Re: Suggestions for a better Melbourne

[John Cleverdon <johnc@cdi.com.au>]

"FRISCÉ Theatre Co. (Bryan Cullis)" wrote:

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

Broken promise?

> <snip>
>
> 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.
>

Take a wander around to the Dept of Infrastructure bookshop, and you may well
find proposals for electrification to South Morang (I've already mentioned this
in another thread) [1]

>
> *  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.
>
>

Take a look at a Melways c.1980 - the line is shown on there, although I'm not
sure how similar the route is to the one you described. Anyway, another broken
promise.

>
>
> 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).
>

See [1] above.

>
> 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).

See [1] above.

> *  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).
>

See [1] above, although IIRC the plans only go to Melton.

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

More useful here would be a small realignment to take out some of the curves.

> SOUTHERN AND SOUTH-EASTERN LINES:
>
> *  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.
>

I actually had such a long-distance express last year (due to delays), and got
from Frankston to FSS (direct) in just 39 minutes.
As for right into Mornington - forget it! You will only get as far as Yuilles
Rd, due to building on the alignment. The only alternative would be building a
tunnel, and that would be too much $$$.
Anyway, I feel that the existing Mornington line is too indirect to be effective
- a more direct route through Mt Eliza would be much better.
Hypothetically a line down to Dromana here (at least) would be nice, although
much of it would have to be in a tunnel - again $$$$. Note that you have to buy
a separate ticket on the Frankston-Portsea bus (except for 60-Plus), so anyone
travelling down my way has a double-whammy WRT ticket prices. Such a line might
be useful in summer, if you could attract the day-trippers.

>
> *  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.
>

Could be useful, especially if linked with a faster ferry service to Cowes.
Again, I mentioned in a thread some time back that this could come in handy with
racing on Phillip Island.
To be effective, you would need trains direct from Melbourne - Stony Point, ie.,
no change at Frankston (whether EMUs or DMUs).

>
> *  Increased services to Cranbourne.

A good idea, given the future population growth.
A better idea would be to end some of the shuttles to Pakenham/Cranbourne from
Dandenong, and just have trains running direct instead.

>
> GEELONG & SURROUNDING SUBURBS:
>
>
> *  Electrification would be unnecessary.  Services would be run by Sprinters
> painted in GCR livery.
>

Would it?
How much would electrification to Geelong, and a ~35 minute service, cost, when
compared to the ~$240m given for the Princes Fwy upgrade in the current
"agit-prop" campaign?

>
> 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.

Some of them are good, while IMHO many others would probably not be too useful.

John
--
John Cleverdon, B.App.Sc. (Cartography), AMMSIA
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