolding was soon erected to prevent any more panels from falling.

Permanent repairs were later completed, but it was for nothing – demolition of the building was given the go-ahead in 2014, with the 42 storey tall ‘Pantscraper’ (officially Collins Arch) now occupying the site.

And hard rubbish

The early 2010s was a peak time for CRT screen TVs in hard rubbish, but this month I found a different obsolete technology out on the nature strip – photo processing chemicals.

I only started taking photography seriously after I switched to digital, but for many photographers they still enjoy the process of film.

Footnote

Here you can find the rest of my ‘photos from ten years ago‘ series.