As mentioned the cancelled services are single sprinter runs,  account leve crossing approach timings activation issue,  the evening one is to allow both Sprinters to be changed over daily, as this was previously a single car changeover only.

It's down to the fact that the ever increasing Victorian Rail managements are re active rather than pro active, the Sprinter issue is in the too hard basket, rather than fix the issue, it is easier to cancel trains, then blame someone else!!

The daily Sprinter changeover is another Basket case operation,  with the cars coming up from  Frankston every weeknight (empty) also now  unable to directly access platform 8 South off the Viaduct ,  due to more managment cost cutting,  so they usually arrive on track 8 A ( because platform 8 is occupied) and are sent via the RRL to either South Kensington or Dudley Street to reverse,  and zig zag into the car sidings to be fuelled etc,  This creates problems as the Metro drivers performing the changeover are not qualified in the RRL - so have to be usually piloted or replaced by a V/Line driver.


Perhaps metro should look at purchasing surplus jumbo railcars 2000  class  from South Australia to run the service independently  with a captive fleet.

The second car is sometimes locked out depending upon the conductor's preference, it seems.  The single car in use can be full and standing.  Both should be unlocked except on those trips rostered for a single car but currently using two.

Longer term some big bucks need to be spent on the line.  I don't see justification for six-car spark operation to Stony Point which means it will be a shuttle from Frankston.  But it could be electrified (throughout - not just to the Baxter facility) and platforms lengthened to three-car.  A crossing loop at or near Tyabb would permit an hourly service.  An independent third platform would be required at Frankston for which there is space to the south of the current station between the existing track and the bus station.

It's a Metro suburban service operated with hired-in rolling stock.  The same situation used to apply on the Cranbourne line until that was electrified.

It's an MTM (Metro Trains Melbourne) service using a hired V/line Sprinter although now it has to be 2 because of the ban. Generally the 2nd one is locked off as its empty most of the time. Some services both are used (generally peak).

Ok I disagree, the services I have used both vehicles have been available for passengers, and at Frankston on the destination indicator says V/Line Service,  V/line drivers that I know indicate it is actually a V/Line service, but it does not really matter who runs the damn thing anyway

The Stony Point service is not within the V/Line franchise no matter what the PIDs might say.  It is run with leased V/Line rolling stock and hired-in staff under a separate agreement under the PT> umbrella on behalf of Metro Trains Melbourne.  That makes it a suburban service.  No it doesn't much matter who runs it so long as it runs.  

Picking up another point from above the MTH cars are no longer within the V/Line franchise as rolling stock available.  Some other cars are listed as "In store" but the MTH cars are not in the franchise agreement at all.  That means they cannot be used by V/Line for any purpose and are probably considered withdrawn from traffic.

The idea of diesel rollingstock on the stony line is 20 years out of date.

Electrify the line and let metro use existing rollingstock.

Forget vline diesel rail cars.

That would without doubt be the best solution for Metro and for Vline and for passengers.  So why has it not happened and I don't want to hear too expensive, not enough passengers etc.  Those are excuses for a different decade.