Business Trip to Australia - January-February 1999

(via Hong Kong)

A map of the Melbourne transport system will be useful for understanding the following.

Business requirements often meant travelling around by car. My local colleague's home is near Blackburn and Nunawading stations, and ALSTOM offices are located at Clayton near Westall station and in Melbourne city centre. Visits were made to the depot at Epping and the workshops at Newport, including time spent on commissioning runs on vehicles such as 322M which has a new prototype traction system fitted. "New track today" is always "none" unless stated.

On this, the author's second visit to Melbourne, spare weekends were spent travelling on the sparsely served broad gauge "main line" branches. A full day was spent in Hong Kong on the outward journey finishing off train and tram routes not previously visited.

Special Notes:

Unless otherwise stated, all EMUs are operated by Hillside or Bayside Trains, subsidiaries of Melbourne Passenger Transport Corporation (PTC) and to be privatised in August 1999. Other services are operated as marked.

  • HKTL - Hong Kong Tramways Limited

  • KCRC - Kowloon Canton Railway Corporation (Hong Kong)

  • MTRC - Mass Transit Railway Corporation (Hong Kong)

Platform numbers or tram stop numbers are added to times in [brackets].

Melbourne Area routing codes are listed separately.

Place

Arrive

Depart

Train/
Routing

Traction details & notes

Sunday 17th January 1999

Timperley  

08:00

Taxi
Manchester Airport (MAN) Terminal 2

08:12

10:00

CX260

Cathay Pacific 747-400 B-HHY

Via Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) (12:25/13:35)

Hong Kong (HKG)
[Chep Lap Kok]

08:00

(time 8 hours ahead of UK)

Monday 18th January 1999

Satellite

07:59

People-mover

Rubber-tyred
Main Terminal

08:00

 

Airport

09:00

 

MTRC Airport Express Line EMU
Kowloon

09:22

09:32

'K1'

free bus
Hung Hom

09:50

10:06

KCRC Lo Wu Line EMU
Kowloon Tong

10:13

10:37

KCRC Lo Wu Line EMU
Lo Wu

11:08

11:20

KCRC Lo Wu Line EMU
Tai Po Market

11:35

Walk to KCRC museum in old Tai Po Market station building - about 10 minutes
Tai Po Market

13:00

KCRC Lo Wu Line EMU
Kowloon Tong

13:19

13:27

MTRC Kwun Tong Line EMU
Prince Edward

13:31

13:32

MTRC Tsuen Wan Line EMU
Tsuen Wan

13:48

14:00

MTRC Tsuen Wan Line EMU
Lai King

14:18

14:24

MTRC Tung Chung Line EMU
Tung Chung

14:36

15:06

MTRC Tung Chung Line EMU
Hong Kong

15:30

Central Pier

15:53

Star Ferry “Northern Star” in first class
Kowloon Pier

16:01

16:35

Star Ferry “Golden Star” in standard class
Central Pier

16:43

 

Legislative Building

 

16:53

HKTL tram 7
just beyond Happy Valley triangle

17:13

17:20

HKTL tram 63
other side of Happy Valley triangle

17:25

17:31

HKTL tram ?
Happy Valley

17:35

17:39

HKTL tram 124
North Point

18:30

18:35

MTRC Island Line EMU
Central

18:47

18:58

MTRC Tung Chung Line EMU
Kowloon

19:01

19:15

MTRC Airport Express Line EMU
Airport

19:34

Main Terminal

22:11

People-

mover

Rubber-tyred
Hong Kong (HKG)

22:12

22:50

CX105

Cathay Pacific A340
Melbourne (MEL)

10:50

(time 3 hours ahead of Hong Kong)
New track for the day: Fo Tan - Lo Wu, Prince Edward - Tsuen Wan, Lai King - Tung Chung, 

Tuesday 19th January 1999

work at Epping depot
Flinders St

18:00[1]

PV-HU

EMU 631M+T+632M+640M+T+639M
Eltham

18:53

18:53

direct

?M+T+?M+?M+T+?M
Flinders St

19:38[1]

Stayed each night at Duxton Hotel, Flinders Street (opposite Flinders Street railway station)

Wednesday 20th January 1999

Flinders St

07:19[1]

direct

EMU ?M+T+150M+228M+T+17M working at Epping
Epping

08:02[1]

Epping depot

11:56[24]

special

EMU 425M+T+322M+488M+T+694M
Ferry trip to Newport: 322M+425M for test train running, 488M for tyre turning there; via Epping station platform 1 (reverse 12:00/12:02) - Flinders St (track 1A 12:36) - Spencer St (track 8A) - Newport Workshops No.5 siding (13:03) , then shunt with 322M+T+425M alone
Newport Workshops

13:09[1]

by car to ALSTOM office at Clayton, then to colleague’s house
Nunawading

22:15

direct

EMU 422M+T+?M
Flinders St

22:50[2]

Thursday 21st January 1999

Flinders St

08:12[5]

direct

EMU 367M+T+368M+336M+T+335M
Newport

08:33

Newport Workshops

09:48[1]

special

EMU 425M+T+322M
Test train run: Newport (reverse) - Werribee (reverse 10:40/10:47) - Newport - into turnback siding (reverse) - Workshops (reverse 11:25/13:12) - Newport (reverse) - Werribee (reverse 14:05/14:13) - Newport (reverse)
Newport Workshops [Loop]

14:40

by car to Hotel
Elizabeth St/Flinders St

17:39

'57'

tram 228
West Maribyrnong

18:21

18:26

'57'

tram 229
Maribyrnong

18:29[45]

18:31[45]

'82'

tram 148
Footscray

18:48[1]

18:51

direct

EMU 221M+T+166M+22M+T+46M
Flinders St

19:03[5]

Friday 22nd January 1999

by car from Hotel to Newport

Newport Workshops [Loop]

06:31

special

EMU 425M+T+322M

Test train run: via TS - Spencer St (06:57) - CL - Pakenham Yard (08:14/08:28) - Bunyip (reverse 08:56/08:58) - Pakenham Yard (reverse 09:25/09:38) - Bunyip (reverse 09:58/10:00) - Pakenham Yard (reverse 10:25/10:57) - Bunyip (reverse 11:20/11:23) - Pakenham - CT - Flinders St (track 9A) - TS - Spencer St (12:56) - TS
Newport Workshops [Loop]

13:18

by car to Hotel
Flinders St/Queen St

14:56[3]

'00'

tram 856
Spencer St/Bourke St

15:05

Spencer St

15:21[11

NV

EMU 417M+T+418M+503M+T+504M
Flinders St

15:24[5]

16:06[1]

PU-HU

EMU 598M+T+597M+618M+T+617M
Eltham

16:57

17:56

direct

EMU ?M+T+103M+134M+T+7M
Flinders St

18:39[2]

Saturday 23rd January 1999

Spencer St

08:40[13

TS-CL

V/Line DL N471+4C
Sale

11:20

14:00

CL-TS

V/Line DL N471+4C
Spencer St

16:38[14

Spencer St/Collins St

16:44

‘00’

tram 925
Flinders St/Queen St

16:50

New track for the day: Bunyip - Sale

Sunday 24th January 1999

Flinders St

08:46[1]

PV

EMU 665M+T+666M
Spencer St

08:49[9]

09:40[3]

V/Line DL N468+4C
Bendigo

11:45

Central Deborah Mine

12:30

tram 275 (ex-Melbourne type W2)
via Museum visit (reverse 12:47/13:00) - Emu Point (reverse 13:07/13:09) - depot avoiding line
Central Deborah Mine

13:24

Bendigo

14:30

V/Line DR 7003
Echuca

15:45

17:20

V/Line DR 7003
Bendigo

18:35

18:50

V/Line DL N462+4C
Spencer St

20:47[2]

Spencer St/Bourke St

21:09

‘48’

tram 246
Flinders St/Queen St

21:15

New track for the day: St Albans - Bendigo - Echuca

Monday 25th January 1999

by car to and from Newport Workshops
Flinders St/Elizabeth St

 

18:24

‘59’

tram 2092
Airport West

19:09

19:12

‘59’

tram 2092
Moonee Ponds

19:28

19:30

‘82’

tram 152
Mooney Valley

19:36[41]

 

 

 
Murtle St

 

19:44

‘57’

tram 168
Newmarket Station

19:57

 

 

 
Newmarket

 

20:23

NV

EMU 585M+T+586M+482M+T+481M
Flinders St

20:35[7]

 

 

 

Tuesday 26th January 1999 (Australia Day holiday)

Flinders St

 

10:15[9]

SP - BS

EMU 564M+T+563M+658M+T+657M

Showgrounds

10:27

10:36

BS - SP

same set

Flinders St

10:48[9]

10:59[3]

BV

EMU 363M+T+364M

Spencer St

11:01[11]

11:19[12]

CV

EMU 412M+T+411M+394M+T+393M

Flinders St

11:21[6]

12:07[5]

NL

EMU 487M+T+427M

North Melbourne

12:17[2]

12:22[5]

TS

EMU 613M+T+614M+588M+T+587M

Flinders St

12:30[9]

Flinders St/Swanston St

13:11

‘00’

tram 728

departed westbound from eastbound stop, then over crossover (parade affecting operations)

Spencer St/Bourke St

13:20

Spencer St

13:25[12]

CV

EMU 398M+T+397M

Flinders St

13:30[8]

15:49

BV-BT

EMU 468M+467M+647M+590M

Nunawading

16:30

21:15

direct

EMU 492M+T+491M+339M+T+340M

Flinders St

21:49[2]

New track for the day: Newmarket - Showgrounds

Wednesday 27th January 1999

by car from Hotel to Newport

Newport Workshops [Loop]

06:30

special

EMU 425M+T+322M

Test train run: via TS - Spencer St (06:56) - CL - Pakenham Yard (08:14/??:??) - Bunyip (reverse ) - Pakenham Yard (reverse 09:25/09:37) - Bunyip (reverse 10:12/10:15) - Pakenham Yard (10:46/??:??) - CL - Spencer St (12:24) - TS

Newport Workshops [Loop]

12:43

Flinders St/Elizabeth St

16:10

‘00’

tram 1000

Spencer St/Bourke St

16:18

16:20

‘86’

tram 2041

Bundoora RMIT

17:40

17:43

‘86’

tram 2041

Northcote

18:11[42]

Miller St

18:24

‘11'

tram 133

West Preston

18:31[47]

18:33[47]

‘00’

tram 133 (via north curve near Preston works)

Preston

18:44[45]

Bell

19:10

direct

EMU 42M+T+110M+149M+T+100M

Flinders St

19:33

Swanston St/La Trobe St

21:29

‘08’

tram 132

Swanston St/Flinders St

21:33

Thursday 28th January 1999

Flinders St

09:12[6]

CL

EMU 485M+T+486M+519M+T+520M
Westall

09:44

by car to ALSTOM office in Clayton
Laburnum

17:32

EMU 696M+T+528M+648M+T+627M
Box Hill

17:39[2]

17:48[3]

BL

4DD EMU 6002T+5002M+5000M+6000T
Flinders St

18:18[2]

Friday 29th January 1999

by taxi to Newport
Newport Workshops [Loop]

06:35

special

EMU 425M+T+322M
Test train run: via TS - Spencer St (06:58) - CL - Pakenham platform  - Bunyip (reverse 08:50/08:55) - Pakenham Yard (reverse 09:18/10:05) - Bunyip (reverse 10:31/10:34) - Pakenham Yard (11:00/11:55)
Westall

11:38

Test train continued to Newport. By car to Clayton
Westall

14:32

CL

EMU 345M+T+346M+544M+T+543M
Flinders St

15:04[7]

Flinders St/Elizabeth St

17:21

‘19’

tram 2062
North Coburg

18:02

18:10

‘19’

tram 2062
Moreland

18:16[28]

Moreland depot

1834[133]

‘01’

tram 141 on route ‘22’
East Brunswick

1835[129]

18:49

‘01’

tram 211
Swanston St/Lonsdale St

19:27

Saturday 30th January 1999

Flinders St/Elizabeth St

08:26

‘48’

tram 300

Spencer St/Bourke St

08:31

Spencer St

09:10[4]

ES

DL N468+3C (operated by Hoys)

Shepparton

11:25

15:25

ES

DL N468+3C (operated by Hoys)

Spencer St

17:45[8]

17:56[12]

CV

EMU 353M+T+354M

Flinders St

17:59[6]

18:26[2]

BV

EMU 491M+T+492M

Spencer St

18:29[10]

18:46[11]

NV-NU

EMU 545M+T+546M

North Melbourne

19:00[4]

19:03[3]

NV

EMU 547M+T+548M

Flinders St

19:28[5]

19:37[5]

NU

EMU 547M+T+548M

North Melbourne

19:28[3]

19:37[1]

ES

EMU 552M+T+551M

Spencer St

19:40[11]

19:46[11]

NV

EMU 441M+T+442M

Flinders St

19:51[6]

New track for the day: Seymour - Shepparton

Sunday 31st January 1999

Flinders St

08:59[3]

BV

EMU 594M+T+593M
Spencer St

09:03[10]

09:40[3]

V/Line DL N451+4C
retimed to 09:50 to allow for path through eng wks beyond Gisbourne (6 late, dep 36 late, opposite train very late)
Bendigo

11:45

arr 30 late

12:15

Sunlink bus registration NNV 001 (for V/Line) dep 15 late
Swan Hill station

14:32

arr 10 late
Swan Hill

16:40

V/Line DL N456+4C
Spencer St

20:47[2]

21:04[13]

TS

EMU 344M+T+390M
Flinders St

21:07[5]

New track for the day: Bendigo - Swan Hill

Monday 1st February 1999

Flinders St

07:19[1]

direct

EMU 35M+T+170M+172M+T+135M
Epping

08:02[2]

work at Epping depot on 697M
Epping

17:18[2]

direct

EMU 668M+T+667M+657M+T+658M
(due to earlier fatality at Reservoir) reversed at Lalor (17:20/17:28) - Epping[1] (reverse 17:30/17:41)
Flinders St

18:26[2]

18:43[5]

NU

EMU ?M+T+62M+213M+T+217M
North Melbourne

18:53[4]

18:57[3]

MS-TS

EMU 332M+T+399M+530M+T+552M
Spencer St

19:00[13]

19:09[10]

CU

EMU 564M+T+563M
Flagstaff

19:11[4]

19:17[3]

NU

EMU 1M+T+232M+127M+T+202M
North Melbourne

19:20[2]

19:28[5]

TS

EMU 57M+T+184M+149M+T+?M
Flinders St

19:35[7]

Tuesday 2nd February 1999

working in Melbourne, then at Epping depot
Epping depot

16:16[8]

shunt

EMU 529M+T+697M
Epping depot

16:18[11

16:22[13]

shunt

EMU 694M+T+488M
Epping depot

16:24[8]

Epping

17:15[2]

direct

EMU 468M+T+467M+650M+T+649M
Flinders St

17:55[1]

18:35[4]

direct

EMU 624M+T+623M
Richmond

18:39[10]

18:49[5]

direct

EMU 26M+T+227M+164M+T+156M
Flinders St

18:53[4]

18:55[4]

NU

(reversed) same set
North Melbourne

19:03[2]

19:06[3]

NV

EMU 337M+T+438M+450M+T+449M
Flinders St

19:11[6]

Wednesday 3rd February 1999

Flinders St

07:19[1]

direct

EMU 681M+T+582M+326M+T+325M
Epping

08:02[1]

work at Epping depot on 695M
Epping depot

10:31[8]

testing

EMU 695M+T+529M
via 16 road - Keon Park (reverse 10:36/10:40) - washer road
Epping depot

10:52[8]

Nunawading

22:15

direct

EMU 583M+T+?M
Flinders St

22:49[4]

Thursday 4th February 1999

  by car to Newport
Newport Workshops sdg 5

06:32

special

EMU 425M+T+322M
Test train run: via TS - Spencer St (06:54) - CL - Pakenham yard (08:15/08:58) - Bunyip (reverse 09:26/09:28) - Pakenham Yard (reverse 09:51/09:57) - Bunyip (reverse 10:21/10:23) - Pakenham Yard (10:51/11:40) - Caulfield - CL - Flinders St[12 then 9A] (12:18) - TS
Newport Workshops [loop]

12:42

by car to Melbourne
Flinders St/Swanston St

17:21

'22'

tram 143
Moreland

18:00

18:15

direct

EMU 466M+T+465M
Spencer St

18:31[11]

Spencer St/Bourke St

18:46

'00'

tram 1020
Flinders St/Queen St

18:51

Flinders St

20:35[3]

BV

EMU 361M+T+362M
Spencer St

20:39[10]

La Trobe St/Spencer St

21:30

'08'

tram 204
La Trobe St/Swanston St

21:34

Friday 5th February 1999

Flinders St

07:35[6]

CL

EMU 522M+T+521M+417M+T+418M
Westall 08:00
Glen Waverley 14:41 BL EMU 585M+T+586M+524M+T+523M
Flinders St 15:15[2]
Flinders St/Elizabeth St 15:37 '00' tram 1020
Spencer St/Bourke St 15:41
Spencer St 16:08[5] MS V/Line DR 7009+7010
Ballarat 17:33 19:15 MS V/Line DR 7020+7003+7010+7009
Spencer St 20:41[6]
Spencer St/Bourke St 21:02 '48' tram 288
Flinders St/Queen St 21:07
New track for the day: Sunshine - Ballarat

Saturday 5th February 1999

Flinders St

06:24

CL

EMU 427M+T+428M. Via Caulfield [2] CT
Westall 06:56 07:04 special EMU 425M+T+322M
Test train run: - Pakenham yard (07:46/08:02) - shunt - Pakenham - Bunyip (reverse 08:48/08:50) - Pakenham yard (reverse 09:20/09:45) - Bunyip (reverse 10:10/10:12) - Oakleigh (10:57) - Caulfield [1] - CT
Flinders St

11:14[10]

11:49[3]

BT

EMU 476M+T+475M
Lilydale 12:54 13:40 '685' bus PCI 047
Healesville Sanctuary 14:25 17:05 '685' bus PCI 047
Lilydale 17:50 17:58 BT EMU 659M+T+660M
Flinders St 18:56[3]

Sunday 6th February 1999

by car to Newport
Newport Workshops [Loop]

08:30

special

EMU 425M+T+322M
Final pre-approval test train around the steepest parts of the system: via TS - Spencer St [10] (08:47) - NV - Flinders St [2] (08:49) -  BT - Richmond Junction - BL - Burnley (08:56) - C - Box Hill [3] (09:09) - Ringwood [2] (09:26) - Bayswater (09:32) - Belgrave (reverse 09:44/09:46) - Upper Ferntree Gully (reverse 09:56/09:59) - Belgrave (reverse 10:10/10:12) - photograph available - Upper Ferntree Gully (reverse 10:16/10:23) - Upwey (10:27/10:34) Belgrave (reverse 10:39/10:40) [by now running 90 minutes early] - Upper Ferntree Gully (10:49) - Ringwood (11:01) - Blackburn - U - Camberwell (11:24) - U - Burnley [Up BT] - onto Up BL (reverse 11:32/11:34) - Down BT (reverse) - Burnley [Down BT] (reverse) - Kooyong (11:41) - Glen Waverley [1] (reverse 11:57/12:01) - Darling (12:16) - Burnley [BL] (12:30) - BT - Richmond (12:32) - Flinders St [1] (12:38) - CV - Spencer St [10] - South Kensington (12:46) - Newport Workshops (13:00) - shunt
Newport Workshops [1]

13:05

by car to Melbourne
Flinders St

16:17[9]

TS - BS

EMU 694M+T+488M
Flemington Racecourse

16:30

16:40 BS - TS EMU 488M + T + 694M
Flinders St

16:57[9]

17:15[5] NU EMU 369M+T+370M
Royal Park

17:30

walk via closed line to Rushall and Fitzroy
Brunswick St/ Alexandra Parade

18:59[18] '11' tram
Collins St/Elizabeth St

19:16

New track for the day: Showgrounds - Flemington Racecourse

Monday 8th February 1999

Working in Melbourne then to colleague's house
Nunawading

22:15

- EMU 611M+T+612M
Flinders St

 22:48[2]

Tuesday 9th February 1999

Flinders St

07:35[6]

- EMU 317M+T+318M+487M+T+427M
Westall

08:00

Working at Clayton, then visit to Preston tram works
Thornbury

15:08

EMU 77M+T+96M+171M+T+6M
Flinders St 15:36[1]

Wednesday 10th February 1999

Working in Melbourne then Clayton
Glen Waverley

16:26

BL EMU 125M+T+43M+158M+T+70M
Flinders St

17:05[3]

Thursday 11th February 1999

Working in Melbourne then Epping then lift to Airport
Melbourne Airport (MEL)

13:40

CX104

Cathay Pacific Airbus A340 B-HXD
Hong Kong (HKG)
[Chep Lap Kok]
19:40 (time 3 hours behind Victoria)

Friday 12th February 1999

Hong Kong (HKG)
[Chep Lap Kok]

00:40

CX271

Cathay Pacific Boeing 747-400

Via Amsterdam (AMS) (06:20/09:34) fault detected in Inertial Navigation System before departure

Manchester Airport (MAN) Terminal 2

09:30

(time 8 hours behind Hong Kong)

09:50

Taxi

Timperley

10:03

Copyright © 2000 Paul Steane.

This page created on 14 October 2007 at 19:35.