Re: UPFIELD LINE ALTERATIONS
Michael Walker (walker@hotkey.net.au)
Sun, 01 Feb 1998 22:17:18 +1100
Brian Evans wrote:
>
> In article <34C83543.4EE@tbsa.com.au>, peter berrett <pberrett@tbsa.com.au> wrote:
> >Michael Walker wrote:
> >>
> >> According to a poster at Museum station today, there will be altered
> >> running for the 3 passengers who still find a use for Victoria's answer
> >> to the Line From Nowhere to Nowhere on Saturday 24th January (tomorrow)
> >> and Monday (Australia Day) due to bridge works at Manningham Street,
> >> Parkville.
> >
> >
> >It needn't be the line from nowhere to nowhere.
> >
> >I am still amazed every time I look at a railway map that the relevant
> >authorities have not seen fit to extend and join up the Upfield line to
> >the end of the Broadmeadows line.
>
> My understanding was historically there indeed existed a line between
> broadmeadows station (down side) which went east across the back of the camp
> road military barracks and connected to the upfield line just north of camp
> road. The reservation is certainly there in the broadmeadows area.
>
> Does anyone have any further information?
>
> Regards,
> Brian
My original sarcasm in describing the Upfield line as the line from
nowhere to nowhere was the fact that with the ridiculous interchange due
to the City Link construction being given priority over the rail line
operation, the line in effect went from nowhere (Upfield - where it is
supplied by the Ford factory workers, many of whom live east and west of
there in good housing estates as they can now afford them, not just
south in the slightly less prestigous areas of Coburg and Merlynston) to
Flemington Bridge (where it would be quicker to spend the $4.20 on a
daily Zone 1 and catch one of the frequent trams down Flemingotn road
than the silly bus service to North Melbourne although this effectively
means the trip was not free after all), neither of which is a large
traffic generator. I realise this arrangement is only temporary but in a
way, you might as well close the line down completely, temporarily
redeploy staff to other locations rather than hire part time staff -
this alone would save 6-9 months paychecks - do all the upgrading work
which would be more quicker due to no trains running and open the whole
line again with improvements already complete when the CityLink has been
finished over the railway line. The way they are doing it now probably
isnt worth it for commuters to bother plus the further delays when the
whole line is open again due to more improvement work to be completed.