| Bomb attack on inner city rail station |
 An explosion at Rushall railway station in Melbourne's inner north is causing delays for commuters this morning.
Police said someone appeared to have attempted to gain access to a ticket vending machine using a small explosive device at the station, at Fitzroy North.
Connex spokesman John Rees said trains were still running on the Epping line, but city-bound trains are not stopping at Rushall.
A bus shuttle is running between Rushall and Clifton Hill - a junction station where a number of lines converge.
Mr Rees estimated thousands of dollars damage to the ticket machine. He said the attack appeared to have been carried out by vandals rather than thieves, and that the ticket machines did not contain a "substantial" amount of money at any one time.
The attack is the latest in a string of problems for rail operator Connex, which has been under commuter fire for heat and maintenance-related train delays and cancellations.
And there was no relief for commuters this morning, with at least eight services cancelled by 8am.
Police said this morning's blast, about 3.30am, was heard up to 200 metres away.
When police arrived a small fire was burning inside a stand-alone ticket machine, on the city-bound platform.
Police believe those responsible placed the device inside the machine, and then detonated it.
The internals of the machine were destroyed, but the steel frame remains intact.
The police bomb response unit is at the scene and an arson chemist is expected this morning.
No commuters were at the station at the time of the incident.
Police are yet to view any video footage and it is unknown whether or not any money was stolen from the machine.
With AAP (The Age)
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