Re: Para Opening, Annoucements etc

["Chris Downs" <cvdowns@ozemail.com.au>]

There was one 8 car C set at least.  It came from the city (at least it went
through platforms 1/2) but was then run to FMC having left OP at 1950.

8 car S sets and K sets did most of the passenger bringing although I set 2
x 8 car T sets BOPing.  Strangely two trains arrived at platforms 1/2 at
1920 (R set) and 1940 (4K/4S) and appeared to be carrying no passengers!
Most other trains at that time were offloading about 1,000 people.

Blacktown was in a state of confusion around 1745.  OP bound passengers were
squeezed into a 4 car T set (platform 5) when I arrived on the Emu Plains to
Gosford via North Shore service.  They were told (erroneously) to join the
Gosford service, then to get off again (by the guard) and to wait for the
following service on platform 5 which went to OP - and didn't it get a huge
cheer on arrival.  At least one person in a wheel chair endured the shuffle.

The biggest issues coming in from the west were incorrect announcements at
Blacktown, Parramatta and Granville (a 4 car V-set was suggested as an OP
job so all on then all off again at Parramatta.  At Granville it was
advertised to stop at Lidcombe so some on some off again).  A good 20
minutes late into Strathfield (probably all lost after Doonside).

Notwithstanding the wrong announcements and late running (definitely around
the 15 minute mark at Strathfield at 2015) the crowds were taken to OP quite
effectively.  Good humour was again the norm with a little whinging going on
(the weather dampened the mood a little).

Queuing was occurring on the lines into OP with trains from the east queued
back just past Flemington just after 2000 (all with about 20-50 people on
board).

And the OP viewing spot (and surrounding area) was totally devoid of people
between 1910 and 2000.

The mixed service operation was very noticeable at Strathfield platform 3
between 1830 and 1854.  Trains went to OP, Canberra, OP, OP, Newcastle, OP,
Mt Victoria & OP.  All destination announcements were accurate so there were
no dramas.  Some people had to wait for the 2nd or 3rd OP service although
the front two cars of most services had lighter loadings.

Considering the weather and concurrent peak and OP loadings a job well done
getting the crowds to OP.

Chris

Erk <erk@erkV69.au.com> wrote in message
39edb294$1@news.iprimus.com.au">news:39edb294$1@news.iprimus.com.au...
> Well I'm back (slightly wet) from Paralympic Park (aka you know where).
>
> Basically things were going pretty smoothly during the build up to the
start
> of the Opening, Crowds were flowing and not sardine fashion as seen during
> the Olympics.
>
> I then went to Central for some food at around 1930 (I even appeared on
> radio live from the train to Central). By this stage, most people were at
> Paralympic Park. The crowd control barriers are in place again (including
in
> front of platforms 1-3) and there were suburban trains everywhere. Around
> 2100, trains to the Park were running regularly but roughly 10-15 minutes
> late. ST1 Melbourne XPT left 17 late at 2100 having appeared to have
arrived
> late ex Meeks Road. There seemed to be no reason for the delay as the
> passenger numbers were low that I could see with the possible exception of
> no clear path through the yard to the main line without blocking services
to
> you-know-where.
>
> There were also no announcements about the late running XPT that I could
> hear from my vantage point near 1/2 platform (where Sonia was very hard to
> understand). Speaking of Sonia, she is moving to Olympic Park soon (Glenn
> and Paul especially take note) from what I hear. Can you imagine how long
> her "Trains to Central and Strathfield depart from platform (super long
> pause as Grant sounds like he is making up his mind) 1" that Grant does
now
> will be? There was also some announcements to take care in the wet (even
> when the rain had stopped and the place was dry) and an unknown female
voice
> that is presumably heard all around the venue areas saying "Sydney Olympic
> Park is now closed. Please make your way to the transport terminals".
>
> Upon leaving Central and returning to you-know where around 2130, staff
were
> preparing for the crowds to return from the Stadium. Crowds were thin
> (departure end) to medium (middle) until I left around 2340. I heard off a
> staff member that the crowd was only around 52,000 but I have not heard an
> official attendence yet.
>
> As noted in another post in this thread, dedicated services ran Central -
> you know where and Blacktown - you know where like the Olympics from
around
> 1600 with Sprint services ex Lidcombe before that. On my way home from you
> know where, I noticed a train in the Sprint platform despite the dedicated
> trains operating. The trains were operated by most types of suburban sets
> except C sets. I don't recall seeing a Garbage on the Central shuttle but
if
> there was some run, there wasn't very many.
>
> I noticed that the signage is not as good at some of the larger stations
> (including Central, it has to be said) as it was during the Olympics. The
> good news for us who care is that the usual gunzel spot at the end of the
> departure platform at ground level is easily accessible (I had that area
to
> myself!).
>
>
> Pics soon.
>
> --
> Eric
> www.erk.au.com
> erk@erkV69.au.com
> (Remove the V69 to reply)
>
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