https://www.vline.com.au/Plan-trip-buy-tickets?from=Melbourne%2c+Southern+Cross&to=Horsham+Station&date=04%2f01%2f2020
Apparently there is a 3 month reprieve whilst Victoria and Journeys Beyond discuss the direction forward for the service.
Mike.
No problems at all booking intrastate through V/Line for travel on 4/1/2020.Sims Metals?
https://www.vline.com.au/Plan-trip-buy-tickets?from=Melbourne%2c+Southern+Cross&to=Horsham+Station&date=04%2f01%2f2020
Apparently there is a 3 month reprieve whilst Victoria and Journeys Beyond discuss the direction forward for the service.
Mike.
Don maaate relax ... Your premier our premier I was told in no uncertain terms by our old premier you know the one hit by a rolled magazine some years ago not to trust any of them (politicians)Doyle, glad to hear from a regular user. I don't agree with you about the Trotters V/line bus to Hamilton and Mount Gambier, I use that bus to visit family who live in one of those Glenelg Highway towns and I've always found it comfortable and punctual.
Unfortunately this is a political topic.Everything is political. The sooner you realise that the better.
But take the politics out of it, because that's just going to/already has turn/ed into a us vs them, finger pointing and name blaming exercise, as it always does until someone throws the toys out of the cot.
Why is there no or very little focus on the marketing and run frequency of The Overland? These 2 things seem to me to be what's killing it.No-one in control of the purse-strings presently knows what they want to do with The Overland beyond the short-term and all options (save for killing the service off entirely) will cost more money than is currently being 'invested' into it by the Victorian Government. If you don't know what you're marketing then spending money on marketing won't do anything productive.
Hi Don I actually don't mind the bad buzz bus from the Mount to Hamilton but any further and I can't seem to cope, possibly the road from Hamilton to Ballarat is pretty bad I also have some serious health issues I can drive it but can't bus that far
Anyway the configuration of any train service to western Victoria is paramount
Like I suggested previously run (a) train from Hamilton to Bordertown vv meeting Melbourne trains at Ararat
Add an extra couple of sets to the Albury line order
"build it they will come", my favourite is "they love it they just don't know it yet"
So a 3 month extension, now I want to see every one here who has posted for its retention publish a picture of their ticket after they go for a trip.It is a fact of life that nothing will gaurantee the retention of the Overland and i'm sorry not even a massive increase in passenger numbers will be enough to save the inter colonial express .I hope that I am wrong but unless it is fully funded by the Victorian Govt; alas its future in this business driven world is dire.
it is an unfortunate fact of life that the only trhing that will gaurantee the retention of the service is a massive increase in passenger numbers.
So a 3 month extension, now I want to see every one here who has posted for its retention publish a picture of their ticket after they go for a trip.
it is an unfortunate fact of life that the only trhing that will gaurantee the retention of the service is a massive increase in passenger numbers.
I'm not 'baying from the galleries' - I just want a service which is actually useful to me. Every time its pointed out that this 'service' is really orientated towards tourists and not regular users you just ignore it. What's the matter with actually wanting something USEFUL and PRACTICAL as opposed to an occasional tourist train that doesn't meet the needs of the majority of the travelling public?So a 3 month extension, now I want to see every one here who has posted for its retention publish a picture of their ticket after they go for a trip.
it is an unfortunate fact of life that the only trhing that will gaurantee the retention of the service is a massive increase in passenger numbers.
The insignificant number of Railpagers who may use the Overland is unlikely to have any influence on the continuation of the service.
I post in advocacy of the train operating because whilst it's still operating it can be improved and other services implemented and current patronage despite Don Dunstan baying from the gallery justifies the service.
Cancelled... it's unlikely to return at all, short of another extensive review etc.
South Australia does NOT operate regional trains, including the Overland and expects intending PT pax to travel on its 'Stateline' expensive regional bus services.
Mike.
Does Journey Beyond have current leases on any appropriate vehicles that could be used to add extra capacity at short notice?I seem to recall in 2017 when the Crows were playing the Grand Final in Melbourne that (then) operator GSR said they didn't have the capacity to run special trains and that they also couldn't simply attach rolling-stock to their fixed Overland consist because there was simply no spare Overland carriages available to cater for potential extra numbers. In other words they were not prepared to alter the service for 'peak' use, I guess because they were being paid a fixed price to run it and they couldn't be bothered accommodating extra users.
I was told that they opted not to renew some of them this year once the Vic government said there would be no more funding.
I don't see what the fuss is about. To put it in context, we get four Overland annual subsidies for the cost of one Melbourne median priced house.
To governments this is not even pocket money, it's the fluff in the bottom of your pocket.
For year 2018 the Crow Eaters contributed not a single cent towards supporting The Overdue.No company in their right mind would use stock like the clapped out XPT that are 40 years old after being withdrawn,GSR or whatever they call themsleves also used clapped out rollingstock only because the Vic Govt pay them too. Time for a whole fresh approach to passenger rail services for the public beyond Ararat. Even if the ViC Guv goes it alone and terminates services at Dimboola or dare I say Serviceton.
Victoria stumped up $ 3.78 million alone subsidy to support The Overdue which only carried 17,000 pax in 2018 . That amounts to a stratospheric Victorian taxpayer subsidy of $ 222 for every passenger carried.
Something has got to give.
As for Journey Beyond their publicity efforts for The Overdue are non existant, and Victoria should have made their generous subsidy conditional on Journey Beyond doing a certain level of paid promotional activity. Again private enterprise sucks the Victorian Government dry.
PS: The existing single set could do a third return trip each week, as it used to do before the latest cut some years ago.
Pity this situation is not 3 years on where 2 x 5 car XPT sets ex NSW would be available to run a 10 hour trip each way 7 days a week .
KanivaIf your argument for having a V/line service reinstated is tourism and increasing economic activity (which would be probably the strongest argument) then a daily return from Kaniva or Nhill would be the logical destination in my opinion. As I'm sure BigShunter can confirm that Nhill has been growing quite well with a few industries and employers helping out with growth, as well as the caravan park and tourism industry in general experiencing quite a lot of growth due to the Little and Big Desert attracting more and more visitors. In addition the construction of the truck/trailer exchange and a large truck rest area to the west of the town (due to it being almost exactly halfway between Adelaide and Melbourne) has added to the economic activity of the area.
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