Re: Strange timetabling at Box Hill

[Chris Gordon <cmgord@VICSIG.alphalink.com.au>]

> Last week I caught a train at Box Hill (I have driven to work over the past
> year and a half) to go to Boronia station.
> 
> I looked up at the tv screen and it said the next train was a Lilydale train
> but that it would run express Box Hill - Blackburn - Mitcham - Ringwood.. I
> wondered whether Connex had improved train services since taking over
> operations.
> 
> The Lilydale train arrived and departed and I glanced at the screen again.
> The Belgrave train was next (good) and it too showed that the train would
> run express Box Hill - Blackburn - Mitcham - Ringwood. I have long dreamed
> of a Belgrave service with express Ringwood to Box Hill so I thought - at
> last - progress!
> 
> The train arrived and I hopped on. Unfortunately I didn't have the new
> refurbished carriages so I didn't notice much difference. I waited to hear
> the train speed through Laburnum but no - it proceeded to stop at every
> station to Boronia.
> 
> What is going on here? Are there expresses on this line or not?

As part of the Hillside (who are now trading as Connex) Contract the
4:43pm and 4:47pm services (to Lilydale and Belgrave) were altered to
run express Box Hill - Blackburn - Mitcham - Ringwood.  There is also a
4:45pm service to Ringwood which is inbetween these two trains throu Box
Hill about 5:10pm ish.

Now if the 4:45pm Ringwood train is cancelled (which by the monintors
changing from Lilydale to Belgrave sounds like it was) the 4:47pm
Belgrave is altered to stop all stations after Box Hill.

Sounds like this happened the day you caught the train.

There are a few more express trains beyond Box Hill, down services
include:
9:17am Belgrave (which also runs express after Ringwood - Boronia -
Upper Ferntree Gully - Belgrave)
4 shopper trains (on the down through Box Hill about 10:20, 11:20,
12:20, 1:20)
4:43pm Lilydale
4:47pm Belgrave (only if the 4:45pm Ringwood is not cancelled)
6:59pm and 7:17pm too (can't remember which way around they are ie
Belgrave or Lilydale)

Up trains with differing Express pattern before Box Hill are:
5:25pm up from Ringwood
5:17pm up from Lilydale
6:02 and 6:20 through Ringwood are also express.

For more information just look at a timetable for Belgrave/Lildyale
lines for those times.

 
> cheers Peter
> 
> Not much had changed

-- 

C.

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