Whilst stationed at the Rialto in Melbourne this week (I think it was
last Tuesday or Thursday) I saw something quite peculiar. Perhaps
somebody has an idea of what it was that I saw.
Around the middle of the day a sprinter came from the Spencer Street
direction and pulled into Flinders Street at the far platform which I
think used to be used by the St Kilda/Port Melbourne trains. It stayed
at the platform for a couple of minutes and then pulled out back towards
Spencer Street.
This is most peculiar as I understood that all country trains at
Flinders Street were Gippsland trains and these went via Platform 1. So
logically one would expect the Sprinter to continue onto Gippsland after
coming from Spencer Street.
I watched a little longer and later saw a country train pull in at the
same platform coming from Spencer Street. It stopped for a while but
then departed in a Gippsland direction.
These strange events suggest to me that the far platform is now being
used for country services. Can someone please confirm or deny this?
The earlier train departing towards spencer street suggests to me that
some other country trains ie geelong, ballarat, bendigo etc, are
departing from flinders street and then going to their destinations via
Spencer street. If this is so I rather think this is a good idea. Does
anyone have any information on this? Or any comment on the utility
associated with such a move?
Finally the above events do give one cause to think about ways of
improving our country services.
Given that we have a spare platform at Box Hill, and that most of our
population is located in a South Easterly direction wouldn't it make
more sense to terminate our country trains somewhere in the Eastern or
South Eastern suburbs. I think Box Hill has some merit in this regard as
there is the extra track to Melbourne and the spare platform.
Northerly/Westerly trains could start at Box hill, go to Flinder street
and then spencer street and their final desination.
cheers Peter