Suggestions for a better Melbourne

["FRISCÉ Theatre Co. (Bryan Cullis)" <rabonzo@primus.com.au>]

I have several plans for Melbourne's transit system, in particular the rail
network.  If it wasn't for the fact that I'd get laughed out of Transport
House, I'd suggest them.

EASTERN LINES:

*  Electrification and reopening of line to Healesville, with stations at
Coldstream, Yering, Yarra Glen, Tarrawarra and Healesville.

*  Opening of new stations at Cave Hill (between Mooroolbark and Lilydale)
and Bedford Park (between Ringwood and Heathmont).

*  Opening of a Y-link between Bedford Park and Ringwood East, running
trains
from Upper Fern Tree Gully to Lilydale, and calling it the Maroondah line.

*  Rename Glenferrie to "Glenferrie-Swinburne".

*  Extending the Glen Waverley line to Rowville, with stations at Mountview
(between Swindon Av. and Eastleigh Dr., Glen Waverley), Redcourt (between
Dobell and Lindsay Cts., Scoresby), Scoresby (as close to Scoresby Village
as possible), Caribbean Gardens (adjacent to Stud Rd. Entrance, Scoresby)
and Rowville (as close to Stud Park as possible).

*  Extending the Alamein line to connect with the Rowville line between East
Malvern and Holmesglen, with services running to Rowville via Glen Iris or
via Ashburton.

*  All Healesville and Belgrave trains run express Richmond -
Glenferrie-Swinburne - Camberwell - Box Hill all day until after 8.30 p.m.,
in which they would stop all stations except East Richmond.

*  Run an inner city service from the City to Richmond via Ashburton.

NORTH-EASTERN LINES:

*  Reopening and electrification of Epping line to South Morang, with
stations at Mill Park (between Pindari Av. and Civic Dr.) and South Morang
(intersection of McDonalds, Gorge and Plenty Rds.).  This would follow the
original Whittlesea reservation to just past the Yan Yean pipe track, then
veer right towards South Morang proper.

*  Opening of a Y-Link between Rushall and Westgarth, running trains from
Reservoir and Heidelberg, and calling it the Merrilands line.

*  Running services from the City to Greensborough rather than Eltham.

*  Extending all current Eltham bound trains to Hurstbridge, and having them
run express from Jolimont to Victoria Park all day until 8.30 p.m.

*  Construction of a new rail line to East Doncaster.  The line will run
from Victoria Park via the Eastern Freeway, then underground from just after
the footbridge between Kenneth and Carron Sts. to East Doncaster.   There
would be stations at Yarra Bend (Yarra Bend Rd., Yarra Bend), Riverside
(adjacent to the Jack O'Toole Res., Kew), Golf Club (adjacent to cnr.
Meldrum and Minogue Sts., Kew East), Bellevue (Columa St. Footbridge,
Bellevue), North Balwyn (Koonung Creek Res., North Balwyn), Macedon Square
(Macedon Sq., Lower Templestowe), Doncaster (Westfield Shoppingtown),
Jackson Court (Jackson Ct., East Doncaster) and East Doncaster (Tunstall
Sq., East Doncaster), with possible plans to extend the line underground to
Box Hill.

*  Complete renaming of Jolimont to "Jolimont M.C.G."

NORTH-WESTERN LINES:

*  Electrification of rail line from Broadmeadows and Upfield to
Craigieburn, with stations at Coolaroo (Kalimna Cres., Coolaroo), Roxburgh
Park (former site of Somerton station), Patullos (Patullos La., Craigieburn)
and Craigieburn (current station).

*  Run extend both Broadmeadows and Upfield trains to run from the City to
Craigieburn via Fawkner or Broadmeadows.

*  Open a new station called Campbellfield (Mahoneys Rd.).

*  Extend the Flemington Racecourse line to connect with western lines just
before South Kensington, allowing trains to run City - North Melbourne -
Showgrounds - Racecourse - North Melbourne.  The Showgrounds bypass track
would be removed and an additional platform would be constructed to allow
passengers to alight the train from either side.  The same would be done at
Flemington Racecourse, with the allowance for two trains to sit at the
station at the one time.  This line would be renamed the Flemington Circle.

*  Rename Royal Park to "Royal Park - Zoo"

WESTERN LINES:

*  Electrification of the rail line from St. Albans to Sunbury, with
stations at Keilor Downs (Taylors Rd., Keilor Downs), Taylors Lakes (Proctor
Cres., Keilor Downs), Sydenham (current station), Calder Park (Calder Park
Dr., Calder Park), Diggers Rest (current station) and Sunbury (current
station).

*  Electrification of the rail line from Sunshine to Bacchus Marsh, with
stations at Selwyn Park (cnr. Ridgeway Pde. and Smart St., West Sunshine)
and all other existing stations, plus Parwan (former station).

*  Reopening of stations on the original Werribee line (currently Newport -
Laverton express) at North Altona (adjacent to North Altona bus station) and
Cherry Lake (Greive Pde., Altona).

*  Opening of a new station named "Maddox" at Maddox Rd., North
Williamstown.

*  Opening of a new station named "The Pines" at Altona Rd., Altona
(adjacent to The Pines scout camp).

*  Opening of a new station named "The Lakes" at Forsyth Rd.,  Western
Gardens.

*  Opening of a new station named "Werribee Cemetery" at Derrimut Rd.,
Werribee.

*  Run service from the City to Werribee via Altona or via North Altona.

*  Addition of Werribee Racecourse to system maps.

SOUTHERN AND SOUTH-EASTERN LINES:

*  Opening of a new station named "Southland" at Bay Rd., Pennydale.

*  Opening of a new station named "Armstrongs" at Armstrongs Rd., Seaford.

*  Run services from City to Frankston stopping all stations at all times.

*  Reopen and electrify the line to Mornington with stations at all original
sites except for Mornington (former site of R.M.S.P. 16, on the western side
of Nepean Hwy.).  Services would run Richmond - South Yarra - Caulfield -
Bentleigh - Moorabbin - Cheltenham - Mordialloc - Chelsea - Carrum then all
to Mornington.  Services would run every weekday to Mornington, and to
Baxter on weekends.  After 8.30 p.m., trains will stop at all stations
between Caulfield and Carrum.

*  Electrification of the Stony Point line from Frankston, with a new
station in Hastings called "Old Tyabb" (adjacent to Old Tyabb township).
Services would run Richmond - South Yarra - Caulfield - Moorabbin -
Cheltenham - Chelsea - Carrum - Frankston then all to Stony Point.

*  Resuming of electric services to Warragul with all Pakenham services
extended to Warragul.  Services would run Richmond - South Yarra -
Caulfield - Oakleigh - Clayton - Springvale then all to Warragul.  After
8.30 p.m., trains will stop at all stations.

*  Opening of a new station named "Lynbrook" adjacent to the Lynbrook
Estate, Lynbrook.

*  Increased services to Cranbourne.

GEELONG & SURROUNDING SUBURBS:

*  Introduction of a suburban rail system for Geelong and suburbs, named
"Geelong City Railways (GCR)".  Trains would run on existing tracks, with
replacement tracks required along line to Drysdale and construction of new
track for a Y-link and an additional rail line.  Trains would also serve
existing stations, plus the addition of new stations in Hovell Park,
Norlane, North Geelong, Drumcondra, Bell Post Hill, Bell Park, Hamlyn
Heights (x2), Herne Hill, Waurn Ponds, Highton, Deakin University and
Drysdale.  Stations would also be reopened in Marshall, Grovedale, Thomson,
Newcomb, Moolap, Leopold and Curlewis.

*  LARA LINE - Geelong - Drumcondra - North Geelong - North Shore -
Norlane - Corio - Hovell Park - Lara.

*  BELL POST HILL - Geelong - Drumcondra - North Geelong - Deppeller Park -
Bell Park - Bell Post Hill.

*  NORTHWEST LINE - Bell Post Hill - Bell Park - Deppeller Park - North
Shore - Norlane - Corio - Hovell Park - Lara.

*  HERNE HILL LINE - Geelong - Drumcondra - North Geelong - McClelland -
Hamlyn Heights - Herne Hill.

*  HILLSIDE LINE - Bell Post Hill - Bell Park - Deppeller Park -
McClelland - Hamlyn Heights - Herne Hill.

*  HIGHTON LINE - Geelong - South Geelong - Breakwater - Marshall -
Grovedale - Waurn Ponds - Deakin University - Highton.

*  SOUTHWEST LINE - Herne Hill - Hamlyn Heights - McClelland - North
Geelong - Drumcondra - Geelong - South Geelong - Breakwater - Marshall -
Grovedale - Waurn Ponds - Deakin University - Highton.

*  DRYSDALE LINE - Geelong - South Geelong - Thomson - Newcomb - Moolap -
Leopold - Curlewis - Drysdale.

*  BAYSIDE LINE - Bell Post Hill - Bell Park - Deppeller Park - North
Geelong - Drumcondra - Geelong - South Geelong - Thomson - Newcomb -
Moolap - Leopold - Curlewis - Drysdale.

*  The new GCR Drysdale station would be designed in a similar fashion to
the two Belgrave stations (Hillside Trains and Puffing Billy) and would be
constructed on the western side of the Geelong - Portarlington Rd., while
the original Drysdale station (Bellarine Peninsula Railway) would remain on
the eastern side.

*  Electrification would be unnecessary.  Services would be run by Sprinters
painted in GCR livery.


I would love to hear any feedback on my ideas.  Yes, some of them are old
ideas (East Doncaster line, etc.) but the position of stations is purely
original.

Cheers.