A nice hot summery day and after nice ride on VN3 Swan Hill down and up although this set had no buffet as found it has being gutted for removal of the buffet service and N set via management and a few people were impacted as they could not buy food as the vending machines at Swan Hill was empty with no drink and a only handful of food!
My humble observation is:
If V/line management want to get rid of buffets with the older classic fleet with it then they got be responsible to ensure the drink and food vending machine are well stocked a these stations for the passengers who get off coach transfers and train to source food and drinks at short notice!
I shuffled off to grab a bite some food and drinks and return for my train VN14 with the same loco that took me to Swan Hill and back N473 on VN3 before hand and I was alerted via V/line app a track point failure had occurred at Sunshine and no trains could leave the station appox. 18:30
Services are currently not departing Southern Cross due to track fault at Sunshine. Further travel advice to follow.
It was very crowded people coming from work and from Australian Open etc. All train movement were halted Wendouree ,Wyndham Vale etc was impacted and coach transfers and Ararat Service was delayed.
The Warrnambool 19:15 train left the station late due to track congestion 19:20
We were diverted via the Newport Old Express way to Geelong the old route as I have ridden long before the new loop was built that goes Wyndham Vale etc. to Geelong as the Warrnambool services used to operate.
I found out via crew on board that only small amount of drivers were accredited and certified to use that route!
Maybe in such events the other route has issues this old rail corridor could used for diverting course for the Warrnambool services to ease the track congestion?
Plus this older route could serve well for the longer distance route like Warrnambool services!
After a very enjoyable run to Geelong as I intended go to the cross but thanks the point failure that stuffed that up!!! Oh well it seems part of train travel this days…..
After arriving at the station gathered info from staff next Southern Cross velocity service was not until 21:42 shuffled to platform 2 where I saw on display board :
Warrnambool 20:38 and I saw that this service was taken off the screen shortly as I presume it was put on display as mistake!
As a result there was two service cancellations and a flurry of empty car movement as they regain the timetable….After boarding the 21:48 Velocity 3 cars service quite a crowd of people on board for stopping all stations run back to Southern Cross where we arrived on time 22:48!
