Waking up in Geelong

Another instalment in my photos from ten years ago series – this time it is March 2012.

Trains

A decade ago the Melbourne CBD skyline as viewed from Ascot Vale was much shorter.

As was that of Docklands viewed from North Melbourne station.

A handful of Hitachi trains were still kicking about.

But a new inspection train had just entered service.

Commissioned following a spate of overhead wire failures., from a glass cupola atop the carriage, staff and video cameras onboard the carriage monitor how the pantograph tracks along the overhead wire.

Going bush

I made up trip north to the Murray River at Echuca, and ran into four museum pieces hauling a freight train.

And an equally antiquated signalling system at the junction station of Barnes.

The four diesel locomotives were on hire from railway preservation groups.

I followed the train north, passing local wildlife.

Until we reached the Sunrice mill at Deniliquin, where the wagons were shunted into the plant for loading.

Rebuilding Footscray station

In 2012 work on the ‘Colander Bridge‘ at Footscray station had finally finished.

But it was still surrounded by a sea of car parking.

Stretching all the way to Barkly Street.

But work on Regional Rail Link was about to start.

The shops along Irving Street had been demolished to make way for two new platforms.

As had the service station at Hopkins Street.

The shops along the Nicholson Street bridge.

And even the trees along the rail cutting.

A spot of luck on the trams

In March 2012 the Tramway Museum Society Of Victoria chartered ‘Royal Tram‘ Z3.185 to run a special tour around Melbourne. Along the way we paid a visit to Royal Park.

And posed our tram for a cliché train over tram photo.

And parked at the end of the Footscray Road siding, a location passengers never visit.

In my travels I also paid a visit to Clifton Hill, and happened to catch a route 86 tram passing under a train bound for South Morang.

Back in 2012 this shot at Domain Interchange was nothing special.

But this piece of tram track no longer exists – route 8 is now route 58, and the tram tracks disused – diverted via Toorak Road in 2017 to make way for the construction of Anzac station.

The tram restaurant was another unremarkable sight.

But no longer exists – the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant last ran in 2018 after Yarra Trams grounded their fleet, and there is no sign of a possible solution.

A decade ago City Circle trams were still in the maroon livery, and were running out of North Fitzroy depot on Nicholson Street.

closed in 1993, but reopened in 2008-2012 to stable W class trams used on the City Circle while Southbank depot was undergoing refurbishment.

After months of inaction, work finally starting to happen on platform stops along Swanston Street.

Excavators having moved in to work on the platforms themselves.

On route 86 some new platform stops along High Street, Northcote had been built.

But route 96 services along Nicholson Street would have to wait – fancy yellow low floor ‘Bumblebee’ trams plying their way along the tracks, but with no platform stops to board them.

The trams got a repaint in 2014, but building accessible tram stops had to wait until 2018.

And under “something things never change” we have the route 57 terminus at West Maribyrnong terminus – the same high floor Z3 class trams still run there today, stopping outside the abandoned explosives factory.

Buses

Ventura blue and National Bus yellow were the colours of the buses at North Fitzroy depot.

The operation became Transdev Melbourne in 2013, then refranchised to Kinetic Melbourne in 2022.

In 2012 SkyBus was still boasting “20 minutes to the airport“, with a fleet of articulated buses plying the Tullamarine Freeway.

They acquired their first Bustech “CDi” double deck bus in 2015, which now form the core of their airport fleet.

Out at Highpoint Shopping Centre I found a high floor bus operated by Westrans.

Followed by a Melbourne Bus Link bus.

Melbourne Bus Link was merged into Transdev Melbourne in 2013, with Westrans rebranding as CDC Melbourne in 2014.

Finally, route 509 in Brunswick – a single minibus making the 2 kilometre long journey back and forth along Hope Street all day long.

I paid a visit because it was about to be discontinued, but despite how useless the service looked, locals appealed the decision, with the route eventually reinstated in 2016.

Emporium Melbourne

The big hole at Myer’s former Lonsdale Street store has featured in previous months.

And now it was complete.

The Lonsdale Street facade overlooking an empty hole.

Exposing tunnels to neighbouring buildings.

And the other stuff

March 2012 was the F1 Australian Grand Prix, and the usual merchandise stalls were stinking up access to Southern Cross Station.

Remember Melbourne Bike Share?

Since people can return their bike anywhere, leading to some stations becoming full and others empty, so management needed to drive around Melbourne rebalance bikes between the stations.

After years of lacklustre usage, the system was finally shut down in November 2019.

Out at Airport West I strolled past the Tullamarine Freeway.

Back then six lanes squeezed under the bridge at English Street, but in 2017 the bridge was rebuilt to allow eight to pass under, as part of CityLink Tulla Widening stage 2.

And finally – the Racecourse Hotel all boarded up in Flemington.

Next door to the roundabout with trams passing through the middle.

Abandoned since at least 2009, an arson attack in June 2012 destroyed the hotel, with the 22-storey apartment tower ‘ONLY Flemington’ now occupying the site.

Footnote

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