Drivers eye view, Southern Cross to Ararat, 2023

Travel with the train driver as we journey from Southern Cross in Melbourne to Ararat in the west of the state of Victoria, Australia in a Vlocity railcar. Please note that this video was put together with a few different runs which means you wioll notice a slight change at Ballan and Wendouree. This will not take away from your viewing experience for the trip all the way to Ararat so grab your popcorn,sit in your favourite chair and enjoy the run. 2023.
#train #driverseyeview #driversview #traindriversview #vline #vlocity

[@nemindakarunaratne2291]

Lovely. I love this type of video

[@driver667]

Very happy to hear you enjoy them 👍 😀

[@deanl4575]

I couldn’t have the patience to add in the mileposts into the video, thanks again for the ride :)

[@driver667]

It takes a lot lot lot of patience 😀😀 glad you enjoyed it 👍 😀

[@rainerlovesjapan9468]

Awesome

[@driver667]

Very happy to hear you enjoyed the ride 👍 😀

[@mattk183]

You made my day Colin

[@driver667]

I am very happy to hear that 👍 😊

[@margaretcampbell2681]

I haven’t been up that way for some time so it’s good to see what it looks like now. Thank you.

[@driver667]

@@margaretcampbell2681 Glad you enjoyed the ride 👍😊

[@peterredfern1174]

All the old stations we used to c/o at ,now just a distant memory,Windermere,burrumbete,Trawalla,etc ,another great video mate this one on my turf,cheers,👋👋👏👏👍

[@driver667]

Glad you enjoyed it and brought back memories of your old turf 👍😊

[@vlinenclasstrains]

I know what the Station Stops are from Melbourne to Ararat: Footscray Sunshine Ardeer Deer Park Caroline Springs Rockbank Cobblebank Melton Bacchus Marsh Ballan Ballarat Wendouree Beaufort Ararat

[@driver667]

👍😀

[@unknown-ho3kt]

Thanks very good vid

[@driver667]

Very glad you enjoyed it 👍 😀

[@rukmandfernando9128]

I always take this ride from Southern Cross to Wendouree. Very enjoyable ride when there is no maintenance work. It is pity that we do not have a direct rail link between Ballarat and Geelong.

[@driver667]

It would be nice to see a service provided between Ballarat and Geelong. You never know what the future holds. 🤔👍😀

[@vlinenclasstrains]

Ararat is also use on the Broad Gauge for V/Line and the Standard Gauge for the Overland to Adelaide

[@driver667]

👍😀

[@dontown-lb5ke]

Enjoying all your Cab ride videos here in Vancouver. I follow route on my 2nd PC monitor while watching on 1st one. I spent entire month of May 1987 traveling Australia by rail including a direct Sydney-Alice Springs both ways. I've gone over 250,000 km by rail since 1955 mostly in Canada but also UK 1990. Watching your videos is like riding in Scenic dome of "The Canadian" which I have taken 51x since 1964. Cheers. BTW what was departure time from Southern Cross?

[@driver667]

That sounds like a lot of interesting travel 👍 The Ararat left Melbourne around quarter past 11. This video was made over a few runs to get decent video for the length of the trip. Very happy you are enjoying them. 👍😊

[@mrrol5212]

i know i have said it before but thanks so much for these vids. i enjoyed watching the suburban trains over the last few days.

[@driver667]

Very happy you enjoy them all 👍😊

[@garryteahan6375]

Thanks- Your best yet. Crisp and clear, it makes me fell like getting out the old Uniform and Dribble like an old fool.

[@driver667]

Lol, why not? 🤣🤣 Glad you enjoyed it 👍 😀

[@craigpayne5500]

Thank you for all your fantastic videos and all you put into them. I always enjoy your videos. I’m not a train driver, just a fan of trains, railways, etc. I always look forward to we’re we go next. Again, thank you

[@driver667]

Your welcome. Glad to hear you enjoy them 👍 😀

[@KerrynB-w1s]

2:17:50 the stabling yard on the left there, the one on the right is the SG to Adelaide correct? And the one on the far right is that to the yard there? How many tracks are there left in the yard there at Ararat?

[@driver667]

Only a few roads in the yard 👍😊

[@richardshreedhar3812]

Very interesting video. Keep it up.

[@driver667]

I will 👌 Happy to hear you enjoyed it 👍 😀

[@martythemartian99]

23:00 Is the line to the left a new line, an old closed line, or a commercial siding?🤔 Something that really impressed me, was the high number of trains going in the opposite direction. It appears this line is very well served.😊❤

[@driver667]

That line is the old Boral Quarry siding. Yes, the Ballarat line has a good service with plenty of trains. 👍😀

[@badmoonrisin4700]

There is no train that arrives at Wendouree at 14.09 according to the timetable. It seems the closest time is on Saturday or Sunday and it is supposed to arrive at 13.51. Were you running 18 minutes late or have I misread the timetable? Anyway I love your videos, mate, please keep making them, even though you must have covered just about all of Victoria by this point. My favorite line is the North Geelong to Ballarat as it goes past Bannockburn Station where my cousins used to live in the 80s. It was my favorite school holiday destination because of the beautiful bluestone station (of course!) but I also got to see the inner workings of this line from inside the station house. It was so awesome. Oh yeah, I forgot, it is very cool how you decided to go past Wendouree on a beautiful sunny day. I was a bit worried about the clouds making that beautiful part of the world look a bit gloomy, but the cut to a perfect sunny day really brings out the beauty of the golden fields and sparkling water. Well done, sir.

[@driver667]

This trip was made with a few different runs to get the video right which explains the trouble trying to match the timetable 👍 Very glad to hear you enjoy the videos. I'll keep 'em coming 👍😊

[@JTRAIN]

Hopefully, if V/line extended the line to Horsham, the train must travel from Southern Cross to Ballarat via Geelong.

[@driver667]

If it was extended to Horsham, it would be on standard gauge and could not go via Ballarat as Ballarat is only broad gauge. 👍😀

[@JTRAIN]

@@driver667oh ok

[@driver667]

@@JTRAIN The hassles of different gauges. 👍😀

[@mels1811]

Brilliant video

[@driver667]

Very happy to hear you liked it. Thank you. 👍 😊

[@macka8884]

After listening to the Vlocity horns for a while you realize how much you actually miss horns like the Super Typhoons. 😮‍💨 Awesome video mate! I subscribed! 😁👍

[@driver667]

The super typhoon horn does sound good 👍 😊

[@macka8884]

@@driver667 you're not wrong legend 👊😁

[@driver667]

@@macka8884 👍😊

[@kanga1234567]

My bicycle bell sounds better than a Vlocity's horn.

[@starktravels172]

Great video and I have a suggestion you should include the track speeds in the video, I think it would be interesting. 👍

[@driver667]

Very happy you enjoyed the ride 👍 😊

[@dhh7501]

looks somewhere in the 120 - 160 ballpark? (KMH)

[@driver667]

@@dhh7501 maximum speed is 160kph, 130kph between Wendouree and Ararat 👍😊

[@KerrynB-w1s]

Where does that track go to on the right pls mate? 2:15:50 in? Junction before you get to Ararat station? And what’s on the left? SG to Melb is it?

[@driver667]

Track on left, sg to Melbourne. Track on right to Maryborough, sg. 👍😊

[@KerrynB-w1s]

Cheers@@driver667

[@jameshowitt2463]

The sainted sound of jointed track between Ballarat and Ararat. Also the all too familiar signs of cut backs and closures. Mind the difference between this and the RFR cab videos which are on YT is instructive. You can see Melbourne slowly sprawling outwards. The operator in me gets itchy at Warrenheip. Stick a facing junction in there and use it as a bi directional double track...

[@driver667]

There was a plan for a junction again at Warrenheip and both tracks available to both routes but it has gone quiet now. 🤔 Melbourne is forever changing and growing. Glad you enjoyed the ride 👍 😀

[@pbrodie1065]

All these train journey's in the country,makes me wish I was on them.I love trains.cheers ,mate!IB

[@driver667]

Very happy to hear you enjoy the ride 😀 👍

[@Kozepkezdes]

Nagyon tetszik ez a vasútvonal!!🇭🇺🇭🇺Jöhet még több ilyen videó😊😊

[@driver667]

Very happy to hear you enjoyed the video 👍 😊

[@cozofcat9170]

Pretty sick horn😊

[@driver667]

@@cozofcat9170 😀😀👍

[@Electrotract]

Interesting using staff and ticket on west of Ballarat

[@driver667]

Also in use east of Traralgon 👍😊

[@David-ww4ed]

v line trains no longer go through north melbourne station?

[@driver667]

Only Seymour/Shepparton line trains go through North Melbourne. 👍😊

[@AckaNorton1984]

Driver 667 is there a video of you shunting from Ararat to Ararat sidings thanks.

[@driver667]

I haven't done a video of that. Sounds interesting if I get the chance. 👍😀

[@vsvnrg3263]

enjoyed. all those concrete sleepers ready for installation after ballarat that arent set for dual gauge. thats an act of national sabotage. however, god gave us masonry drill bits so they are convertible. some plastic plugs from bunnings and special plastic plates similar to what already goes between the rail and sleeper and their act of sabotage can be undone.

[@driver667]

Glad you enjoyed it. 😉 👍

[@darkangel2347]

On a 12 day trip to Melbourne from Adelaide in May 2023 I planned to go to to Ararat by train. but due to line repairs, the train stopped at Baccus Marsh and a v/Line bus did the rest of the trip as a subisitute service. Seven days after visiting Ararat, I took the Overland train (for the very first time) to get home to Adelaide.

[@driver667]

Bus substitution, 🙄 that's most unfortunate. 😔 I hope the rest of your trip went well. 👍😊

[@vlinenclasstrains]

What time was the Morning Down Ararat Train..?

[@driver667]

11.16 to Ararat. 👍😊

[@chuckmaurice3646]

The putty cat has done it again, vary well done.

[@driver667]

Thank you. Glad you found it to be purrrrrfect. 🐈 😊👍

[@vlinenclasstrains]

Would you try and do some Train Spotting in Melbourne in the Next Video Colin..?🙂

[@driver667]

I'm not sure I can get some train spotting done in the near future. I've got a lot on at the moment. 👍😀

[@vlinenclasstrains]

@@driver667You can lease give it a try and get a good Friendly Horn Show from the Train Drivers, like what I do Colin.🙂🙂

[@driver667]

@@vlinenclasstrains 👍😀😀

[@pingi014]

I like your videos!! Have there been VLine runs of trains with 9 cars?

[@driver667]

There are weekday peak hour runs to Wyndham Vale with 9 cars. Very happy you enjoy the videos 👍😊

[@vlinenclasstrains]

I’m going to Ballarat on the Down 11:16 Ararat VLocity Train Tomorrow Colin and I’ll film the whole trip

[@driver667]

@@vlinenclasstrains hope you have a great day 😀 👍

[@vlinenclasstrains]

@@driver667Thanks Colin I will

[@baassbooster]

💯

[@bobm5500]

Relay good But I will have to watch it in episodes .👍😺

[@driver667]

Glad you like it and enjoy the episodes 👍😊

[@top40researcher31]

i be waiting for neil forbes puns

[@driver667]

🤣🤣 he has a following 👍😊

[@top40researcher31]

@@driver667 that's his nature

[@driver667]

@@top40researcher31 😀😀👍

[@FanelParaschiv-g1l]

Foarte frumos!🙏

[@driver667]

Thank you. Very happy you enjoyed the video 👍 😊

[@nickpeterson102]

May I ask the numbers In the left hand side of the bottom of the screen what do they mean please mate ?

[@driver667]

The numbers in the white box that flash on are kilometres from Melbourne 👍😊

[@nickpeterson102]

@@driver667 no worries thank you for replying mate and love your videos hopefully see more N class videos or even sprinter videos mate but regardless love all your content

[@driver667]

@@nickpeterson102 great to hear you're enjoying them 👍 😊

[@thesteelrodent1796]

know absolutely nothing about railroads in Australia, but there seems to be an impressive amount of abandoned/deleted stations on this line. And quite a lot of semaphores still hanging about

[@driver667]

There are a lot of closed lines and stations around Victoria. In the early days the railways were built covering the state and later pruned back bit by bit. 👍😊

[@neilforbes416]

Ingliston - Rearrange the letters and you have Islington, an inner suburb of Newcastle. 😁

[@driver667]

Or South Australia 👍😊

[@neilforbes416]

@@driver667 Yeah, those South Australians can't come up with an original name of their own so they nick one of ours! LOL😁

[@driver667]

@@neilforbes416 🤣🤣😊

[@neilforbes416]

@@Mediawatcher2023 You clearly don't know how anagrams work. An anagram takes not some of, but *all* the letters of a word, rearranges those letters to create an entirely different word or perhaps two words, but "Newcastle" doesn't lend itself to the anagram treatment.

[@Mediawatcher2023]

@@neilforbes416 of course it does i just given it to you

[@549BR]

Having come mostly from England, the names of so many communities seem a bit strange. Are they named after people or places? Just curious.

[@driver667]

It varies. Some after people, others after places, some in England, Scotland etc. Glad you enjoyed the video 👍😀

[@mortenjohansen8148]

Why not show the speed???

[@driver667]

The camera does not record speed. The track speed varies along the corridor to a maximum of 160kph on the fastest sections.

[@multiranger748]

A drivers view of the overland maybe? In the future

[@driver667]

Hmmmm, that would be interesting. 😊👍

[@johnkabala2119]

Has anyone ever calibrated the passing sleeper illusion vs train speed?

[@driver667]

They may have tried but they may have ended up in a trance 🤣🤣👍😊

[@johnkabala2119]

Well said! I could to try but would need to see a speedometer on screen. Something tells me that the authorities would have a fit if a speedometer was shown.

[@driver667]

@@johnkabala2119 👍😊

[@geoffreymartin2764]

That Vlocity has a really lousy horn.

[@driver667]

People either love them or hate them 🤣👍😀

[@PetesTools.BiggestFan]

Who cares what these kids have to say.

[@garynewton1263]

Should be "Southern Cross to Horsham"!!!!!!

[@driver667]

Well.... not via Ballarat these days. Would have to go via North Geelong. 👍😊

[@garynewton1263]

@@driver667 yeah completely stupid. Ask the people of Horsham, Dimboola, Nhill and Kaniva what they think of the Ararat train service??? Ask them what they think of the state labor govt???? Portland, Mildura, Leongatha, Mansfield..........governing for all Victorians? Fucking joke.

[@JTRAIN]

I am sure these standard gauge vlocity trains will be the perfect option to go from southern cross to Horsham

[@GinaIsPayingMeToWatch]

would the electrification to melton be a benefit or a hindrance to Vline services out to Ballarat/Ararat?

[@driver667]

Unless they build the extra 2 tracks for the suburban trains, yes, it will be a hindrance to Ballarat trains. 👍😀

[@GinaIsPayingMeToWatch]

@@driver667 mmm and ardeer, deer park platforms have already hemmed the lines in to two only? Can they build seperate lines thru there …?

[@driver667]

@@GinaIsPayingMeToWatch there's space for two extra tracks out through Ardeer and Deer Park. 👍😀

[@GinaIsPayingMeToWatch]

@@driver667 from what you’ve seen, can they add two more tracks the whole way from Sunshine to Melton ….?

[@driver667]

@@GinaIsPayingMeToWatch yes, there is room. 👍😀