The Changing Face of Melbourne's Sparks

[Pakenhamtrain]

G'day all.

 

Since November Metro Trains Melbourne(made up of Hong Hong's MTR and Australia's John Holland and United Group) took over the running of Melbourne's suburban train network. As part of the contract all traces of the previous operatior(Connex) had to be removed or covered up within the first 2 weeks. They then had 1 year to put all suburban trains into the new livery within 1 year. It worked out to be that 1 6 car train had to be done every 48 hours.

 

Temp stickers

 

The "Station Jumble" stickers used on the sides to cover up the logo on the Comeng and Siemens fleets. A white version is used on the X'trapolis.

X'trapolis 959M trails out of Box Hill. The same big Metro Sticker is used on the Siemens and Northern Comeng.

Siemens 840M arrives at Flinders Street with an up Sandringham service.

Southern Comeng 561M rounds the bend in the former Jolimont rail yards on a Sandringham train. The smaller Metro sticker is used only on the Southern Comeng and Hitachi trains.

Hitachi 295M-1994T-296M - 281M-1946T-282M depart Springvale on a City Loop service. Of note is this set was given to Elecrail to be preserved. But in 2007 due to a shortage of trains due to patronage increases it Elecrail leased it out to then operator Connex.

After devloping a fault at Dandenong whilst running the 7:49 citybound super express. Northern Comeng 666M leads it's train into the loop road at Springvale. This road leads to the Westall train maintainance facility a few KM down the line.

 

New Livery

 

The first trains given the new branding were the Siemens trains. These were knocked over rather quickly because they keep getting impounded due to brake failures. Here 744M shows off the new branding at Pakenham.

All 72 Siemens units now have the livery.

The next trains they did were the X'trapolis. Only there are only about 10 left to be completed. Here 920M trails a Flinders Street service.

For some reason they have decided to begin re stickering the Comeng fleet. Here Northern Comeng 364M trails a Sydenham service. The difference between the Comeng and the other trains. Only up to the fluting has been done. The doors and van doors have the blue stickers going to the same level and the middle set of doors do not have any stickers.

Part of the Victorian Transport Plan new 38 new trains were ordered. These trains were X'trapolis trains but with differences. Of note the much cleared headboards and PIDS, different seating layout(2x2 instead of 3x2). All the current X'traps are to be given the upgrade to make them talk to the new trains. Here is the first 2 units 1M-1301T-2M-3M-1302T-4M

Units 3 and 4 at Box Hill. 5M-1303T-6M-7M-1304T-8M.

[GojiMet86]

Cool system there. I wish we had trains like that.

[MTR Admiralty]

Nice shares!