Hope you enjoyed the journey! This is the third video in my series looking at Melbourne suburban lines in detail, you can find the full playlist here: tinyurl.com/2mxur7hx This project took 7 months to complete, and was made possible by my supporters on Patreon - if you'd like to help support the channel, you can join here: www.patreon.com/c/Taitset Some links to stuff mentioned in the video: Newport Railway Museum: newportrailwaymuseum.org.au/ Altona Miniature Railway: altonaminiaturerailway.com.au/ 'Last Train From Mobiltown' song: ruclips.net/video/QVXPD_KPFlA/видео.htmlsi=TAgd3qDmVBpQSMbT An article about Greenwich: trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/11803250 Essential additional reading about the Olympic Doughnut van: tinyurl.com/486w4tue Essential additional watching about the Olympic Doughnut van: vimeo.com/147400287 Also check out this site on the history of the Altona area (railway or otherwise): alhs.com.au/local-history/railway/ Thanks to my brother Cian, who did the sound engineering for my voiceover, and composed the music in this video. Check out his stuff here: hyperfollow.com/cianbennetmusic Thanks to Alexander Jamieson for filming the operation of the Tait controller, as well as assisting with some research and speculation on this video. Check out his channel here: www.youtube.com/@melbournesparks3828 As usual for these long videos, a few small corrections: -At 30:16 my explanation about the 'wiggle' at Newport South isn't quite correct. It actually pre-dated the standard gauge, and is a relic of when the line was duplicated: the Up/West line there is the original single track, and the new Down/East line was added to the south. However at the end of that curve, my explanation *is* correct, with the standard gauge on the former Up broad gauge alignment, hence the 1920s overhead structures over the SG. -At 59:58 I speculate about when Derrimut Road was grade separated: I was right about the trench being mid-90s, but it wasn't actually a grade separation, the road never crossed the line there before. -If anything else significant comes up, I'll add it here!
Quite the opposite for me, from werribee myself and went to school in williamstown ihaving travelled the line from 08' onwards. Just enough detail, would have loved a mention of the iconic crate men inbetween Laverton and Yarravaille perched on the edge of the roofes of industrial blocks trackside, which were made out of milk crates! 🤌🏻👌🏼🥰
I appreciate the detail. Today I caught the train from Altona to Southern Cross. At Altona the line is single track. Only one platform of course. Single track is uncommon in Melbourne. It looks weird.
As a Kororoit Creek Road enthusiast, thanks for the shout out. I did continue watching past the last mention of the road 50:29 (the quality of the content did not drop past this point).
@@tangiers365funny that. I grew up in sunshine west and when I found out Koroit was another place I thought it was actually meant to be Kororoit…and my phone autocorrected it just then
So excited to wake up in the Eastern US and be able to watch this nearly 70 minute video on an Australian suburban rail line! Great job as always, Martin! A splendid addition to the series!
Martin that was utterly brilliant. What a pleasant way to start the new year! Well done! Your black humour is perfectly placed, politically appropriate and on message. I seem to remember that South Kensington Station was once given the dubious award of being the worst station on the entire network. However, I also read that it was to be rebuilt as part of the new underground rail project (especially given that the portal is only metres away). Clearly this has not happened. Poor South Kensington. I think it should be hired out for weddings and parties.
Thankyou, glad you enjoyed it! Yes I think there's been some pressure for an upgrade, but nothing seems to have happened yet. It really would be a great wedding venue, if they widened the platform you could even fit a second guest!
Ok time for the family photo now. Can I please have you all grouped over there. Smile. Oh come on people stand BEHIND THE YELLOW LINE. I'll let myself out.
Living on the Werribee line is really nice as a rail fan, so much history, so many different trains and even better, not just xtraps! I could talk about this line forever!
Another great video as always and a perfect way to end the year. An interesting fact I learned recently is that Paisley and Galvin still exist as stations in metro’s computer system and they actually still display on station PIDs however they’re only represented by a dash on all station PIDs except the ones at Southern Cross. This is interesting because all the other suburban stations that closed after the computer system was implemented (such as General Motors) have been deleted from the system or at least don’t show up.
Sensational video, Taitset. I lived and worked in Werribee from 2011-18 until I retired to Vermont. I caught the train into Melbourne many times when I went to the football on a Friday night or Saturday. Used to love that route. It's much more interesting than the run from Heatherdale into Melbourne. I think I'll round up my four grandsons and take them on a couple of rail journeys from Heatherdale Stn to Werribee Stn in the next week or so. Thanks for your hard work. Greatly appreciated! Andrew from Vermont
Best Video without even watching it for New Years eve. Also as I am a train enthusiast who lives on the werribee line I am so happy that this one line in the western suburbs is being discussed thanks to Taitset 😃 My next hope is for the HCMTs on the werribee line which needs a lot more capacity and this is the only way to increase capacity. Fun Fact Williams landing station is the station with the most number of passengers going through it outside of the CBD... i think. Love your videos Taitset.
Hello from Pt Cook. That's really interesting what you say about Williams Landing passenger numbers. I would have expected that trophy to go somewhere like Richmond, Sth Yarra or Caufield. No wonder it feels like we always get substandard infrastructure and services... we are.
@@mbwyatt1978Yeah Williams Landing is my home station and it is always so busy. We need HCMTs to increase the capacity and frequencies without a major construction project like MM2. Also there should be a point cook line as extension of the Altona loop as point cook is growing at a rapid rate. The government just doesn’t focus on the west enough
24 дня назад+56
Thanks for the christmas present! :D Normies who see these comments will be sooo confused
One of your best videos I'd wager! Congrats on such a huge amount of work. Can't wait for when you finish going through all the Suburban Train Lines and can look at all the Melbourne bus routes instead one by one ;)
41:58 - I'd love to learn more about the possible historic speculation for a Point Cook line. Given the urban sprawl in modern-day Point Cook, and the subsequent daily traffic snarls at suburban road intersections with the M1, it seems a crying shame that the Altona line didn't ever become a dedicated Altona-Point Cook branch from Newport.
I see three historic reasons for a possible alignment to the south 1. Point Cook wasn't much more than an airforce base prior to the 80's, so a line to the base... maybe? 2. There was a working salt factory between Altona and Point Cook... goods line maybe? 3. There also was an Explosives store just before that line too. But explosives on suburban lines... yikes. Unlikely. And agree. Running via Altona - Pt Cook (maybe back to Werribee) makes so much sense.
I can't remember where I read it, but it was definitely a serious proposal at one point. As for explosives on a suburban line, it certainly happened! The VR had dedicated explosives vans: www.victorianrailways.net/freight/freight%20pages/p/p.html Significantly safer than taking them by road.
@Taitset Thanks for that. I know there was a narrow gauge tram line at the Truganina Explosives reserve and wharf. I've also read explosives were sent to there from Nobel's in Deer Park on roads and they used the little under mainline bridge before Laverton (as you mention in your video), before turning left to go to the reserve. I wonder if these carriages were planned to run there...
A quick look at the 1945 Melbourne Aerial photos shows the residential area under the curve of the possible rail alignment was once (what looks like) munitions or explosives stores (see 1945 dot melbourne). It may be that the area was Dept of Defence owned, then sold off for housing, and never served with rail.
Finally carved out an hour to sit down and watch this in one sitting and very glad I did - I learned a heap! Awesome work as usual and great shots (nice work getting the Ghan locos from the train!)
Thanks Philip! Was very good luck getting the Gahn locos, I didn't plan it at all - they just conveniently popped up while I was filming out the window! :)
Sad how hellbent the 1980s Cain Labor government was to close fire stations, police stations, railway lines, railway stations, technical colleges etc. Something often overlooked or forgiven.
Here we go, my line 🔥🔥 happy new year to you and your family! Edit: man I loved that sarcasm at South Kensington 🤣 Another edit: as a regular visitor of Footscray during said RRL construction I'm glad you mentioned all that and, Olympic Doughnuts. I havn't been back since, I don't know I just feel like I'd feel weird about it, but I'm glad they're still good. The much loved proprietor of it, Nick Tsiligris, sadly passed away in 2021. Last edit: as a Mad Max fan I'm glad you mentioned it's history.
Ironically, at Yarraville, the pedestrian crossing on the up side of Anderson St was an underpass until 1997, where it was concreted in a overnight with effectively no neighbourhood consultation by Maribyrnong Council. It was done due to the increase in drug dealing and general antisocial activity occurring there. Now, it's just back to the future with that plan.
Extremely well researched, incredibly informative and presented with such humour and charm. An absolute pleasure to watch. Thank you Taitset, you’re amazing
Thanks Martin, another fully immersive and knowledge-packed episode. I really enjoy these and I know these take quite some effort and time to edit and create.
Very much enjoyed this having grown up 100m from Westona (probably named after the nearby and now closed Altona West PS and the Westona little Aths Club) on Maidstone St. I used to love watching the trains run through “the swamp” to Laverton from my bedroom window when it opened in the 80’s. I’d suggest that large waiting area in the crossing section is due to the Girls school next door and the potential for heavy foot traffic. Not sure if you realised but the old Galvin station (next to the old Union Carbide plant) was so named due to the street of the same name that ran parallel to Maidstone st I’m old enough to recall Paisley, Mobiltown and Galvin before they closed and the line terminating just after Altona😊 Many thanks for the detail video
What a well reasearch video. There is currently am active liocal campain to prevent the closure of Champion Rd in Newport, and the removal of nearby trees along the line. The crossing removal program's solution is simply to close the road and build a overpass rail bridge at Madd,ox St, the next crossing down the line. Seems the point of all this is so the state gov can claim they've removed all road crossings on the Werribee line (Altona branch not couning for some reason). All this expemse for very little except imconvenience to locals. I'm sure the money could be bettrr spent. For examlpe, reopen Paisley Statiom..
so glad you covered the park and ride. surprised they haven't put more effort into bringing back that platform and expanding the carpark. would be hugely beneficial to getting into the city. glad to hear the bus isn't going to waste and passengers are getting dropped off.
Thank you so much for making this video! I went to Deakin Uni in Geelong in 2013 and 2014, so when the V/Line train ran through the Werribee line. I remember the first time I spotted Paisley and thought "What? Is that an old station?". Now after watching this, I reckon Paisley would be a great station to be rebuilt/restructured and added to the line, but part of me loves seeing the old platform just sitting there. I've also travelled on the Altona loop a couple of times in the late 2000's and remember Laverton only being two platforms and seeing the third platform being built. I loved being on the train running in the middle of the road with housing on each side! I've only ever lived on the Hurstbridge and Mernda lines (as a kid it was the Epping line for me!) so travelling along the Werribee line was awesome.
Yeah I definitely support reopening Paisley. The fact that there is a bus park and ride right next to a working train line is just ridiculous.Plus there are lots of houses on the north side of the station too.
Thanks for the fabulous Christmas present, Martin, it’s an excellent Christmas video, although it’d have made a good April release with all those fine Easter eggs! Merry Christmas to you and yours, too. As the founding president of the Kororoit Creek Road Appreciation Society, I’m glad that you didn’t give too much attention to Maidstone Street, as their appreciation society is a pack of clowns! I’m also impressed that you found two of my early 3D modelling projects, H220 and SAR 706; there are some who’d say that they’re too low-poly, but I’m happy with them. What appears to be a PSO pod at Westona was actually my first Train Sim Modeller version of the XPT in Countrylink colours, quite the resemblance, wouldn’t you say? A most enjoyable video which taught me a lot, not the least of which is that there’s a 2023 edition of Melway! All the best for 2025.
Merry Christmas to you too, and anyone else reading on - unless they're from the Maidstone St Society! My only suggestion for H220 is that you could consider adding a 6th polygon - hopefully most modern computers should be able to handle the extra load. The XPT is perfect, I especially like how it's modeled in it's natural condition, siting completely stationary waiting for a delay to clear! ..I still keep a Melway under my passenger seat, 'just in case.' I've never really had to use it, but do like to pull it out occasionally for a bit of nostalgic navigation. And yep I upgraded to the 2023 edition! :)
New Year’s plans: sorted! Thanks for the high-quality content, Taitset. I grew up in Altona (and Yarraville is my current closest station) so I already know this is gonna be a great watch.
I absolutely loved this. Your videos just keep getting better and then you release this, and I’m thoroughly enthralled. I live in Footscray and thought I knew a little bit about these lines, but I’ve learned so much. Thank you.
As a frequent user of the Werribee line, thank you so much for this incredibly interesting and informative video of the train line that has carried me for many many hours of my life! It's brilliant to see videos talking about places so incredibly local to where I live, and I am grateful for all the new knowledge i have about my local area!
A really interesting video, so well done. Your narrative style is very informative, and I love the little bits of dry humour! I haven't seen the other two in this series, but I'll certainly do so.
It's inspiring to see good public transportation that is still being improved with grade separation projects. My city struggles to run hourly bus service, so this is therapeutic.
My first visit to Melbourne as an adult was in December 2014, with a group of friends on a holiday. I came up with a jam packed day-itinerary that involved a Footscray Brekkie, Werribee Zoo, Late lunch and sightseeing at the Geelong foreshore, before catching an express back to the city for the evening. My friends thought it was a great day out, but I never told them the main reason I suggested that itinerary was because I wanted to check out the traditional Werribee and Geelong line service before the Geelong line was diverted along the Regional Rail Link. Also, screw whoever designed the Werribee bus timetable to completely ignore the arrival and departure of suburban trains, finding out your bus left a few minutes before your on-time train is beyond frustrating.
There's quite a few places in Melbourne where the bus timetable is on a completely different planet to the train times - its actually something I've been meaning to make a video about!
I remember when Derrimut rd wasn't an underpass. It was a dead end on both sides, no crossing at all. One of the stories of how the underpass came to be built involved it being needed as a quick response route by the police into a notorious housing estate nearby, and the only access routes from their station were Hoppers Crossing or Cherry St which made response times and delays pretty bad.
I love these videos so much. I was just at Werribee a couple of weeks ago and I was so struck by all the fun features. Probably one of the best terminus stations in terms of amenities and features. I knew about a bunch of old stations that are present in old Melways (including Garden, so thanks for explaining what that was), but I didn't realise there were quite so many. Really solid work once again. Happy New Year~!
Interesting side note on Newport station. I lived towards the power station in 89 and often walked to the 7/11 late at night, crossing the tracks on the upside of the station. One night the points changed while I was standing on them pinching the sole of my kt26. Realising I didn't have time to untie my shoe I threw myself down the ballast at edge of track, so I only lost my left foot. Luckily my shoe peeled out of the points and I ran to safely with under a second to spare.
Brilliant work Martin with so much attention to detail … you can tell how much time, work and research went into making this, and all done in a really entertaining way. Particularly enjoyed all the Easter eggs. I need some earthworks done, so hoping Taitset’s earthworks division 08:21 can help. 🤣
As someone who works in the rail industry and who lives in/has lived in both the Werribee and Williamstown lines, this is the video I never knew I needed
I can't wait to spend an hour learning about a railway in a country I've never been. Every video I watch from taitset makes me want to go visit Australia
Fantastic video. I grew up on the Werribee line, my childhood home was directly across from Seaholme station. Great memories and nostalgia, as well as learning about all the old stations. Well done.
Londoner here. Agree, your South Kensington station leaves ours for dead. Anciently got off there once as I forgot I was in Australia and, well needless to say, I had to miss my connection back to Flinders as I was so engrossed and enamoured with the beauty.
I love the Aircraft + “Unusually high density of Thai Massage Places” comment there 😂 can happily say that i have no regrets watching an hour long video on a train line i dont belong to and earns my sub! 👍🏾
Lol best part for me was the birds in the cherry creek 😂 appreciate the “oops” and “I just subscribed” bubbles also. Thanks for making me laugh to the point of tears. And as a kid who grew up in Yarraville can confirm the skewed perception of steam on the network
As a Melbourne eastsider i loved learning about the western suburbs through this video ❤ I would love to see the Belgrave Line/Puffing Billy covered by you one day
Footscray station used to be behind where the police station and courthouse now are. Diagonally opposite the police station is the Station Hotel. Napier St had a level crossing until the late 1950's and temporary tracks were laid down nearer the town hall at that time. The original signal box at Footscray was off to the Irving St side of the track points prior to the existing station being built around 1900. Middle Footscray Station was originally just west of Nicholson St. Then it was on the east side of Victoria St until the later 1920's when the existing station was built west of Victoria St. Besides the Nicholson St grade separation, Albert St was grade separated at the same time. When the tracks at Geelong Rd were grade separated at that time, an old signal box from Footscray was temporarily constructed beside Buckley St. I think it was Footscray B box. It's either by forward planning or a stroke of good luck that when the new overpass at Geelong Rd was built around 1974 that there was room for the regional rail tracks when they came along. Prior to the construction of the goods lines through the area, some of the suburban tracks between Footscray and the existing Middle Footscray Station were originally where the goods lines now are though of course at grade. South of the suburban tracks was excavated so that they could be moved over. Then, the original suburban track area was excavated for the goods tracks. The down end of the Platform at Footscray was altered so that at was a little further south to suit the tracks going under Nicholson St. - I either have or have seen a lot of the photos of stations in their original locations and old at grade photos as well as some old maps from the time.
Fabulous video Taitset! Having taken the Werribee line a couple times, it’s so cool to see parts I recognise, and parts that are new! I haven’t seen the new Hoppers Crossing overpass before. Also quite mad about the lack of pedestrian access you mentioned there, 4km!! Outrageous! I’d like to put my vote in for a video on the Frankston line please. Happy New Year also!
Another great video! Looking forward to seeing the next one. Hopefully Frankston or Dandenong, the lines I have used the most. Thanks again for these always entertaining videos!
34:30 Broderick Smith is the father of Ambrose Kenny-Smith who plays in King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. Broderick narrates their spaghetti Western album Eyes Like the Sky, but he passed away in the last year or two.
FYI Bayswater (whichever iteration) is named after Bayswater in London, which is a shortened version of "Bayards Watering Place". Nothing to do with any bay of water.
Thanks for the new years eve video Martin, we really hope you and your loved ones have a happy and prosperous new year and we look forward to more of your videos.
Another thing of interest, just off this line is the historic Cheetham Saltworks tramway. Several sections of this still exist around Skeleton Creek, and I believe there were plans at some point to utilise this reserve, joining with the section you note that curves from Westona, to provide much better access to Point Cook. This would have allowed stations at Altona Meadows, Seabrook, Point Cook and Saltwater Coast, ultimately creating a new line which would separate the Altona loop from the Werribee line
You could make a video about the most mundane thing and I'd still be completely hooked to the end, you've got a beautiful accent. That aside, thanks for this video, it must have taken you forever to put it together!
A note on Werribee station itself, the underpass design and insufficient drainage causes the underpass to frequently flood. My father and i visited Werribee at the start of the year, and despite the very small amount of rainfall, there was already a couple centimetres of rain covering the floor at the bottom. Upon enquiry with locals and the station myki guards, we we shown images from storms of the entire bottom of the underpass being flooded almost to the roof. On the bright side it does look pretty cool though.
67 minutes of amazing content. Merry christmas and happy new year to you Martin. Thanks for the christmas present. You just made my day. 36:05 How did you even see that while walking and even pick it up? I do agree that Paisley would serves a lot of people living in Altona North. But I'm not sure if reinstating a single station on the express section is viable with the current timetable especially for off-peak and weekends service when Werribee trains go through the Altona Loop.
Regarding the potential track alignment west of Westona; Looking at the old parish plan (circa 1959) it only shows the track going to the old coal mine. However looking at LASSI (Land and Survey Spatial Information), the first parcel of land behind the houses that you highlight is listed as both a service and utility zone, as well as a transport infrastructure zone. The transport infrastructure zoning only applies to this first parcel before reaching Truganina Swamp, but the service and utility zoning continues. Essentially the dirt track continues beyond the transport zoning, making me think that it (the transport zoning) must exist for some other reason. Although not zoned for transport, one of the next parcels crossing Truganina Swamp is approx. 20m wide and sandwiched between 2 larger parcels. This is a typical parcel width for roads and rail. So I am inclined to agree with what you have said in the video, that there was at least some level of discussion of sending rail in that direction.
Thanks for the history, I grew up in Melbourne and can remember going in to the city with Mum 60 years ago from east Malvern Different line but thanks for the memories
These videos are wonderfull!!! I've only used the line from Southern Cross to Footscray but now seeing the video, I think I'll have to take a trip to seaholme : )
The example of a resident staying within 4.1 and 4.8 KM from a station is typical of Point Cook, which seems to be built mainly for people who drive. Werribee station has so many seats, much more than the average station, and funnily enough, most are unused because at any one time, there is almost always a city-bound train waiting on a platform.
Hoppers Crossing was indeed named after my wife's family! 57:18 Her Great, Great Grandmother Betsy (Elizabeth Rebecca Rogers) worked the gates while husband Stephen worked as a Ganger on the line!
Hope you enjoyed the journey! This is the third video in my series looking at Melbourne suburban lines in detail, you can find the full playlist here: tinyurl.com/2mxur7hx
This project took 7 months to complete, and was made possible by my supporters on Patreon - if you'd like to help support the channel, you can join here: www.patreon.com/c/Taitset
Some links to stuff mentioned in the video:
Newport Railway Museum: newportrailwaymuseum.org.au/
Altona Miniature Railway: altonaminiaturerailway.com.au/
'Last Train From Mobiltown' song: ruclips.net/video/QVXPD_KPFlA/видео.htmlsi=TAgd3qDmVBpQSMbT
An article about Greenwich: trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/11803250
Essential additional reading about the Olympic Doughnut van: tinyurl.com/486w4tue
Essential additional watching about the Olympic Doughnut van: vimeo.com/147400287
Also check out this site on the history of the Altona area (railway or otherwise): alhs.com.au/local-history/railway/
Thanks to my brother Cian, who did the sound engineering for my voiceover, and composed the music in this video. Check out his stuff here: hyperfollow.com/cianbennetmusic
Thanks to Alexander Jamieson for filming the operation of the Tait controller, as well as assisting with some research and speculation on this video. Check out his channel here: www.youtube.com/@melbournesparks3828
As usual for these long videos, a few small corrections:
-At 30:16 my explanation about the 'wiggle' at Newport South isn't quite correct. It actually pre-dated the standard gauge, and is a relic of when the line was duplicated: the Up/West line there is the original single track, and the new Down/East line was added to the south. However at the end of that curve, my explanation *is* correct, with the standard gauge on the former Up broad gauge alignment, hence the 1920s overhead structures over the SG.
-At 59:58 I speculate about when Derrimut Road was grade separated: I was right about the trench being mid-90s, but it wasn't actually a grade separation, the road never crossed the line there before.
-If anything else significant comes up, I'll add it here!
i watched the other 2 before the premiere in 1 hour
21:56 you said next open day will be in 2026 don't you mean 2025??
@@chappo91rulz No, 2026. They're every 2 years.
@@Taitset happy new year mate great video
@Taitset can you look into doing a "feasibility" video for a metro rail in Darwin? Please!
"Hun it's New Year Eve, come watch the fireworks!"
"Nah, taitset just dropped a 67 minute video on the Werribee line!"
I had to pause. Not to watch the fireworks, but to tell the missus that there used to be a coal mine in Altona!
I'm here watching 3pm New Years Day.
It’s 5:00 am and I’ve pulled an all nighter and I’m still watching this
nothing like a video on a rail line in a city that I don't live in in excruciating detail!
don't live in and will never ever get even close to since it's on the other side of the planet
but ooooo trains
I live on a different continent and in the northern hemisphere and the western hemisphere
I Iive in Melbourne.
But I also follow Auto Shenanigans and learn about UK roads.
Quite the opposite for me, from werribee myself and went to school in williamstown ihaving travelled the line from 08' onwards. Just enough detail, would have loved a mention of the iconic crate men inbetween Laverton and Yarravaille perched on the edge of the roofes of industrial blocks trackside, which were made out of milk crates! 🤌🏻👌🏼🥰
I appreciate the detail. Today I caught the train from Altona to Southern Cross. At Altona the line is single track. Only one platform of course. Single track is uncommon in Melbourne. It looks weird.
As a Kororoit Creek Road enthusiast, thanks for the shout out. I did continue watching past the last mention of the road 50:29 (the quality of the content did not drop past this point).
Kororoit is such a fun word to say
@@mrgnarchr when I first saw the word i thought it said "Korok riot"; as in a mob of those little leafe masks guys from zelda
I thought that was a typo for Koroit!
@@tangiers365funny that. I grew up in sunshine west and when I found out Koroit was another place I thought it was actually meant to be Kororoit…and my phone autocorrected it just then
Mate how can you be enthusiastic about Kororoit Creek Road?? Its not like its Williamstown Rd or Footscray Rd or anything. It has no vibe.
absolutely loved all the little text hidden throughout the video! The little bits of humour throughout make it so entertaining!!
Sensational video! Kept me well occupied on my one hour flight. Your storytelling and photography really are unmatched.
Thankyou, glad you enjoyed it!
Why didn't you take a train?
@@HouseholdDog 90% Of our one hour flight city pairs don’t have a rail link!
So excited to wake up in the Eastern US and be able to watch this nearly 70 minute video on an Australian suburban rail line!
Great job as always, Martin! A splendid addition to the series!
Martin that was utterly brilliant. What a pleasant way to start the new year! Well done! Your black humour is perfectly placed, politically appropriate and on message.
I seem to remember that South Kensington Station was once given the dubious award of being the worst station on the entire network. However, I also read that it was to be rebuilt as part of the new underground rail project (especially given that the portal is only metres away). Clearly this has not happened. Poor South Kensington. I think it should be hired out for weddings and parties.
Thankyou, glad you enjoyed it! Yes I think there's been some pressure for an upgrade, but nothing seems to have happened yet. It really would be a great wedding venue, if they widened the platform you could even fit a second guest!
@Taitset Imagine..."Do you take this man to be your - hang on - he hasn't touched on his Myki".
Ok time for the family photo now. Can I please have you all grouped over there. Smile. Oh come on people stand BEHIND THE YELLOW LINE.
I'll let myself out.
Living on the Werribee line is really nice as a rail fan, so much history, so many different trains and even better, not just xtraps! I could talk about this line forever!
Another great video as always and a perfect way to end the year.
An interesting fact I learned recently is that Paisley and Galvin still exist as stations in metro’s computer system and they actually still display on station PIDs however they’re only represented by a dash on all station PIDs except the ones at Southern Cross.
This is interesting because all the other suburban stations that closed after the computer system was implemented (such as General Motors) have been deleted from the system or at least don’t show up.
So That's why they're still on the displays! Hidden, yes, but if you know about the old main line stations, then you know.
I live in Newport and get the train towards Flinders St all the time for uni. I never realised it was such a historical line! Thanks for the video!
Sensational video, Taitset. I lived and worked in Werribee from 2011-18 until I retired to Vermont. I caught the train into Melbourne many times when I went to the football on a Friday night or Saturday. Used to love that route. It's much more interesting than the run from Heatherdale into Melbourne.
I think I'll round up my four grandsons and take them on a couple of rail journeys from Heatherdale Stn to Werribee Stn in the next week or so.
Thanks for your hard work. Greatly appreciated!
Andrew from Vermont
Best Video without even watching it for New Years eve. Also as I am a train enthusiast who lives on the werribee line I am so happy that this one line in the western suburbs is being discussed thanks to Taitset 😃 My next hope is for the HCMTs on the werribee line which needs a lot more capacity and this is the only way to increase capacity. Fun Fact Williams landing station is the station with the most number of passengers going through it outside of the CBD... i think. Love your videos Taitset.
Hello from Pt Cook. That's really interesting what you say about Williams Landing passenger numbers. I would have expected that trophy to go somewhere like Richmond, Sth Yarra or Caufield. No wonder it feels like we always get substandard infrastructure and services... we are.
@@mbwyatt1978Yeah Williams Landing is my home station and it is always so busy. We need HCMTs to increase the capacity and frequencies without a major construction project like MM2. Also there should be a point cook line as extension of the Altona loop as point cook is growing at a rapid rate. The government just doesn’t focus on the west enough
Thanks for the christmas present! :D Normies who see these comments will be sooo confused
no, we're aware how patreon works 🤣
One of your best videos I'd wager! Congrats on such a huge amount of work. Can't wait for when you finish going through all the Suburban Train Lines and can look at all the Melbourne bus routes instead one by one ;)
41:58 - I'd love to learn more about the possible historic speculation for a Point Cook line. Given the urban sprawl in modern-day Point Cook, and the subsequent daily traffic snarls at suburban road intersections with the M1, it seems a crying shame that the Altona line didn't ever become a dedicated Altona-Point Cook branch from Newport.
I see three historic reasons for a possible alignment to the south 1. Point Cook wasn't much more than an airforce base prior to the 80's, so a line to the base... maybe? 2. There was a working salt factory between Altona and Point Cook... goods line maybe? 3. There also was an Explosives store just before that line too. But explosives on suburban lines... yikes. Unlikely.
And agree. Running via Altona - Pt Cook (maybe back to Werribee) makes so much sense.
I can't remember where I read it, but it was definitely a serious proposal at one point. As for explosives on a suburban line, it certainly happened! The VR had dedicated explosives vans: www.victorianrailways.net/freight/freight%20pages/p/p.html
Significantly safer than taking them by road.
@Taitset Thanks for that.
I know there was a narrow gauge tram line at the Truganina Explosives reserve and wharf. I've also read explosives were sent to there from Nobel's in Deer Park on roads and they used the little under mainline bridge before Laverton (as you mention in your video), before turning left to go to the reserve.
I wonder if these carriages were planned to run there...
A quick look at the 1945 Melbourne Aerial photos shows the residential area under the curve of the possible rail alignment was once (what looks like) munitions or explosives stores (see 1945 dot melbourne). It may be that the area was Dept of Defence owned, then sold off for housing, and never served with rail.
Is it bad that I'm more keen for this than the party?
fr bro
Finally carved out an hour to sit down and watch this in one sitting and very glad I did - I learned a heap! Awesome work as usual and great shots (nice work getting the Ghan locos from the train!)
Thanks Philip! Was very good luck getting the Gahn locos, I didn't plan it at all - they just conveniently popped up while I was filming out the window! :)
Outstanding video! As a New Yorker, I love to learn about the odd history of lines in other systems. Great way to start the new year.
Thanks for the early Christmas present. Just applied to be a Metro Trains driver, and hopefully I’ll get in and drive this lovely line.
Awesome stuff, hope you get in!
Sad how hellbent the 1980s Cain Labor government was to close fire stations, police stations, railway lines, railway stations, technical colleges etc. Something often overlooked or forgiven.
Thank You for this Christmas present Taitset 🔥
Here we go, my line 🔥🔥 happy new year to you and your family!
Edit: man I loved that sarcasm at South Kensington 🤣
Another edit: as a regular visitor of Footscray during said RRL construction I'm glad you mentioned all that and, Olympic Doughnuts. I havn't been back since, I don't know I just feel like I'd feel weird about it, but I'm glad they're still good. The much loved proprietor of it, Nick Tsiligris, sadly passed away in 2021.
Last edit: as a Mad Max fan I'm glad you mentioned it's history.
Ironically, at Yarraville, the pedestrian crossing on the up side of Anderson St was an underpass until 1997, where it was concreted in a overnight with effectively no neighbourhood consultation by Maribyrnong Council. It was done due to the increase in drug dealing and general antisocial activity occurring there. Now, it's just back to the future with that plan.
Extremely well researched, incredibly informative and presented with such humour and charm. An absolute pleasure to watch. Thank you Taitset, you’re amazing
Thankyou, glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks Martin, another fully immersive and knowledge-packed episode. I really enjoy these and I know these take quite some effort and time to edit and create.
Thanks for saving the Blue Tongue.
You are a champ.
skink
The only bad part about this video is I know I have to wait eight more months for the next one 😢
i actually work at the altona ice cream and fish and chip shop you shouted out in this video!! super exciting to see you shout it out a few times :D
Awesome. :)
It’s a Christmas miracle!
Very much enjoyed this having grown up 100m from Westona (probably named after the nearby and now closed Altona West PS and the Westona little Aths Club) on Maidstone St. I used to love watching the trains run through “the swamp” to Laverton from my bedroom window when it opened in the 80’s.
I’d suggest that large waiting area in the crossing section is due to the Girls school next door and the potential for heavy foot traffic.
Not sure if you realised but the old Galvin station (next to the old Union Carbide plant) was so named due to the street of the same name that ran parallel to Maidstone st
I’m old enough to recall Paisley, Mobiltown and Galvin before they closed and the line terminating just after Altona😊
Many thanks for the detail video
absolutely loved this video, you put a lot of time and effort into these line videos so excited for the next
ended the year with a bang, martin!! thank you so much! amazing videos to come in 2025!
What a well reasearch video.
There is currently am active liocal campain to prevent the closure of Champion Rd in Newport, and the removal of nearby trees along the line. The crossing removal program's solution is simply to close the road and build a overpass rail bridge at Madd,ox St, the next crossing down the line.
Seems the point of all this is so the state gov can claim they've removed all road crossings on the Werribee line (Altona branch not couning for some reason).
All this expemse for very little except imconvenience to locals. I'm sure the money could be bettrr spent. For examlpe, reopen Paisley Statiom..
A video where I talk about the Lilydale/Belgrave/Alamein lines for 259 minutes next please!
Another fantastic video mate! I can't wait to see more amazing and high-quality videos next year!
Never even been to Melbourne why am I watching this? Oh, cause I'm a train nerd and taiset makes amazing videos
so glad you covered the park and ride.
surprised they haven't put more effort into bringing back that platform and expanding the carpark. would be hugely beneficial to getting into the city.
glad to hear the bus isn't going to waste and passengers are getting dropped off.
Thank you so much for making this video! I went to Deakin Uni in Geelong in 2013 and 2014, so when the V/Line train ran through the Werribee line. I remember the first time I spotted Paisley and thought "What? Is that an old station?". Now after watching this, I reckon Paisley would be a great station to be rebuilt/restructured and added to the line, but part of me loves seeing the old platform just sitting there.
I've also travelled on the Altona loop a couple of times in the late 2000's and remember Laverton only being two platforms and seeing the third platform being built. I loved being on the train running in the middle of the road with housing on each side! I've only ever lived on the Hurstbridge and Mernda lines (as a kid it was the Epping line for me!) so travelling along the Werribee line was awesome.
Yeah I definitely support reopening Paisley. The fact that there is a bus park and ride right next to a working train line is just ridiculous.Plus there are lots of houses on the north side of the station too.
Thanks for the fabulous Christmas present, Martin, it’s an excellent Christmas video, although it’d have made a good April release with all those fine Easter eggs! Merry Christmas to you and yours, too.
As the founding president of the Kororoit Creek Road Appreciation Society, I’m glad that you didn’t give too much attention to Maidstone Street, as their appreciation society is a pack of clowns! I’m also impressed that you found two of my early 3D modelling projects, H220 and SAR 706; there are some who’d say that they’re too low-poly, but I’m happy with them. What appears to be a PSO pod at Westona was actually my first Train Sim Modeller version of the XPT in Countrylink colours, quite the resemblance, wouldn’t you say?
A most enjoyable video which taught me a lot, not the least of which is that there’s a 2023 edition of Melway! All the best for 2025.
Merry Christmas to you too, and anyone else reading on - unless they're from the Maidstone St Society!
My only suggestion for H220 is that you could consider adding a 6th polygon - hopefully most modern computers should be able to handle the extra load. The XPT is perfect, I especially like how it's modeled in it's natural condition, siting completely stationary waiting for a delay to clear!
..I still keep a Melway under my passenger seat, 'just in case.' I've never really had to use it, but do like to pull it out occasionally for a bit of nostalgic navigation. And yep I upgraded to the 2023 edition! :)
@@Taitset I have edition 50, presumably the 2023 or 2024 version.
New Year’s plans: sorted! Thanks for the high-quality content, Taitset. I grew up in Altona (and Yarraville is my current closest station) so I already know this is gonna be a great watch.
I absolutely loved this. Your videos just keep getting better and then you release this, and I’m thoroughly enthralled. I live in Footscray and thought I knew a little bit about these lines, but I’ve learned so much. Thank you.
As a frequent user of the Werribee line, thank you so much for this incredibly interesting and informative video of the train line that has carried me for many many hours of my life! It's brilliant to see videos talking about places so incredibly local to where I live, and I am grateful for all the new knowledge i have about my local area!
A really interesting video, so well done. Your narrative style is very informative, and I love the little bits of dry humour! I haven't seen the other two in this series, but I'll certainly do so.
It's inspiring to see good public transportation that is still being improved with grade separation projects. My city struggles to run hourly bus service, so this is therapeutic.
Love your vids man
Been entertained for years
The most important bit of information by far is the doughnut recommendation. Thanks for the heads up!
My first visit to Melbourne as an adult was in December 2014, with a group of friends on a holiday. I came up with a jam packed day-itinerary that involved a Footscray Brekkie, Werribee Zoo, Late lunch and sightseeing at the Geelong foreshore, before catching an express back to the city for the evening. My friends thought it was a great day out, but I never told them the main reason I suggested that itinerary was because I wanted to check out the traditional Werribee and Geelong line service before the Geelong line was diverted along the Regional Rail Link.
Also, screw whoever designed the Werribee bus timetable to completely ignore the arrival and departure of suburban trains, finding out your bus left a few minutes before your on-time train is beyond frustrating.
There's quite a few places in Melbourne where the bus timetable is on a completely different planet to the train times - its actually something I've been meaning to make a video about!
9:03 Just noticed the billboard, Nice touch! Great video!
There's quite a few Easter eggs !
I remember when Derrimut rd wasn't an underpass. It was a dead end on both sides, no crossing at all.
One of the stories of how the underpass came to be built involved it being needed as a quick response route by the police into a notorious housing estate nearby, and the only access routes from their station were Hoppers Crossing or Cherry St which made response times and delays pretty bad.
I love these videos so much. I was just at Werribee a couple of weeks ago and I was so struck by all the fun features. Probably one of the best terminus stations in terms of amenities and features. I knew about a bunch of old stations that are present in old Melways (including Garden, so thanks for explaining what that was), but I didn't realise there were quite so many.
Really solid work once again. Happy New Year~!
My favorite train line in Melbourne and I hav been waiting for this video to happen ever since the hurstbridge and upfield line videos
Interesting side note on Newport station. I lived towards the power station in 89 and often walked to the 7/11 late at night, crossing the tracks on the upside of the station. One night the points changed while I was standing on them pinching the sole of my kt26. Realising I didn't have time to untie my shoe I threw myself down the ballast at edge of track, so I only lost my left foot. Luckily my shoe peeled out of the points and I ran to safely with under a second to spare.
Brilliant work Martin with so much attention to detail … you can tell how much time, work and research went into making this, and all done in a really entertaining way. Particularly enjoyed all the Easter eggs. I need some earthworks done, so hoping Taitset’s earthworks division 08:21 can help. 🤣
Thankyou! Yeah the new earthworks division is really helping cover my costs haha
I love these long-form videos. Thank you so much!
As someone who works in the rail industry and who lives in/has lived in both the Werribee and Williamstown lines, this is the video I never knew I needed
Another great watch Taitset, it baffles me to wonder how long it takes to make these videos, keep it up! Something on the Burnley group next?
Thankyou! Burnley group is definitely a possibility.
@ I like the sound of that!
@@Taitsetyes you should also do the rail trail going out to Warburton as that is a abandoned area
Stellar video Martin. Love these ones, always repeating them!
Great video Taitset a good way to spend New Year's Eve!
Wow, thats an amazing amount of facts you have researched and passed on. Very interesting , thanks so much. Happy New Year.
I love seeing extremely detailed documentaries about lines 11000 km away from my country
Very interesting history! Great video Martin!
I love theae videos so much, seeing the notifications from this channel honestly make my day :D
I can't wait to spend an hour learning about a railway in a country I've never been.
Every video I watch from taitset makes me want to go visit Australia
This was fantastic! Thank you so much for this video, I learnt a lot from it!
It's definitely one of the oddest lines on the network.
Well, this made my year. I've been living in Berlin since June, so I really live for this content now. Joining your Patreon now! Happy new year mate!
Awesome, glad you enjoyed it!
Fantastic video.
I grew up on the Werribee line, my childhood home was directly across from Seaholme station.
Great memories and nostalgia, as well as learning about all the old stations.
Well done.
Londoner here. Agree, your South Kensington station leaves ours for dead. Anciently got off there once as I forgot I was in Australia and, well needless to say, I had to miss my connection back to Flinders as I was so engrossed and enamoured with the beauty.
I live on this line! Thank you for making a video on this!!
my favorite format of train videos
Another excellent video, thanks Martin!
Superb program. Undoubtedly one of your best programs. Looking forward to you doing a program on the Mernda line.
I love the Aircraft + “Unusually high density of Thai Massage Places” comment there 😂 can happily say that i have no regrets watching an hour long video on a train line i dont belong to and earns my sub! 👍🏾
Woooo let’s get it, just moved from the hursty line to Werribee line, enjoying the variety of trains :)
Lol best part for me was the birds in the cherry creek 😂 appreciate the “oops” and “I just subscribed” bubbles also. Thanks for making me laugh to the point of tears. And as a kid who grew up in Yarraville can confirm the skewed perception of steam on the network
As a Melbourne eastsider i loved learning about the western suburbs through this video ❤ I would love to see the Belgrave Line/Puffing Billy covered by you one day
Footscray station used to be behind where the police station and courthouse now are. Diagonally opposite the police station is the Station Hotel. Napier St had a level crossing until the late 1950's and temporary tracks were laid down nearer the town hall at that time. The original signal box at Footscray was off to the Irving St side of the track points prior to the existing station being built around 1900. Middle Footscray Station was originally just west of Nicholson St. Then it was on the east side of Victoria St until the later 1920's when the existing station was built west of Victoria St. Besides the Nicholson St grade separation, Albert St was grade separated at the same time. When the tracks at Geelong Rd were grade separated at that time, an old signal box from Footscray was temporarily constructed beside Buckley St. I think it was Footscray B box. It's either by forward planning or a stroke of good luck that when the new overpass at Geelong Rd was built around 1974 that there was room for the regional rail tracks when they came along. Prior to the construction of the goods lines through the area, some of the suburban tracks between Footscray and the existing Middle Footscray Station were originally where the goods lines now are though of course at grade. South of the suburban tracks was excavated so that they could be moved over. Then, the original suburban track area was excavated for the goods tracks. The down end of the Platform at Footscray was altered so that at was a little further south to suit the tracks going under Nicholson St. - I either have or have seen a lot of the photos of stations in their original locations and old at grade photos as well as some old maps from the time.
this video is like a lamington. heaps of filler but its quality and essential.
Very well done, looking forward to the next one.
Fabulous video Taitset! Having taken the Werribee line a couple times, it’s so cool to see parts I recognise, and parts that are new! I haven’t seen the new Hoppers Crossing overpass before. Also quite mad about the lack of pedestrian access you mentioned there, 4km!! Outrageous! I’d like to put my vote in for a video on the Frankston line please. Happy New Year also!
Another great video! Looking forward to seeing the next one. Hopefully Frankston or Dandenong, the lines I have used the most. Thanks again for these always entertaining videos!
What a 2025 treat! Keep up the awesome work :)
Thanks for the Christmas present, Taitset!
34:30 Broderick Smith is the father of Ambrose Kenny-Smith who plays in King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. Broderick narrates their spaghetti Western album Eyes Like the Sky, but he passed away in the last year or two.
FYI Bayswater (whichever iteration) is named after Bayswater in London, which is a shortened version of "Bayards Watering Place".
Nothing to do with any bay of water.
Thanks for the new years eve video Martin, we really hope you and your loved ones have a happy and prosperous new year and we look forward to more of your videos.
The greatest way to finish the year 2024, thanks for the video Taitset, and happy new year!
Another thing of interest, just off this line is the historic Cheetham Saltworks tramway. Several sections of this still exist around Skeleton Creek, and I believe there were plans at some point to utilise this reserve, joining with the section you note that curves from Westona, to provide much better access to Point Cook. This would have allowed stations at Altona Meadows, Seabrook, Point Cook and Saltwater Coast, ultimately creating a new line which would separate the Altona loop from the Werribee line
I live here. Lovely to see it.
You could make a video about the most mundane thing and I'd still be completely hooked to the end, you've got a beautiful accent.
That aside, thanks for this video, it must have taken you forever to put it together!
Thankyou, glad you enjoyed it. :)
A note on Werribee station itself, the underpass design and insufficient drainage causes the underpass to frequently flood. My father and i visited Werribee at the start of the year, and despite the very small amount of rainfall, there was already a couple centimetres of rain covering the floor at the bottom. Upon enquiry with locals and the station myki guards, we we shown images from storms of the entire bottom of the underpass being flooded almost to the roof. On the bright side it does look pretty cool though.
67 minutes of amazing content. Merry christmas and happy new year to you Martin. Thanks for the christmas present. You just made my day.
36:05 How did you even see that while walking and even pick it up?
I do agree that Paisley would serves a lot of people living in Altona North. But I'm not sure if reinstating a single station on the express section is viable with the current timetable especially for off-peak and weekends service when Werribee trains go through the Altona Loop.
Yeah it would only really work if the two-tier timetable was full time.
I am a lizard whisperer. ;)
Regarding the potential track alignment west of Westona;
Looking at the old parish plan (circa 1959) it only shows the track going to the old coal mine. However looking at LASSI (Land and Survey Spatial Information), the first parcel of land behind the houses that you highlight is listed as both a service and utility zone, as well as a transport infrastructure zone. The transport infrastructure zoning only applies to this first parcel before reaching Truganina Swamp, but the service and utility zoning continues. Essentially the dirt track continues beyond the transport zoning, making me think that it (the transport zoning) must exist for some other reason.
Although not zoned for transport, one of the next parcels crossing Truganina Swamp is approx. 20m wide and sandwiched between 2 larger parcels. This is a typical parcel width for roads and rail. So I am inclined to agree with what you have said in the video, that there was at least some level of discussion of sending rail in that direction.
The Taitset Santa delivers right on time!
Thanks for the history, I grew up in Melbourne and can remember going in to the city with Mum 60 years ago from east Malvern Different line but thanks for the memories
These videos are wonderfull!!!
I've only used the line from Southern Cross to Footscray but now seeing the video, I think I'll have to take a trip to seaholme : )
The example of a resident staying within 4.1 and 4.8 KM from a station is typical of Point Cook, which seems to be built mainly for people who drive.
Werribee station has so many seats, much more than the average station, and funnily enough, most are unused because at any one time, there is almost always a city-bound train waiting on a platform.
Wow very well done on the video. Good to get in early. I’m excited for what will come in 2025!
13:41 As a Track machine operator (Working for Queensland Rail) this was very cool to see.
Hoppers Crossing was indeed named after my wife's family! 57:18 Her Great, Great Grandmother Betsy (Elizabeth Rebecca Rogers) worked the gates while husband Stephen worked as a Ganger on the line!