Hi all,

Wasn't the difference between the St Kilda/Pt Melbourne conversions and what
was proposed for the Upfield line, the closure of the Upfield line
altogether, rather than do a conversion.

AFAIK the plot was that the pax who used the train would gravitate to the
trams in Sydney Road, which of course would have been a strategic nightmare
as there was little hope, if indeed any at all existed, that the trams would
cope with its own loadings, plus those theoretically gained from the former
Upfield line.

Whoever got the idiot idea scotched did a good thing, IMHO.

Bob in Perth

From:TramsDownUnder@... [mailto:TramsDownUnder@yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of jeffrey bounds
Sent: Sunday, 15 July 2012 5:25 PM
To:TramsDownUnder@...
Subject: Re: [TramsDownUnder] Re: Port Melbourne

The conversion of the 2 lines to Light Rail is a success story.

Who remembers the aborted converion of the Upfield Line.I remember the
literature that was distributed to the various households in the
Brunswick,Coburg & neighbourhoods.The big mistake was not taking the line
to North Melb,then bring it into Melb via Spencer St.

Eventually.Bob Hawke & Gerry Hand,the then Federal Member for Melbourne sank
the scheme.

THe Upfield line survived.

Jeff
--- On Sun, 15/7/12, davemcl_wellington <mcloughlin.dj@...> wrote:

From: davemcl_wellington <mcloughlin.dj@...>
Subject: [TramsDownUnder] Re: Port Melbourne
To:TramsDownUnder@...
Received: Sunday, 15 July, 2012, 7:08 PM

Bob Pearce wrote:

> I was also under the impression that one of the great persuaders for the
> train to tram conversion, was that the trams could and would deliver the
pax
> right in to the heart of the city rather than on the outskirts (if it can
be
> described as such) at Flinders St from where either shank's pony, or a
tram
> ride was needed to get further into or closer to the place of employ.

The huge crush loads on these two tram lines, seven days a week and often
late into the night, suggests your impression was correct.

The trams on these lines are PACKED much of the time.

Given the 109 has only four stops to Port Melbourne, the crowds are amazing.

The 96 carries more pax than any other route bar the 86 which is 20 kms
longer.

david, a regular on these lines April 2009- February 2012