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Northern Corridor
Bendigo Uplift Options for Business Case
October 2024
DRAFT FOR DISCUSSION
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Background and Context
• Similar to other corridors, the Northern Corridor has experienced patronage
growth post-fare cap
• There are no significant service level uplifts planned for the corridor in the near
future via project upgrades – Bendigo Metro 4 has been delayed / deferred
• These slides detail potential options to uplift or improve the service offering on
the Northern corridor, with particular focus between Melbourne and Bendigo
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Current Service Levels
Service
Period
Services / Frequency
Fleet
Bendigo /
AM Peak
6 in 2 hours inc. 1x Kyneton
VL
Epsom /
PM Peak
6 in 2 hours inc. 1x Kyneton
VL
Eaglehawk
Interpeak
~60’, including select Echuca Swan Hill; N-Sets
and Swan Hill services as
All others; VL
part of the pattern
Swan Hill
Weekday
2 return services per day
N-Sets
Echuca
Weekday
3 return services per day
VL
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Previous Projects and Upcoming Changes
• Bendigo Metro 4 (BM4)
• Previously proposed varying levels of infrastructure scope to enable an
Interpeak service level upift to a 40-minute pattern to at least Bendigo
• Also included scope around increases to Epsom and Eaglehawk
extensions
• Weekend Service Level Uplifts
• Additional weekend evening service(s)
• MTP Day One
• The Northern corridor schedule will change at MTP Day One due to
significant changes in the operation of the Northern Metro group, and
the inherent link to the East as a result of MTP
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Weekday Options
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Patronage Analysis
• Represents the maximum load on each service at the 85th percentile (i.e. 85%
of these services carry this many passengers or less)
• Based on all weekdays Between March and mid-September
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Weekday Patronage Analysis – Down Direction
Second last Down
service is one of
the busiest across
the day
Last service before the
peak and the first PM
Peak service are the two
busiest on the corridor
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Weekday Patronage Analysis – Up Direction
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Potential Options
• Schedule an approximate 40-minute frequency during the day – may not
necessarily be for the entire Interpeak subject to fleet cost
• Schedule an additional Down passenger Bendigo service just prior to the PM
Peak, infilling a currently 60-minute gap leading into the peak period
• Implement the Swan Hill Loco shuttle between Swan Hill and Bendigo for
select or all services, providing a faster journey for some passengers and
potentially enabling other uplift options on the Up side of Bendigo
• Build-up various services to 6-car VL to alleviate overcrowding, based on
patronage data and fleet balancing needs
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40-minute Bendigo Frequency
Fleet
• May require an additional unit, depending on when the 40-minute frequency starts and
end
Performance Implications
• TBC – did BM4 speak to this at all??
Capacity Uplift
• TBC
Stabling Impacts
• TBC
Other Considerations
• This change will need to be assessed against pre- and post-MTP Metro timings
• TBC
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Additional Pre-PM Peak Down Bendigo Service
Fleet
• Likely to require an additional unit, particularly if this service is run to Bendigo and not a short
service to Kyneton
Performance Implications
• TBC – did BM4 speak to this at all??
Capacity Uplift
• Will provide an additional 3 or 6VL prior to the PM Peak, between two of our busiest services
currently spaced roughly 60’ apart (8077 and 8029)
Stabling Impacts
• TBC
Other Considerations
• This change will need to be assessed against pre- and post-MTP Metro timings
• TBC
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Swan Hill-Bendigo Classic Fleet Shuttle
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Weekend Options
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Build-up of Select Services
Number of Services
• Proposed build up of 22 services across Friday evening and the weekend,
including 1 on a Friday evening, 8 on a Saturday and 13 on a Sunday
Fleet
• An estimated additional 203,372kms annually (revenue and empty)
Train Crew
• Estimated additional 3-4 train driver, no additional conductors
Other Considerations
• Likely to require additional fuelling which has not been worked through –
however has been taken into account for the rapid driver estimate above
• Additional Wyndham Vale to Melbourne movements required to balance fleet
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Proposed Build-Ups – Friday Night & Saturday
Day
Direction
TDN
Service
SXS Time
Reason
Friday
Down
8059
Bendigo
22:57
Patronage
8073
Echuca*
09:05
Patronage
8013
Bendigo
10:06
Patronage
Down
8077
Echuca*
18:06
Patronage
8049
Bendigo
19:37
Patronage
Saturday
8055
Bendigo
20:37
Patronage
8020
Bendigo
09:22
Patronage
Up
8034
Bendigo
15:24
Patronage
8036
Bendigo
16:24
Patronage
*Echuca build-ups are only between Melbourne and Bendigo
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Proposed Build-Ups – Sunday
Day
Direction
TDN
Service
SXS Time
Reason
8073
Echuca*
09:06
Patronage
8013
Bendigo
10:06
Patronage
Down
8019
Bendigo
11:06
Patronage
8027
Bendigo
15:06
Patronage
8077
Echuca*
18:06
Patronage
8004
Bendigo
07:45
Balancing
Sunday
8020
Bendigo
09:44
Balancing
8026
Bendigo
11:51
Patronage
8032
Bendigo
14:24
Patronage
Up
8034
Bendigo
15:24
Patronage
8038
Bendigo
17:24
Patronage
8076
Echuca*
19:24
Balancing
8054
Bendigo
22:59
Balancing
*Echuca build-ups are only between Melbourne and Bendigo
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SLIDE FROM THE
PREVIOUS NORTH
EAST PACK – NEEDS
TO BE UPDATED
Next Steps
• Further develop concept plans for proposed options – ideally on an updated
Metro base timetable
• Confirm approximate train crew needs and additional operating KMs
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