Re: Interstate Platform at Geelong?

[David Langley <del@ancc.com.au>]

Grahame Ferguson wrote:

>
>
> Jeff Kennett made an election promise in 1996, that an SG platform would be
> built at Nth Geelong- this was done to prop up the Liberal vote in the
> Geelong electorates.   Therefore one can only assume that another state
> election is around the corner.

Yeah Grahame, this year a week or two after the grand final of some sporting
game or other. Catch the voters unawares and get elected again. Unfortunately
the opposition does not look much like a government - and he knows it.

>
>
> As regards platform size, if the conductor knows already what cars
> passengers are booked into ex Nth Geelong, he can pre-plan what stops have
> to be made.

Passenger will be asked to go to certain cars just like the MEx/SEx used to do
at Benalla and Wangaratta.

>
>
> As regards platform size be thankful, because in Seymour they have been
> trying to get the XPT to stop at their 2 car platform for many years, but
> the local politicians in the State parliament just pass the buck, and with
> the railway officials (V/line & CountryLink), it is a case of- well if we
> didn't do it 30 years ago we don't do it now.
> CountryLink will stop at The Rock, Henty, Culcairn, and Uranquinty, but if
> your town has a population base of 11,000 (Seymour+Puckapunyal) well they
> don't stop.
> It is used if the XPT misses the connection at Albury, and when drunks have
> to be removed by the police.
> If the train is positioned properly then 3 cars can be loaded at once.