TABLE TALK AUSTRALASIAN TIMETABLE NEWS No. 329, January 2020 Published by the Australian Timetable Association RAIL & TRAM NEWS NATIONAL NEW SOUTH WALES The Harvey collection of 'Northern CSELR Light Rail – Stage 1 Opening Day Australian railways' maps – 1915 to 1929 In conflict with the public relations outcomes desired As part of its ongoing program of digitising its “formed by the NSW government, the first day of the new L2 collections”, the National Library of Australia (NLA) has Circular Quay to Randwick light rail route on Saturday, now digitised, and made freely available online, the 14 December saw the multi-billion dollar line face a Harvey collection of manuscript maps dating from time partial line closure between Circular Quay and Central period 1915 to 1929. With particular focus on the Chalmers Street stations just after lunchtime. The Northern Territory and Western Australia, the maps closure lasted for just over 90 minutes, with reports show surveyed routes for then-proposed railway lines suggesting a mechanical issue was to blame for a tram and gauge conversions to the standard 4' 8 1/2”. Also coming to an extended stop. A medical emergency included in this collection is a booklet of diagrams on with a patron onboard at Haymarket, and even a tram the then-proposed North-South Railway with reportedly running the wrong way for a short period of comparisons of alternate routes based on data time due to a driver passing a signal at stop were other prepared at this time by famed geographer Professor operational issues faced by the Transdev team on the Thomas Griffith Taylor. day. The NLA holds numerous map collections from Despite the hiccup and widespread media reports cartographers, geographers, architects, planners, during its construction about contractual and budgetary academics and other professionals which it specifically issues surrounding the project, Transport for NSW keeps as “formed collections”. revealed that by 17:30 hours (7.5 hours into operation), over 60,000 people had used the line. This For the catalogue listing, see Harvey collection of increased to 115,000 by the end of day two. The maps and plans relating to the railways of Northern opening weekend was fare-free. Australia (https://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn2236732) , and, on how to use it, see https://www.nla.gov.au/maps/using-the- maps-collection#copy. Bankstown Metro extension train supplier The NLA have expressed interest in hearing back on chosen how people may use these maps. The builder of the 22 metro trains now operating on the North West Metro has been contracted to supply an additional 23 trains to cover the extension of the metro Federal Government to fast forward line from Chatswood through to Bankstown. In infrastructure expenditure addition, Alstom will also provide the train control signalling system for the line. Alstom will also construct Prime Minister Scott Morrison indicated in a Business these trains at its Indian manufacturing facility. The Council speech on 20 November that the Federal metro extension is expected to open in 2024. The Government would bring forward $1.8 billion in contract also contains an option to purchase some expenditure into the next two years as part of its effort additional trains if required. to support the economy. Amongst projects to benefit from this earlier funding include the Inland Rail freight corridor project, Opal fare increase recommendation Queensland's Gold Coast Light Rail extension to IPART (Independent Price and Regulatory Tribunal) Burleigh Heads (stage 3A), the relocation of Brisbane's has provided a draft recommendation to the NSW Loganlea railway station, and studies into the proposal government for a five per cent annual increase to for a freight connection between Acacia Ridge single fares over four years, in an effort to counteract Intermodal Terminal and the Port of Brisbane. the increasing share of costs borne by taxpayers. IPART also recommended in its report that off-peak Metro Tunnel construction issues fares should be expanded to include buses and light rail, but not ferries. The NSW government will decide Tensions between the Cross Yarra Partnership and announce any transport fare changes later in consortium and the Victorian government led to stop 2020. work action in December. Tunnel boring machines were placed in “standby” mode while workers were switched across to “training” mode, as the Consortium reportedly looked to the government to come to the Newcastle Light Rail table with additional funding due to cost overruns and Transport for NSW has reported that on 5 December, delays within the project. the Newcastle Light Rail had carried its one millionth This is very reminiscent of other recent major passenger. Member for the Legislative Council transportation projects within Australia such as the representing Hunter, Taylor Martin, said “patronage Sydney CBD and South East Light Rail line, which was steadily increasing on weekends and families are ended up in court before the NSW government and taking advantage … during school holidays”. Keolis Acciona settled the case. Downer's local General Manager, Mark Dunlop, said the light rail provides services for over 3,600 users a day with nearly half (46 per cent) connecting with other transport modes (bus, ferry or train) as part of an Suburban Rail Loop integrated journey. The 90-kilometre Suburban Rail Loop has been announced to operate as a standalone line with its own fleet of four or five carriage trains to connect the Regional Rail Fleet maintenance facility to various suburban rail lines together. Geo-technical begin construction drilling is currently underway to help finalise the alignment of the line and location of the (up to) 12 The new maintenance facility for the new Regional Rail stations. Stage One (Box Hill to Cheltenham) Fleet at Dubbo will soon start construction, Transport construction is expected to begin in 2022 with the for NSW has announced. The project will also involve whole project not finished until 2051. straightening of the existing Western Main Line next to the facility. Roughly 50 ongoing jobs are expected to be located at the maintenance centre following Level crossing removal project commissioning of the new trains. The Regional Rail Fleet will replace Endeavour, Xplorer and XPT trains Two further contracts have been awarded for the which operate NSW TrainLink Regional services removal of six level crossings. Fulton Hogan has been across New South Wales, and interstate through to awarded $166 million to lower Clyde Road under the Melbourne, Canberra and Brisbane. The first new Pakenham Line at Berwick. A more comprehensive trains are expected to be operational in 2023. contract has been awarded to a consortium of Lend Lease, Acciona Coleman Rail and WSP worth $744 million for: VICTORIA Lowering the rail line along parts of the Frankston Line – Edithvale Road at Edithvale, Big Build Station Street at Bonbeach, and Argyle Billed by the Victorian government as the biggest Avenue, Chelsea Road and Swanpool Avenue upgrade to the Victorian transport network over (all three in Chelsea), and Summer, 'Big Build' works to be undertaken in January Construction of new stations at Edithvale, and February include: Bonbeach and Chelsea. At South Yarra, excavation of the Metro Tunnel section and track realignment to facilitate connection of the Metro Tunnel to the The Overland Cranbourne/Pakenham lines. The Victorian government has agreed with Overland West Gate Tunnel – additional lanes and ramp operator, Journey Beyond Rail, to a three-month re-construction. extension to the subsidy it provides to keep the Melbourne to Adelaide service running until March Removal of a fair stack of level crossings 2020. Avid readers of Table Talk will recall the long- (Reservoir, Toorak Road, Carrum, running dispute between the Victorian and South Cheltenham, Mentone, Lyndhurst and Australian governments over service funding, which Pakenham). continues unabated. Intersection and bridge upgrades (Laverton, The 828-kilometre Overland ran five times in both Kingsville and Altona). directions each week back in the 1990s, carrying about 100,000 passengers annually. That has since significantly dropped to two services in both directions each week with about 17,000 passengers annually. Table Talk – January 2020 2 V/Line document publication Additionally, the total project cost has blown out by 50 per cent to $716 million. The line is now not expected V/Line has made its Public Timetable document and its to be open to passengers until 2023. Amongst the Network Service Plan available online on its website: infrastructure issues, the government has negotiated Public Timetables with BP to re-align a major oil pipeline. (https://www.vline.com.au/Timetables/Train-coach- timetables) Network Service Plans INTERNATIONAL (https://corporate.vline.com.au/Network-Access/Network- service-plan) Auckland Transport extends dog permit From 8 December, Auckland Transport and rail network operator Transdev extended the allowance for SOUTH AUSTRALIA dogs onboard their train services. This follows a trial Installation of digital transport stops conducted in mid-2019. Not only are dogs with a permit now allowed to use services, but any dog is The South Australian government has allocated now allowed, provided they have a muzzle and leash $280,000 to convert eight additional tram and bus or are otherwise in an approved carrier. No additional stops to digital, including at Flinders Medical Centre, fare is charged to owners. In exception to the above, Mawson Lakes, Elizabeth, Art Gallery and City South. restrictions continue to apply to peak hour services or The “digital” stops include digitised plinths with a voice any other trains that are already heavily crowded, annunciator. where non-permit dogs remain barred. WESTERN AUSTRALIA UK Virgin Trains contract ends Metronet contract signed The longest-running rail contract operator, Virgin Trains, finished on Saturday 7 December, after 22 The WA government announced on 17 December that years of service and 500 million passenger journeys a new $1.25 billion contract for the project had been on the West Coast main line.