"Due to defective trains at Flinders St"

[Stacy <sjudin@yallara.cs.rmit.edu.au>]

Why is the reason: "Due to a defective train at Flinders St" used SO often
when explaining late/cancelled trains??? I understand a defective train
may finish its run at Flinders St and then be taken away to a yard, but
surely the driver would radio a defect to Metrol as soon as it became
known, giving control enough time to organise a replacement train so that
there would be no need for a delay/cancellation of a planned service for
that train later???

I get so sick of hearing the same message for most trains which are
delayed or cancelled - I have heard it since I was a kid and heard it
again when waiting for the 8:20pm Frankston from Flagstaff this evening.

By the way, the 8:32pm Sandringham from Flinders St was also delayed - was
there some issue that caused these delays??

Stacy.