M-Train

Infobox Defunct Company
company_name = M>Train
company_
slogan = "Moving Melbourne"
fate = Parent company withdrawal
successor = Connex Melbourne
foundation = Bayside Trains Sept 1999
M>Train Oct 2001
defunct = 18 April 2004
location = flagicon|AUS Melbourne, Australia
industry = Public transport
key_people = Craig Wallace, CEO
products = Transport services
num_employees = 1589 [cite web | publisher = National Express Group | title = National Express Group PLC awarded 3 franchises in Australia | work = |date= 1999-06-25 | url = http://www.nationalexpressgroup.com/nx/mc/releases/pr1999/pressrelease/?id=3311039 | format = HTML | accessdate = 2007-05-20 ]
parent = National Express Group
subsid =

M>Train is a former operator of half of Melbourne's suburban railway network. It operated from 2001 until it ceased operation at 3:00am on 18 April 2004, with Connex Melbourne then taking over all rail operations.

History

Victoria's train and tram networks were privatised in 1999 under the Jeff Kennett government. The suburban train network was divided in two, and National Express Group won the Bayside Trains franchise (along with the Swanston Trams and V/Line regional passenger franchises).cite web | title = ARHS Railway Museum: Victoria 1950 - now | work = ARHS Railway Museum | url = http://www.railwaymuseum.org.au/history3.html | format = HTML | accessdate = 2008-02-05 ]

In October 2001, National Express renamed Bayside Trains to M>Train (as well as rebranding Swanston Trams as M>Tram. The two "M>" business used near-identical, complementing branding, including colour scheme, and the same "Moving Melbourne" banner or motto. [cite web
url=http://www.investis.com/nx/downloads/report2001/australia.htm
title=National Express - Review of Operations - Australia
publisher=www.investis.com
accessdate=2008-04-29]

On December 22 2002 National Express withdrew from their operations in Victoria and the State Government took control temporarily, [cite web
title = The long goodbye
author = Richard Web
work = The Age
date = March 14 2004
url = http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/03/13/1078594612786.html
format = HTML
accessdate = 2008-02-17 ] until M>Train was taken over by Connex on April 18 2004. [cite web
title = Down Frankston way it's a popular line
author = Selma Milovanovic, Rachel Wells
work = The Age
date = April 17 2004
url = http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/04/16/1082055646029.html?from=storyrhs
format = HTML
accessdate = 2008-02-17 ] The V/Line passenger franchise remains under reverted government control.

Operations

M>Train operated the suburban rail services in the western, north-western, south-eastern, and southern suburbs running though North Melbourne and South Yarra station. These were the Werribee, Williamstown, Sydenham, Broadmeadows, Upfield, Pakenham, Cranbourne, Frankston, Sandringham and Stony Point lines, in addition to maintaining the three underground City Loop stations.

While operating the franchise and under contractual obligations with the State Government, M>Train refurbished its Comeng rolling stock through EDi Rail, and ordered 62 three-car Siemens trains, built in Germany, to replace the ageing Hitachi trains.

Until November 2003 M>Train also issued their own yearly railway tickets, running in parallel and sold at a discount to those Metcard system, but only permitting travel on their half of the network. [cite web
url=http://www.robx1.net/victkt/metcard/html/myear01.htm
title=Related AFC tickets - M>Train Yearly Ticket
publisher=www.robx1.net
accessdate=2008-04-29]

ee also

*M>Tram

References