Driving through from Eltham to Greensborough today there were numerous, portable, roadside signs warning of "LXRP (sic) works in the area". These would appear to be a little premature. Stage 2 is not scheduled to begin until 2020 (yes, it's not that far off really, now is it?) although if the money is allocated and the contractor(s) have time available why not start early?

Neil

"From May 2019, our team will investigate the geotechnical conditions and locate existing services along the rail line in Greensborough, Montmorency, Eltham and Diamond Creek. You may see workers out and about during this time, and small drilling rigs and trucks used for these works. These works will occur during regular construction hours of 7am to 5pm Monday to Friday."

https://levelcrossings.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/369863/Hurstbridge-Community-Update-A4_2PP_web.pdf

I'm assuming they're doing geotechnical drilling investigations.

Thursday morning at Greensborough station saw quite a bit of drilling or testing work. It certainly tested drivers arriving to park or drop off passengers. Family members down there for an early train reported that the dreaded Poulter Avenue goat track was reduced from its usual peak-hour obstacle course to absolute chaos by a team in high vis vests wielding stop/slow signs. The team were breaking ground on the footpath near up at the station car park end at about 7.30 am as the peak hour traffic was attempting to get access to the station. The work crew left strange runic symbols on the road and the footpath as a result of their work.

Later in the morning, about 10am, I was at the station to catch an up train and there was no traffic and no drilling team in Poulter Avenue. They were, however, present on the other side of the station where Para Road intersects with the end of Grimshaw Street, looking intently at some work being done in the triangle where Grimshaw Street splits, well away from any need to slow traffic.

I'd like to think they had good reasons to do the work in this order, rather than the reverse.

"LXRP (sic) works in the area".

Neil

Why have you put the "sic" after LXRP?

The former LXRA magically changed to LXRP earlier in the year with all trace of the former LXRA removed from their website.  It is as if the 'P' was always there and the former 'A' was just a figment of my imagination.

As well as building stuff, Dan Andrews loves a name change!

Ross

"LXRP (sic) works in the area".

Neil

Why have you put the "sic" after LXRP?

The former LXRA magically changed to LXRP earlier in the year with all trace of the former LXRA removed from their website.  It is as if the 'P' was always there and the former 'A' was just a figment of my imagination.

As well as building stuff, Dan Andrews loves a name change!

Ross

I hadn't picked up on the change of name so when I saw LXRP I thought someone had made a mistake. Turns out it was me.
(For those unsure 'sic' is used to indicate a direct quote of something mis-spelt or -written in the original)

Neil

I think the P stands for Project?

On an off-topic note, when someone at my place of work was on a sickie, their name would be posted on a notice with the caption "Unwel (sic)".

I think the P stands for Project?

On an off-topic note, when someone at my place of work was on a sickie, their name would be posted on a notice with the caption "Unwel (sic)".

Better than the old Broken Hill NSWGR term of 'P & M'.

I'll leave it to those on here so good at quoting unexplained acronyms to work it out.

The letter change makes sense when the Level Crossing Removal Authority itself is no more.  
Therefore they changed the A for authority to P for project.

The LXRP has sent out an email today and updated the Hurstbridge Line upgrade page advising that two community drop-in sessions have been organised at Monty Secondary School, Wednesday 20 November 2019 5.30pm to 7.30pm and Saturday 23 November 2019, 10am to 12 noon.

See also the page advertising the meetings.

Hurstbridge Line Upgrade Stage 3:

Truncate at Eltham and use the freed up resources to ramp up frequencies across the line.

Would be a ridiculous waste of money to truncate at Eltham after they are spending $$$ in stage 2 to duplicate some track between Wattle Glen and Diamond Creek

Hurstbridge Line Upgrade Stage 3:

Truncate at Eltham and use the freed up resources to ramp up frequencies across the line.

See this is what I don't understand.

Why Truncate at Eltham, when you can truncate at Greensborough instead?

I don't support truncating the line at all, but surely those who want to close the line past Eltham would much rather it end at Greensborough?

I mean, Montmorency and Eltham aren't exactly top performers, Montmorency is a bottom 50 station while Eltham had higher levels of Patronage in 2005.

What, do you just like the NIMBY's of Eltham more than the country-folk of Hurstbridge?

Would be a ridiculous waste of money to truncate at Eltham after they are spending $$$ in stage 2 to duplicate some track between Wattle Glen and Diamond Creek

It's ridiculous spending any money at all on the few people out there.

For each train required to service Hurstbridge you could instead buy 100 buses.

People whinge about zombie freeways from the '69 transport plan, yet have no problems keeping this archaic relic.

Why Truncate at Eltham, when you can truncate at Greensborough instead?

Eltham from Greensborough is fairly direct, it has a stack of car parking and stabling, and is also the point at which patronage clearly drops off - hence reverting to a bus doesn't make sense.  However for Diamond Creek, a bus from Greensborough actually results in a better passenger experience through both reduced journey time and in allowing for better frequencies.

In terms of rough immediate populations, and weekday boardings (2017/2018 patronage data), you have:

Greensborough -  29k / 2400
Montmorency - 17k / 1100
Eltham - 27k / 2000
Diamond Creek - 13k / 600
Wattle Glen - 2k / 200
Hurstbridge - 4k / 400

The average boardings per service for Hurstbridge to Diamond Creek works out to 20, more than appropriates for buses.  With a terminus at Eltham, even with the single track past Greensborough, it is straightforward to operate a base service level of 10 minutes to Greensborough and every 20 minutes to Eltham.  Even without replacing the trestle, if you can duplicate to Montmorency it's easy to run every 10 minutes all the way to Eltham.

Eltham to Hurstbridge should have been axed years ago - the low population and empty trains are one thing, but the more infuriating part is that this goat track continues to draw resources from, and impact on, the rest of the line.

For each train required to service Hurstbridge you could instead buy 100 buses.

Replacing each one train with 100 buses seems like a great idea.  How many trains run beyond Eltham each day?

Electric buses, presumably/hopefully?

Even to replace each Hurstbridge train with one or two buses would require a new or upgraded road between Eltham and Hurstbridge, because the existing road is indirect and cannot handle even the existing level of traffic - especially during the morning peak.  You would expect a bus timetable to more or less match the existing train timetable, but that is unlikely.  Add to that, many who currently use the train from beyond Eltham would instead switch to driving to Eltham, adding even more traffic.  At Eltham the parking is already over capacity and would need to be further extended - if additional space near the station could be found.

They need at least two trains, so we can buy 200 buses instead.

There are about 150 services per day to Gborough, 120 to Eltham, and 60 to Hurstbridge.


Save maybe 4 buses to match Gborough frequencies all day, another 2 for Eltham-DC for a net gain of 194.

A win for all, both for Hurstbridge users and common sense.

They need at least two trains, so we can buy 200 buses instead.

There are about 150 services per day to Gborough, 120 to Eltham, and 60 to Hurstbridge.


Save maybe 4 buses to match Gborough frequencies all day, another 2 for Eltham-DC for a net gain of 194.

A win for all, both for Hurstbridge users and common sense.

Hmm, maybe try selling that to the local community at Hurstbridge, I somehow doubt they would agree!

Ross

I'll send them a few banjos to sweeten the deal.

They need at least two trains, so we can buy 200 buses instead.

There are about 150 services per day to Gborough, 120 to Eltham, and 60 to Hurstbridge.


Save maybe 4 buses to match Gborough frequencies all day, another 2 for Eltham-DC for a net gain of 194.

A win for all, both for Hurstbridge users and common sense.

Hmm, maybe try selling that to the local community at Hurstbridge, I somehow doubt they would agree!

Ross

As much as the Pax does not justify the service (I do hate to agree with ZH) closing a railway is political suicide and something that nether side will agree to. Bumping the frequency to 20 minutes might help a bit, but we still have plenty of empty cars to Eltham. Once Greensborough gets its third platform and duplicated to Eltham, whatever the frequency is out to Hurstbridge is irrelevant as it no longer operationally effects the rest of the line. You can have 10 to Greensborough, 20 to Eltham and whatever to Hurstbridge.

The bus might end up being quicker, I can foresee plenty of late running Hurstbridge services being cut at Eltham to keep the frequency.

The same buses that fight with single occupant cars on goat track roads?

There were a whole bunch of high-vis vests hanging around the southern end of Wattle Glen station today. Whether they actually have anything to do withe stage 2 of this lines duplication or not I can't say definitely, but here's hoping

Neil

There were a whole bunch of high-vis vests hanging around the southern end of Wattle Glen station today. Whether they actually have anything to do withe stage 2 of this lines duplication or not I can't say definitely, but here's hoping

Neil

Site investigations, Flora & Forna surveys were due to take place between January & March. I would imagine this has been delayed due to COVID19. So very much could be some early works about to take place. LXRP is also no longer required to amended or seek aproval from local councils as the state introduced a LXR clause in to all planning schemes. This might save them some time going forward.

Yeah I was wondering what was happening with this project. I haven't seen any activity at Greensborough (then again, the only times I've been to Greensy in the past few months have been done after dusk.)

Any updates on this project ? Seems to have gone very quiet after a plethora of announcements-  has it been delayed on the never never?

Any updates on this project ? Seems to have gone very quiet after a plethora of announcements-  has it been delayed on the never never?

Latest update was this following a round of community consultation: https://levelcrossings.vic.gov.au/media/publications/hurstbridge-line-duplication-community-update-december-2020

The station designs are nearing completion and will be released soon and following that construction will commence.

No word on what, if anything, will be done at Clifton Hill, even though there was some money allocated to it in the project budget.

Yeah also released this video why they're moving the Montmerency station to realign for straight platforms only.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dDI1aonohk

Every 20 minutes from Hurstbridge?  Don't tell ZH ......

Any updates on this project ? Seems to have gone very quiet after a plethora of announcements-  has it been delayed on the never never?

Latest update was this following a round of community consultation: https://levelcrossings.vic.gov.au/media/publications/hurstbridge-line-duplication-community-update-december-2020

The station designs are nearing completion and will be released soon and following that construction will commence.

No word on what, if anything, will be done at Clifton Hill, even though there was some money allocated to it in the project budget.

Good to see some movement at last. It seems that many upgrade announcements are made at another Minister media stand up - then nothing much and finally an announcement 2 years later its about get under way. I'm grateful , we are finally getting all the long delayed projects done but I do wish they wouldn't dangle carrots years before. I live in hope the 11 Tram may one day meet the Reservoir station or more simply the Latrobe Uni-Reservoir 301 bus will be extended to meet the 11 Tram at the West Preston terminus to make a sensible link. I live in hope.