What’s with 2x day of abrupt changes on Swan Hill Service V/Line?

I found out from ground zero the train’s AGS [ had failed Auxiliary or emergency power supply which is a “reasonable “reason to fail a train as the train

I understand with the older classic fleet needs two source power to operate safety.

To add to their woes for the day they had a train fault at Footscray delaying their service with Metro Train Melb

https://x.com/metrotrains/status/2091983749626118469?s=20

26/8/2026-The extent of this issue was confirmed from VN17 on the next day heading down to Swan Hill

Found out they tried their best to fix VN14 for the next morning service but it took longer then expected.

Peering out the window I saw VN14 in the yard hooked up to the Y Class, oddly ACN had black greasy streaks down the side near the end of the carriage!

Why does it look the ACN had one heck of sneeze?

Last time saw something like this was many years ago it a happened on a rooftop of carriage called Moorabool!

It look very similar to when it’s generator had sneeze causing black greasy oily spatters on the paintwork which had removed which was to smaller scale to this one….

Noticed that night they had got VN14 back in action again for the evening service after returning

27/8 N12 for Swan Hill 07:38 but no Shunters or Loco shows up Service was cancelled!

1. whist waiting earlier from 3B platform I saw the two men hi vis in Melb Yard scrambling around in the yard front of the Workshop.
   • notice at least 3x 6 car set of the newer train aka VLocitys being moved around toward the yard two out of thee went straight to workshop!!!
   • Later on there was more shuffling of VLocity behind the big Signal out the end of Platform
2. The train waiting at 3B and crew came did their usual prepping of the train before it run and buffet was stocked for the run.
   • Noticed some big wiggs in their high vis from V/Line hanging around with the crowd near the end of the carriages
   • there was a crowd forming plus myself waiting for loco to hook up
3. As I saw a VLocity heading to Platform 2B shortly after…

PA advise there has being a platform change the 07:38 Swan Hill on Platform 3B will now depart on 2B

“But it seem odd that could source a crew & VLocity almost straight away?”

Well the crowd grumble about the abrupt change of travel arrangements I myself was not very amused at the sudden change and notice a old person on walker and thought that was not very nice do that last minute.

While I made my way to 2 B noticing the escalators and lifts were broken and made it hard to get to from 3 B to 2 B around the area without stuffing around!

I went in the VLocity rail car and settled down for a ride to meet the cross at Castlemaine after delayed departure 07:49 I noticed some abnormal stuff in the yard which may raise a few eye brows!

Observations of the Melb Yard from the VLocity replacing N12.

1. On looking at the yard I saw 3 x N set, VN12,VN10 and VN17
2. Look at back next the Alstom workshop I saw 3 x Locomotive and why one of them were lit up and looked ready to go?
3. I happen notice N12 was roster on that evening the very same set they knocked out due to short notice due to train fault!
4. The conductors were not happy with the abrupt change they had set the buffet stocked the tissues in the WC and they made sure everything was ready to go!
5. Even the caterer later that day on while prepping the buffet on N12 for the evening service told me of their discontent of having take everything out of the buffet from the morning service and it would of wasted food and cost a bit as a result!
6. Heading out on N12 that evening run in Melb yard the 3 loco in the yard were strangely all lit up, why? were they going take em for a test run?

Question to considered:

Does this seems to be pre planned and who arranged this?

First time it happened was at June 22 2026 and by coincidence V/Line CEO and his team wanted a ride!

How they can source a VLocity and crew at such short notice before such abrupt changes of rolling stock take place on the Swan Hill Service?

Does the managers know there 3 Locomotive and 3x sets for carraiges avaliable in the yard?

This is the second time such abrupt change happened that caught the frontline out and why it seems especially when does it occur when big wiggs are lurking around?

https://www.vibewire.com.au/?p=452620

Conclusion:

It’s nice to all this nice new infrastructure going on, but nothing for the rolling stock for the V/Line Regional Services

But it’s sucked out money with a X% increase in fares to go to the white elephant called the SRL(suburban rail loop) infrastructure costs.

1. Why not defer and put the SRL on hold until they can fix the v/line rolling stock they have and use that X% there?
2. Could it seem to look like they are deliberately running down the service in stealth in regard in driving people away from lack of reliability issue due to loss of confidence it will get them to & from their destinations?
3. Are they for the trying to prove a point that the loco haul services are unreliable and they cutting funding from maintenance?
4. As there currently only 2 -3 shunter handling all the train moments in the yard both old and new fleets and why aren’t they recruiting more on ground staff to handle this?

Ballast is hard on people’s feet the shunters etc. can get tired

It seems to poor indicator when you see Melb, Nth Melb Bendigo Yard choker full of inactive VLocitys on a weekday as It could be seen as train maintainer and Fleet availability manager’s nightmare!

With current events, this more a operational & Fleet Availability Problem.

The frontline does their best to provide the best of service to the passengers on board but however constantly are let down due poor decisions from above….

It seems distrubing and one may feel this happening to justify the retiremeant of last remaining classic fleet in the system.