From Friday 1 November, communities in the south-west will have access to more modern, reliable and accessible VLocity trains running on the Warrnambool Line for the very first time.
Just ask the passengers of Bairnsdale how they despise these new trains that are not fit for longer distance journeys they are a bus on steel wheels.
Now Warrnambool will have on train catering, first class and leg room and comfortable seats removed from their 4 hour train journey.
The Warrnambool Council was so very happy to promote the poor standard V/Locity trains for the line but must realise now V/Line has dudded the customers and the Warrnambool Council.
Also hidden from the public until now by V/Line the crappy Vlocity trains will have 30% less seats on the train to Warrnambool making it harder for people to get a seat and some may now stand for the 4 hour journey.
Bairnsdale train services have been terrible since the introduction of the V/Locity trains.
The local ALP Member for Warrnambool Jacinta Ermacora has provided support for the introduction of the substandard trains failing to listen to her constituents and the community. In fact on her website she states:
I am dedicated to enhancing the lives of all of us living in our outer regional Victoria.
Clearly this is not true when it comes to rail services.
In Summary:
- Gone is the quiet ride with the noisy Vlocity trains giving you a headache by about Colac
- Gone is the on train catering and snack bar so popular with the travellers
- Gone are 30% of the seats on a service
- Gone is the First Class booking system and seating
- Gone are the comfortable seats, get used to hard seats for hours and less leg room
- The decision actually takes the experience on travelling between Melbourne and Warrnambool backwards
The weekday 10.13am service from Southern Cross to Warrnambool and the 3.13pm service from Warrnambool to Southern Cross will be the first to run as VLocity trains, as part of a progressive introduction onto the line.
In a further boost, a fourth weekend return service will be added to the Warrnambool Line when a new timetable is introduced on 1 December, as well as additional services running with VLocity trains on weekdays and weekends.
See how V/Line try to put Lipstick on a PIG.
The new timetable will also see weekend trains running every 20 minutes for Geelong passengers, with 88 new or extended services to be added to our busiest line. (These trains run diesel railcar sets polluting the environment with no plans tp electrify the Geelong Line in sight.)
The additional weekend services are part of almost 200 extra weekend services being progressively rolled out across the V/Line network, to help support growing demand and give passengers more travel options.
The new timetable will be available on the V/Line website on 1 November.
All bought to you by an uncaring and belligerent passenger rail operator who will NOT listen to customer feedback and is hell bent on running the system into the ground.
Just a 2 decade old commuter train the government and V/Line is giving to those who use the Warrnambool line, instead of a train that has a buffet and better seating and better suited to a longer distance service.
This is a railcar and we phased those out in the 1980’s. Good luck Warrnambool enjoy this rubbish.
The natives have become restless on Warrnambool with items in the newspaper an letters and various complaints already. This is not going to be a very popular decision. Wait until the first set is entering service and then more complaints will be made.
https://www.alstom.com/solutions/rolling-stock
Very minimal standard trains compared with overseas which Gabrielle Williams MP pushed for!!!
Even NSW which uses Alstom has a better layout for the Explorer DMUS Bi directional seats buffet and 1st and 2nd class passengers layout for longer duration travel more than 3-4 hrs one way to Warrnambool!!!
This MP didn’t push for the same layout as the Albury service Volcities as your BG Velocities is downgrade from the previous acceptable regional travelling requirements for Vic Railway Conditions!!!
What can I say? I told you so!!!
The local members for Warrnambool Jacinta Ermacora cannot care much about her electorate when she has failed to ensure they have correct type of trains and also she has recently I read come out in support of taking the rail line backwards.
How do the people of Warrnambool win when they cannot rely on their local
Member?
Bottom of the pipe the worst train for comfort and quiet riding.
No one seems happy about these changes with the exception of V/Line. Why not put this on hold until a better train model can be found to run these important regional services. There is no rush the vlocities are 25 years old.
Because their top mananging directors don’t ride the trains in uncontrolled setting for long durations and have their tax funded car and don’t ride the newer trains!
With such callous people in charge v/line managmeant needs clean out!!!
Not one cares for passenger’s comfort by their mentality stuff em in X wagons!!!
Great timing for sure, smaller trains less comfort and features available and one of the busiest weeks for the line in the year ahead for them, how many will want to travel to the city for the race carnival.
That Jacinta local member says this
Jacinta’s priorities as a Member of Parliament continue to be motivated by her values and she is determined to be a voice for outer regional and rural Victorians.
What rot.
Petra the article state” V/line put lipstick on PIG” But I think the word PIG replaced with “SWINE” sound nicer from my opinion……
V/Line Management have a target of going as fast as possible to the bottom.