Ballarat V/Line rail service

This article is about the V/Line service. For the railway itself, see Serviceton railway line.
Ballarat railway line, Victoria
Line details
Tracks Double track to Deer Park West
single track with loops beyond
Used by V/Line
Rolling stock V/Line Sprinter
V/Line VLocity
H type carriage
Rail transport in Victoria

The Ballarat V/Line rail service is a regional passenger rail service operated by V/Line in Victoria, Australia. It serves passengers between state capital Melbourne and the regional city of Ballarat.

The Ballarat service is the second busiest service in Victoria (behind Geelong) carrying 3.17 million passengers in the 12 months ended 30 June 2014.[1]

History

Ardeer station, with a train stopped in the platform
V/Line VLocity train at the junction with the Melbourne-Ballarat line at Warrenheip station
V/Line VLocity railcars inside the train shed of Ballarat station

In November 2004, Premier of Victoria Steve Bracks announced that the line would be renamed the Eureka Line to mark the 150th anniversary of the Eureka uprising. Due to take effect from late 2005 at the same time as the renaming of Spencer Street Station to Southern Cross.[2] The renaming was criticised by groups such as the Public Transport Users Association,[3] and was never carried out.

On 9 May 2009, Wendouree station to the west of Ballarat station opened.[4]

In December 2008, as part of the Victorian Transport Plan, the State Government announced passenger rail services to Maryborough would resume with services commencing on 25 July 2010.[5][6]

Construction of the Caroline Springs station, between Deer Park and Rockbank stations, commenced in August 2015 and the station is scheduled to open in 2016.[7]

Services

V/Line operates hourly passenger services along the line. Most terminate at Wendouree with two extending to Ararat station and one to Maryborough. During peak hours some services originate and terminate at Bacchus Marsh.[8]

Services are operated primarily by V/Line VLocity DMUs, while peak-hour trains to Bacchus Marsh are operated by Sprinter DMUs and H type carriages hauled by N and P locomotives.

To alleviate capacity constraints on the single track section, one Ballarat to Melbourne service in the evening peak is provided by a road coach.[8]

Infrastructure

The majority of the line is single track, with the exception of:

A new crossing loop at Rowsley is currently under construction, and is scheduled for completion in mid 2016.[10]

Line guide

Bold stations are termini, where some train services terminate; italic stations are staffed, at least part-time:

Ballarat V/Line rail service with Regional Rail Link
Legend
 0 km Southern Cross Zone 1
 North East line
 4.9 km Footscray Zone 1
 12.3 km Sunshine Zone 1/2
 Piangil line
 13.8 km Ardeer Zone 2
 19.6 km Deer Park Zone 2
 Warrnambool line
 21.2 km Caroline Springs (to open 2016) Zone 2
 31 km Rockbank Zone 2
 41.3 km Melton Zone 2
 47.03 km Parwan (Closed)
 52.86 km Bacchus Marsh Zone 2
 82.47 km Ballan Zone 4
 91.20 km Gordon (Closed)
 121.80 km Ballarat Zone 8
 Mildura line
 123.13 km Wendouree Zone 8
 Serviceton line

References

  1. ↑ Annual Report for year ended 30 June 2014 V/Line
  2. ↑ Eureka Rail Line to Open Exciting new era for Regional Rail Premier of Victoria 25 November 2004
  3. ↑ More name changes:Ballarat this time PTUA News Volume 28 Issue 6 December 2004
  4. ↑ Ballarat's new train station to officially open ABC News 12 June 2009
  5. ↑ Maryborough Rail Services Victorian Transport Plan
  6. ↑ Passenger trains return to Maryborough The Courier 25 July 2010
  7. ↑ Public Transport Victoria: Caroline Springs Station
  8. 1 2 Ballarat timetable V/Line 12 October 2014
  9. ↑ Train Operating Data: Deer Park to Ararat V/Line 21 October 2014
  10. ↑ Rowsley Crossing Loop - Public Transport Victoria

External links

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