And a terminus near the Berwick-Cranbourne Road level crossing

I hope you are only referring to the end of the spark service; some of us still have a faint hope that Bracks will keep his promise and return the Melbourne - Leongatha train service one day.

And a terminus near the Berwick-Cranbourne Road level crossing

I hope you are only referring to the end of the spark service; some of us still have a faint hope that Bracks will keep his promise and return the Melbourne - Leongatha train service one day.

Yes I am referring to the end of the spark service.

So many faint hopes based on promises made by Bracks floating around:

- Return of passenger services to Leongatha
- Extension of suburban services to Cranbourne East
- Extension of suburban services to South Morang (by end of 1st term) and Mernda (end of 2nd term).

Any others I have missed?

Passenger trains to Mildura

Though slightly off-topic:

Grade Seperation of Middleborough Rd, near Laburnum is another broken promise

Brian Woodman, general manager of the Casey Fields-based Victorian Football League Club Casey Scorpions, said construction of the Cranbourne East rail line would be of huge benefit to the club.

"It would be a very big bonus for us to have the ground within walking distance of the station," Mr Woodman said.

"It is so vital for our spectators to be able to commute to the ground easily, as we have people coming in from all over the place to watch our games.

"Obviously it's a fair bit of commuting to catch a train to Cranbourne and then a bus to Casey Fields versus the opportunity to have a railway station next to us at Cranbourne East."

This has just occurred to me now, but whilst the proposed Cranbourne East station would be within walking distance of Casey Fields, Mr Woodman contradicts himself by saying that the railway station would be right next to Casey Fields (which it is not).

Where does he say that?  "Next to us" probably means "close compared to the existing station".

So is there a case for two new stations?

One near the Narre Warren - Cranbourne Road level crossing to service the schools and the TAFE, and "the Complex', and put a railway station within walking distance of the proposed Shopping Centre and retirement village in Cranbourne East.

And a terminus near the Berwick-Cranbourne Road level crossing to service Blue Hills retirement village, Casey Fields and the proposed Acquatic and Leisure Centre.

I'd like to think that it would be a practicable proposition.

This would obviously interfere with Casey Councils plans for the current proposed Cranbourne East station (or as they call it "Cranbourne Central") ...

Aha!  That's why it will be "Cranbourne Central"—it will be the middle of the three stations:  Cranbourne West (the existing Cranbourne station), Cranbourne Central, and Cranbourne East near Casey Fields!

Though slightly off-topic:

Grade Seperation of Middleborough Rd, near Laburnum is another broken promise

That is still being planned.  It hasn't been dropped.

Brian Woodman, general manager of the Casey Fields-based Victorian Football League Club Casey Scorpions, said construction of the Cranbourne East rail line would be of huge benefit to the club.

"It would be a very big bonus for us to have the ground within walking distance of the station," Mr Woodman said.

"It is so vital for our spectators to be able to commute to the ground easily, as we have people coming in from all over the place to watch our games.

"Obviously it's a fair bit of commuting to catch a train to Cranbourne and then a bus to Casey Fields versus the opportunity to have a railway station next to us at Cranbourne East."

This has just occurred to me now, but whilst the proposed Cranbourne East station would be within walking distance of Casey Fields, Mr Woodman contradicts himself by saying that the railway station would be right next to Casey Fields (which it is not).

Where does he say that?  "Next to us" probably means "close compared to the existing station".

Probably, but I took "next to us" in the literal sense as in "right next to us".

So is there a case for two new stations?

One near the Narre Warren - Cranbourne Road level crossing to service the schools and the TAFE, and "the Complex', and put a railway station within walking distance of the proposed Shopping Centre and retirement village in Cranbourne East.

And a terminus near the Berwick-Cranbourne Road level crossing to service Blue Hills retirement village, Casey Fields and the proposed Acquatic and Leisure Centre.

I'd like to think that it would be a practicable proposition.

Glad to hear it  

This would obviously interfere with Casey Councils plans for the current proposed Cranbourne East station (or as they call it "Cranbourne Central") ...

Aha!  That's why it will be "Cranbourne Central"—it will be the middle of the three stations:  Cranbourne West (the existing Cranbourne station), Cranbourne Central, and Cranbourne East near Casey Fields!

We wish there would be three stations! If Casey Council has its way Cranbourne will remain as is, and Cranbourne East will be renamed Cranbourne Central.

Just a quick question. Did the suburban (Electrified) line go past cranbourne & if so, how many stops/stations after did it go? Also, could someone say how many km's it would've been beyond there?

Thanks.


On this subject, it's my personal opion that this project wont be completed for some time. The M>Train feasability study undertaken in 2002 identified that it was'nt comercially viable at that point in time, but as a long term goal was. Before this project is started I think that the follow project need to be completed:
-Regional Fast Rail
-Caulfield to Dandenong rail project (Upwards of 2-3 Billion in my opion)
-New network wide computer signaling system

I think these will be completed before any work relating to cranbourne is started because they are 'Major money' events

After these, then something about the cranbourne line will be done. They probably wont do a second rate job on it & that's why they're not going to start it now. They'll get everything they want all over & done with in the one go. I beleive this would involved:
-Creating track to Cranbourne East or further
-Having two tracks
-Having another Platform for Merinda Park
-Having a one or two sidings for a few trains, similar to Pakenham

The Cranbourne line was only electrified in 1995. Before then, a diesel shunt service from Dandenong met Pakenham or Dandenong trains. The line was only ever electrified as far as Cranbourne, although I have a feeling the diesel shunt, when it ran, may have once gone as far as Clyde, the station past Cranbourne.

The Cranbourne line was only electrified in 1995. Before then, a diesel shunt service from Dandenong met Pakenham or Dandenong trains. The line was only ever electrified as far as Cranbourne, although I have a feeling the diesel shunt, when it ran, may have once gone as far as Clyde, the station past Cranbourne.

You're getting confused

1993-95 - nothing ran
1984-93 a twice daily P+H set would run from SSS to Leongatha stopping at Cranbourne each way
1982-84 nothing ran
early 1981 to late 1981, replacing the daily trains to Yarram and Leongatha from SSS, a DERM ran from Dandenong to Lang Lang, and Dandenong to Cranbourne.

As for freight, in reverse order of suspension, the final freight services were the Koala Sand Siding, before that some services to Leogatha and Korumburra depots, before that the Barry Beach oil, and before that superphosphate from Welshpool and beyond to Yarram. There was a brief time when most of the line was open by virtue of the freights to past Lang Lang and SGR running from Nyora to Leongatha, meaning only a short section short of Nyora had no traffic.

http://www.railpage.com.au/f-t11310461.htm

There is another thread here discussing operations beyond Cranbourne.  Should these be merged?

Keep this thread for Dandy-Crannie

The other for beyond Crannie

The question I responded to overlapped, the poster referred to diesel ops BETWEEN Dandy and Crannie which never existed after 1981. I pointed this out

Track maintenance vehicle EM100 (?) was sighted heading UP along the Cranbourne line between the cement plant at Lyndhurst and Abbotts Road at 9.40am this morning.

Anyone have any idea what is was up to down that way?

Doing what it usually does, recording track condition in order to provide data for programmed maintenance.

From the Cranbourne News, Thursday November 10, 2005, p.6 (letters):

Turning back

HOW dare Bracks Government Transport Minister Peter Batchelor claim to understand the frustrations of train users?

Both Cranbourne MP Jude Perera and Mr Batchelor promised the people of Cranbourne that they would build a Cranbourne East station.

Any resident of Cranbourne East or Blue Hills knows that this station is desperately needed to service Cranbourne East, which is part of the fastest-growing urban corridor in Victoria.

Also, many unemployed and elderly residents need this station to be built. Everyone knows how inadequate the roads and bus services are in Cranbourne East. But now Mr Batchelor says that building Cranbourne East station is no longer a priority.

This broken promise, which Mr Batchelor obviously used to score votes, is an awful blow for the people of Cranbourne East, where roads are appallingly overcrowded and run-down.

Before Mr Batchelor again falsely claims to understand the frustration of train users, he should get out of his chauffeur-driven car and try catching a train from Cranbourne East.

Luke Martin
Cranbourne

From the Cranbourne News, Thursday November 10, 2005, p.11:

Storms cause train chaos

CRANBOURNE rail commuters faced massive delays after storms forced the cancellation of trains on three main lines on Thursday morning.

About 20,000 passengers, including VCE exam students and Oaks Day racegoers, were left stranded when a lightning strike caused the signal failure at Caulfield station.

Services from Cranbourne, Pakenham and Frankston were cut at about 6.45am with a total of 146 trains affected.

Connex spokesman Andrew Cassidy said 28 trains were cancelled across all three lines and 44 finished short of their destinations. He said limited services resumed at 8am after a team of signal technicians were sent to Caulfield. The timetable was back on track by 10am.

“It was virtually impossible to offer replacement bus services for affected commuters as it was morning peak hour and there are very few buses available at that time.

“It would also have been impractical as the incident affected three main lines and there were very long distances involved,” he said.

Mr Cassidy said the train operator would investigate how to cope with future lightning strikes to overcome Thursday’s chaos.

“Our technical staff have looked at the level of lightning protection and any improvements that can be made,” he said.

Went for a bike ride down to Lynbrook this afternoon and I can confirm that the Aylmer Road pedestrian underpass is complete, so there will be no more newspaper articles from the Cranbourne rags regarding people in Figtree Estate having to walk across the railway line to get to Lynbrook proper (although there will no doubt be many more complaining about the service or lack thereof to Cranbourne)   .

From the Cranbourne News, Thursday November 17, 2005, p.10:

A TRAIN ticket validation machine was thrown onto the tracks of Merinda Park Railway Station last week.

Police said the offenders smashed the top panel before removing the machine and dumping it on the line.

The damage is estimated to cost about $3500.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or TransitCIU on 9247 6666

Why the hell would anyone be dumb enough to rip a validator out of the platform and throw it onto the track?

Who knows?  A person was found on board a tram around 3 years ago with a validator under their coat!  It had been removed from its mountings (which is not at all easy) on board the tram and the driver claimed not to have noticed anything.

Merinda Park has only one validator. I wonder what a ticket inspector would think if you told them "I couldn't validate my ticket because I saw a vandal throwing the validator onto the tracks".

Next they will be stealing Metcard machines

That got me thinking, would they have a ticket inspector at Merinda Park for the time been until the validator is replaced?

They could have had a CSE there (see Unofficial Metcard site) stamping peoples tickets at validated. Or they could have been lazy and just radio'd all the inspectors saying "Please note that anyone boarding at Merinda Park will not be able to validate their ticket due to vandalism"

Now Connex have another exuse, "Due to a defective train caused by a validator, the 12:04pm* Cranbourne will not run today Connex apoligises for any inconvience caused".


*Note: Time was just made up.

"Connex book of Excuses" will be on sale at all major outlets in time for Christmas.  Funsd raised go towards paying their fines

Who knows?  A person was found on board a tram around 3 years ago with a validator under their coat!  It had been removed from its mountings (which is not at all easy) on board the tram and the driver claimed not to have noticed anything.

I found the green plastic cover of a tram validator in Edinburgh Gardens in Fitzroy earlier in the year.