Stony Point railway line, Melbourne

VictorianRailwayLineInfobox
type = mel
name = Stony Point
yearcommenced =
yearcompleted = 1889
yearclosed =
fate =
lengthkm = 31
stations = 10
tracks = Single track throughout
users = Connex Melbourne with V/Line railcars, freight to Long Island
servicepattern = Shuttle from Frankston station
RollingStock =
connections = Frankston line
formerconnections = Red Hill and Mornington lines

---

The Stony Point line is a greater-metropolitan railway line in Melbourne, Australia. The line extends from the Frankston line and is part of the city's suburban passenger railway network. The passenger service has been operated with a variety of rolling stock over the past few decades, and was the last suburban service in Australia to be operated by a locomotive hauled train, after the demise of similar services in Brisbane by Queensland Rail. The line also sees use by freight trains serving the adjacent steel mill.

ervices

Passenger services on the line are run as a shuttle service between Frankston and Stony Point, with passengers required to change to the electrified service at Frankston station. It is the only greater-metropolitan railway line operated by Connex Melbourne, which operates the suburban electric network.

No stations have any ticketing facilities, with passengers required to pre-purchase tickets and validate them on arrival at Frankston. [cite web | title = Stony Point Line - Ticket and validation machines | publisher = Metlink | url = http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/news/media_releases/metropolitan_trains/stony_point_line_ticket_and_validation_machines | accessdate = 2008-04-26 ] Services are operated with Sprinter diesel multiple units leased from V/Line, which replaced the previous A class locomotive hauled trains and MTH carriages as of April 27, 2008.cite web
url=http://www.connexmelbourne.com.au/news.php?newsid=243
title=News: A better, harder working network for more customers
date=April 9, 2008
publisher=www.connexmelbourne.com.au
accessdate=2008-04-09] The services appear in the suburban Working Time Table and are given 85xx series train numbers, which fall under the 8xxx series are given to non-electric passenger services.cite web
url=http://www.connexmelbourne.com.au/access/pdf/13-AttachmentG1_c_MTrainMasterTimetablePart1.pdf
title=M>Train Master Timetable
publisher=Connex Melbourne
accessdate=2008-10-05
date=January 2002
page= Page C 37]

Goods trains operated by Pacific National serving the Long Island steel mills use the line as far as the junction of the Long Island line between Tyabb and Hastings. Steel trains run twice daily except Sundays. Trains from Long Island to Melbourne run approximately 4 am and mid afternoon, while trains from Melbourne to Long Island run approximately midnight and noon.

History

The Stony Point line was opened from Frankston to Baxter station in 1888, and Hastings, Bittern and Stony Point in 1889. Branches were opened from Baxter to Mornington in 1889, and from Bittern to Red Hill in 1921. The convert|300|m|yd|lk=on|sing=on long branch from Long Island Junction to Long Island was opened on 29 April 1969 to serve the adjacent steel mill.cite journal | year = 1990 | month = March | title = Tracks Across the State | author = Sid Brown | journal = Newsrail | publisher = Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division) | pages = pages 71–76 ]

The Red Hill line was closed in 1953. The Mornington line remained until 1981, but the line south of Moorooduc is now operated by the Mornington Railway as a tourist railway. Passenger services on the entire line were withdrawn on 10 June 1981,cite journal
year = 1997
month = March
title = Rail Passenger Service Withdrawals Since 1960
author = Chris Banger
journal = Newsrail
publisher = Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division)
pages = pages 77–82 ] and the line from Long Island Junction to Stony Point closed from 22 June 1981, until 26 September 1984 when passenger services were reintroduced.cite journal | year = 1984 | month = October | title = The Stony Point passenger service reopened | journal = Newsrail | publisher = Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division) | pages = page 309 ] For the reopening DRC railcars DRC40 and DRC 41 used, with two MTH carriages in between them making up a 4 car train. The DRC railcars were frequently used, either in multiple or with MTH trailer cars. Frequent breakdowns saw diesel locomotives called in to haul the consist instead.

In December 1989 to celebrate the centenary of the opening of the line, DERM 58RM was used to provided shuttles.cite journal | year = 1990 | month = February | title = Stony Point Centenary | journal = Newsrail | publisher = Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division) | pages = pages 48-49 ] On that day the DRC railcar had failed, and a third series T class was used with two MTH carriages to provide the regular service.

In November 1987 locomotives used on the service included P15, T403, T355, P12 and P18. The locomotives were changed on a daily basis due to excessive wear of brake blocks from the constant stopping and setting back movements. [cite journal | date = January 1988 | title = News | journal = Newsrail | publisher = Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division) | pages = page 24 ] Despite their failures the DRC railcars remained the preferred rolling stock until at least 1990. [cite journal | date = March 1990 | title = News | journal = Newsrail | publisher = Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division) | pages = page 89 ]

In August 1994 a T class with two MTH carriages were used,cite journal | date = August 1994 | title = News | journal = Newsrail | publisher = Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division) ] but by November 1995 weekday services were being operated by a P class with 2 MTH carriages, with an A class used on weekends with an extra MTH car.cite journal | date = November 1994 | title = News | journal = Newsrail | publisher = Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division) ] On another occasion in November 1995 a X class diesel in V/Line Freight livery was used with three MTH carriages,cite journal | date = November 1994 | title = News | journal = Newsrail | publisher = Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division) | pages = Back cover ] but these kinds of workings disappeared after V/Line was separated into passenger and freight divisions.

By the 2000s the service had settled down, with the A class locomotive and a single MTH carriage sent between Frankston and Spencer Street on a regular basis for refuelling and maintenance. Two MTH carriages would be used on the train, a third stabled at Frankston, and the fourth would be at Spencer Street or the Newport Workshops undergoing repairs. An A class locomotive and two car MTH consist could carry 126 passengers, weighed 199 tonnes and was 56.9 metres long; but with an extra car a total of 238 passengers could be carried, which weighed 238 tonnes and was 76.1 metres long.cite web
url=http://www.connexmelbourne.com.au/access/pdf/15-AttachmentG2_a_ConnexWorkingTimetableMarch06Part2a.pdf
title=WTT addenda
publisher=Connex Melbourne
accessdate=2008-10-05
date=March 2006
page= Page A 119] At some point the ownership of the MTH carriages was transferred from country operator V/Line to suburban operator M>Train, and later Connex Melbourne.cite web
url=http://www.vline.com.au/pdf/rna/addenda.pdf
title=Addenda
work=V/Line Network Access: Information Pack
accessdate=2008-10-05] On a limited number of occasions V/Line underwent locomotive shortages, with leased A classes from Freight Australia and later Pacific National appearing on the train in their green and yellow livery. [cite web
url=http://www.railpage.com.au/modules/gallery/Gwiwer/Stony_Point3149
title=Freight Australia A79 on the Stony Point train, borrowed due to lack of a red A class
work=Gwiwer's Photos
publisher=www.railpage.com.au
accessdate=2008-10-05]

In late 2007 the safeworking on the line was altered, with the Electric Staff and Train Staff and Ticket sections replaced by Automatic and Track Control signalling controlled remotely from Frankston station. [cite web
url=http://www.vicsig.net/index.php?page=infrastructure&project=sty-signals
title=Stony Point Line Resignalling
work=VICSIG - Infrastructure
publisher=www.vicsig.net
accessdate=2008-10-05]

On April 27, 2008 diesel railcars were again introduced on the line,cite web
url=http://www.connexmelbourne.com.au/news.php?newsid=243
title=News: A better, harder working network for more customers
date=April 9, 2008
publisher=www.connexmelbourne.com.au
accessdate=2008-04-09] this time with the Sprinter units originally purchased by V/Line in 1993. [cite web| url=http://www.vicsig.net/index.php?page=passenger&section=rollingstock&subs=railmotors&rmtype=Sprinter |title= VICSIG - Railmotors |accessdate=2008-06-16 |publisher=vicsig.net] Two units usually operate the service, with the a single unit returning to Southern Cross for servicing on a regular basis, with another sent in the opposite direction to replace it. The units are selected from the normal V/Line fleet, and are not dedicated to the run. No ticketing equipment is fitted, but new locks were fitted to the toilet doors to prevent their use when being used by Connex.

Line guide

Bold stations are termini, where some train services terminate; "italic" stations are staffed. Some unstaffed stations may be occasionally staffed for safeworking purposes.

Continues from the Frankston line at "Frankston". All stations are in Metcard ticketing Zone 2.

References

External links

* [http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/timetables/metropolitan_trains?MainLineID=13&routeSearchSubmit=Get+Route+Timetable Timetables]
* [http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/maps_stations_stops/metropolitan_trains/frankston_line_including_stony_point Official line map] (includes Frankston line)
* [http://www.vicsig.net/index.php?page=infrastructure&section=lineguide&line=Stony%20Point Statistics and detailed schematic map] at the [http://www.vicsig.net/ vicsig] enthusiast website