Drivers eye view, Bendigo to Southern Cross, VL, Feb 2024

Travel with the train driver as we journey from Bendigo to Southern Cross in the north of the state of Victoria, Australia in a Vlocity railcar. Maximum speed for this service is 160kph. February 2024
#train #driverseyeview #driversview #traindriversview #vline

[@martythemartian99]

While I generally prefer long trips that go from Melbourne (preferably all the way to the border somewhere), this one going to Melbourne was a hoot and a half.😄 It was wonderful the way the tall trees eventually gave way to the tall buildings, and mostly under a sky so invitingly blue, it would have given Jeff Lynne more than enough inspiration for another album, let alone a song.😎🎵🎸

[@driver667]

Nice to run towards the big smoke instead of just away all the time. 🤔🤔 Something different. 😀😀👍

[@robertnorman6443]

I've always wondered what a train trip from Bendigo to Melbourne would be like 😊

[@driver667]

Now you've been able to experience it 👍😀

[@philrichards6307]

good work. I just got back from a trip to Castlemaine . Very fast train this is the quickest . Then got a Vline to Trafalgar just had to wait 50 minutes. Grab some snacks from Woolworths Metro . Its a great service. Thanks to the starff of Vline for the help

[@driver667]

I am very happy to hear you enjoyed your trip on vline and enjoyed the video. Thank you 👍😀

[@davidholder3207]

Interesting trip and impressed by appearance of the stone bridges and tunnel portals built when this line was originally constructed. Tullamraine airport is a stones throw from Kielor and I would thought a link could have been built when all those billions have been spent on alieviating railwaay xings. Lastly I calculate that there are approximately 12 consists running the S Xross - Bendigo service which seems rather excessive for the volume of pax and the fact you don't carry frieght.

[@driver667]

@@davidholder3207 the Bendigo line trains run during the day to an hourly schedule with more trains during peak hour. It's hard to get a seat a lot of the time as they are popular services as with the other corridors also. It is a well constructed line. Glad you enjoyed the ride. 👍😀

[@hilarybadger1231]

I have been to Bendigo on a Vline once, for a very stupid reason. I was there for work for 3 days and i was just about to leave when it started pouring down with heavy rain, and i was travelling with my bike, and i had to leave it there because cause it was to hard to travel with it and I didn’t want to get completely soaked, so i left it there and when the rain stopped i went back there on the Vline to get it, and then all the way back to Melbourne on the Vline as well just to grab my bike. It was a real pain!

[@driver667]

Look on the bright side, you got to have a great train ride. 👍😀

[@hilarybadger1231]

You could say that, but it was still a very grey day!

[@driver667]

😀👍

[@tonypemberton4890]

Most enjoyable video. Interesting countryside, quite unlike the UK. Looks like signalling follows American practice but signals on electrifed section inwards looks Italian in style! Generally left hand running but plainly bi-directional signalling installed. I assume VLine track gauge is 1600mm but I didn't see any ANR 1435mm in downtown Melbourne - perhaps there isn't any? I'll have a look at your other vids as they make a refreshing change from UK and European cab rides! Thanks again.

[@driver667]

Yes, the signalling is based on American style speed signalling. Outside the suburban area there is a lot of bidirectional running. The passenger system is predominantly broad gauge but we do run the Albury service on standard gauge. The third rail is visible in Southern Cross. Glad you are enjoying the videos 👍😀

[@waynedafter]

Awesome...thank you.

[@driver667]

You're welcome. Glad you enjoyed it 👍 😀

[@katefromaust5627]

Always a pleasure!

[@driver667]

Glad you enjoyed it 👍 😀

[@mels1811]

Brilliant video

[@driver667]

Thank you. Very happy you enjoyed the ride 👍 😀

[@magpiesextreme123]

Your videos are tops. Do you have any from the Echuca or Maryborough Lines?

[@driver667]

I am working on that. They will come along in the future. Glad you enjoy the videos 👍😀

[@gregthompson3274]

The journey almost covered my 10,000 steps on my walking treadmill,nicely combines my love of walking and railway's 🚶‍♂️🚆

[@driver667]

Good job. Exercise and trains all in one place 👍😀

[@hs7921]

Top Video. Thanks.

[@driver667]

You're welcome. Very happy you enjoyed the ride 👍 😀

[@Skorpi77]

Great stuff🎉😊

[@driver667]

Thank you. Very happy you enjoyed the ride 👍 😀

[@suzannec4765]

I’m watching this as a commuter from Kyneton to Melbourne. I notice you’re flying from Kangaroo Flat. Wish we could go that fast further down the line.

[@driver667]

Our top speed is 160kph all the way down to Sunbury. Just the stops are closer together at the Sunbury end than the Bendigo end. Hope you enjoyed your commute. 👍😀

[@philipsalmon2192]

Holiday of a lifetime.❤

[@driver667]

Sounds like you enjoyed it. Good stuff 👍😀

[@ashleylazzaro5535]

Love the videos mate! 1:47:17 - 1:47:40 is a great shot of the 6 car Velocity on the bridge!

[@driver667]

Thank you. Very happy to hear you enjoy them 👍 😉

[@ConnorSmith-sx1zn]

Have you been on mernda line yet

[@ConnorSmith-sx1zn]

Because bell Preston and reservoir station has a overpass now

[@ConnorSmith-sx1zn]

And do not stop at keon park station because it’s still closed until late June

[@driver667]

@@ConnorSmith-sx1zn I have been to Mernda a few years ago in the DERM but not in a suburban train yet. 👍 😀

[@robturner3065]

Beautiful country

[@driver667]

Yes it is. Very happy you enjoyed it 👍 😀

[@swipewrite]

Very interesting video. U.K. retired driver.

[@driver667]

Hello to a retired U.K. driver 👋 Very happy you enjoyed the ride 👍 😀

[@philipsalmon2192]

I was driven from Kangaroo Flat to Sunbury as the line was shut for maintenance then

[@driver667]

That's a bugger. Going by train is my preference whenever possible. 👍😀

[@Shan9965]

Beautiful and thanks. I noticed most of the trains pull down the pantograph(Turn off the train) after being put into the sidings. Why do some of them leave the train on after being put into the sidings?

[@driver667]

Sometimes the cleaners run through the trains after they are put in the sidings and need power and lights in the train. Glad you enjoyed the ride 👍 😀

[@Shan9965]

@@driver667 Oh I see. So cleaners are authorized to pull down the pantograph after the cleaning is done or does someone else do it? I am rail fan from Srl Lanka🙂

[@martyn6792]

I rarely watch other country cab rides other than UK, quite a bit of single line

[@driver667]

This used to be double line all the way. It was singled in the early 2000's. Hope you enjoyed the ride 👍 😀

[@martyn6792]

@@driver667 it was interesting, the signals baffled me a bit, I can 'read' UK signals

[@driver667]

@@martyn6792 the signals very basically are speed signalling. Top light is maximum speed for the area, the bottom light is medium speed (40kph). Green tells you the next is at proceed. Yellow, the next is red. This is very basically the idea. 👍😀

[@martyn6792]

@@driver667 ah understand, it was the upper and lower that confused me, I get aspect colour as same in UK

[@driver667]

@@martyn6792 👍😀

[@Mediawatcher2023]

@1:18 Sunbury the Terminus of the Melbourne electrfication

[@driver667]

It is 👍😀

[@philipsalmon2192]

I sent to Kangaroo Flat back in 2005 visiting relatives

[@driver667]

Nice 👍😀

[@ashpeake2426]

This is such a zippy run until the urban area. What’s the difference between the blue 160 signs and the yellow 125 or 115 signs, they’re on the same part of track but seem to indicate two different speeds?

[@driver667]

The blue 160 sign is the track speed. The yellow ones are the speed restriction around the curve they are placed at the start of. 👍😀

[@mihailoarsic5716]

👍

[@driver667]

👍😀

[@stephenkettle7733]

I was on service (vline loco hauled) a couple of weeks ago and we went bang road for some distance. Is this normal?

[@driver667]

What do you mean 'bang road'?

[@stephenkettle7733]

@@driver667 sorry it a Pommy term. If there’s two tracks, you expect to be on the left side one, but for some distance the train travelled on the right side.

[@driver667]

@@stephenkettle7733The tracks along there are bidirectional all the way to Sunbury. The right hand track in this video is the line that was rebuilt for 160kph running. The other is the slower track. From Sunbury the line is then traditional up and down lines (left hand running) 👍😀

[@stephenkettle7733]

@@driver667 thanks. I understand now.

[@driver667]

@@stephenkettle7733 you're welcome. 👍😀

[@brianmcmillan476]

Wat time does train depart bendigo arr at southern cross

[@driver667]

It's around a two hour run and departs every hour during the day. 👍😀

[@brianmcmillan476]

Wat is the speed of the train in video

[@driver667]

The maximum speed of the train in this video is 160kph (100mph) 👍😀

[@ConnorSmith-sx1zn]

Southern cross to Echuca with long video

[@driver667]

👍😀

[@piotrborzenda9723]

extra

[@driver667]

👍😀

[@ConnorSmith-sx1zn]

Have you forgot something

[@driver667]

Have I?