The 10:20am departure from Melbourne to Warrnambool on 20th March 2025 was terminated at Winchelsea due to a defective Vlocity train. This is now a recurring problem with the trains that have been asked to travel much longer distances on a short distance configuration and design.
Vlocity trains were never designed to run longer services than a maximium of 2 hours, they are now being asked to run services as long as 4 hours on an uncomfortable service.
Just recently there have been several cases where failed Vlocity trains have severely disrupted services on the Bendigo Line and for unknown but ridiculous reasons V/Line the worse run passenger rail company in Australia have replaced some Swan Hill services with Vlocity sets for a > 4 hour journey.
The state needs a review of the management of V/Line and especially the decisions of Ben Phyland who is the head of Ticketing and Rolling Stock for the PTV and the person responsible for the adverse decisions about buying more diesel buses on steel wheels.
It is time to stop buying from Vlocity trains and undertake an urgent review into requirements for rolling stock moving forward as there are many and varied options for rolling stock that do not include a”bottom of the barrel” solution like a Vlocity.
There have been recent cases of Standard Gauge Vlocity trains to Albury being 6 cars with only 3 cars being available for passengers, this is a company in crisis with the operating agenda to bury issues and hide the failures.
Hi Brad,
Sadly it seems has hit critical mass as I sadly feared…..
Old trains has had their maintance cut and the newer train are still proving themselves with a few hiccups here and there!
When exactly did the VLocity’s operate in service to Swan Hill?
When exactly did the VLocity’s operate in service to Swan Hill? I bet you can’t cite any examples.
It’s probably just as well these rants by anonymous writers are never seen by anyone apart from a few diehard ex-Railpage supporters.
Oh pipe down!!!
This is taste what Swan Hill will experience with the VLocity if it not rectified pronto!!!
Just because you don’t know about these emerging issues elsewhere in system doesn’t mean it don’t exist!
Do you travel around with your eyes closed oblivious to what goes on around you?