As I arrived from V/Line the Swan Hill Loco haul was going replaced with VLocity and bus from Bendigo.
Reason: Train fault
05:40 8/11/2026 V/Line advised a rolling stock change.
Before boarding another service elsewhere on I had look at the VLocity at 6A.
- Had the softer seat in the 3×1 VLocity looked saw the fresh decals with PTV Livery.
- It sounded okay in considering the only thing was active was lights and air-conditioning
After shuffled to 3A for another Service
- Saw my service roll in 3A as they were prepping VLocity
- Saw the people waiting to board the VLocity at 6A
- Surprisingly, I and other people the service before people the service at 6A.
- Whist sitting in the train heard the boarding call for 6A.
Attention Customers the 07:40 Swan Hill Service at platform 6A now available for boarding.
Saw them board and settle in whist I was prepped my breakfast on the VLocity which too had those softer seats, much better then those high backed metro grade seats the last time I rode west!
From the train I heard them start up VL on 6A why does it seem sound different?
Shortly after people got out of the train and started head up beside 2A next toward the coach bay areas!
- I though it was unusual, why didn’t I hear PA advise of the Swan Hill Service departing from 6A?
- As we departed I saw a empty 3×1 VLocity rolling out from platform 6 from the window across from me!
Oh no, on seeing this I felt it had failed before departure at the platform & was taken away to be looked at!
The VLoctiy replacing the older train due lack of rolling stock train replacing the morning Swan Hill service with train and bus looked like it did not go as planned!
If so, why was V/Line silent & no updates were given to travelling public on their website?
Top it off with Western line had it’s own issues from Ararat that Nhill had suffered Signal fault impacting the Overland from Adelaide, which had a bad day being 3 hours late due to a broken rail at South Australia!
I had knock it on the head was unable to obtain assistance from the operator as the phone no. Journey Beyond Rail had on signage at Ararat that day ring their travel agents was correct but was closed on Sun and Sat!
Signage included the train manager’s phone no. for info of the trains status and assistance phone no. but it incorrect and unreachable for Sun and exceptional cases.
With limited vague info of the Overland’s progress and not fond of possibility of coach replacements & prompted from V/Line staff and a contact further on route who had limited info of it I decide to catch the last VLocity back to Southern Cross again.
VL 16:17 to Southern Cross with those hard back seats!
Trip went well clocked the train doing nearly 140 kms per hr max on the fast sections toward Wendouree on unwelded track joins too!
They attached 3×1 set to our service making 3×2 at Ballarat and train tackled those steep grades toward Bacchus Marsh.
- All sudden a crunching noise was heard before pulling in Bacchus Marsh 18:02
- I wondered what it was, was disk brakes grabbing wheel area in contact with and rubbing the area when the driver did break application?
- We pulled in okay and train seem okay as we kept rolling after departing Bacchus Mash.
- Pulled in 18:57 at Southern Cross.
I had hardly left the platform light were shut off promptly in the train and I saw technical staff get in and sighted crew moving though the front set, the front set was disconnected from the back set and taken away.
Shortly after the front set was taken away the back set was gone too!
I wonder what happened to it?
I hope the train didn’t get shaken up too much on the unweld track sections before Wendouree on UP!
As I understand those newer train were made from European manufacturer ie: Alstom.
I understand these newer trains is suited for track conditions with continuous weld track joins, concrete track bed, long straight sections concrete mounting for rail attachments and advanced signal systems etc. for their railway to support the high speed trains in Europe.
AUS VIC some Line sections is still older track technology
- Majority of the system uses continuous weld rail use stone ballast bed, concrete rail fasteners.
- Limited line sections still uses Steel and timber sleeper plus dog spikes old track joins with gaps and elongated hole bolted fishplates holding the rails together!
ie: Wendouree -Ararat ,Raywood- Swan Hill, Bendigo -Echuca, Frankston -Stony Point, Maryborough -Inglewood , Maryborough Boort and beyond etc.
I feel the impact forces is more severe on the bogies and under frame of the train VLocity as it going at higher speed then the older classic fleet threshold of 130 kms whist the newer VLocity threshold is 210 kms.
VLocitys are capped at 160 kmh speed limit.
It was a Royal Goose Egg of Day as when things goes wrong in the system it goes wrong in big way!!!
I feel the train staff and crew etc. wanted to go back to bed and start the whole day again!
Reply from V/Line to traveller caught in some of the mess:
Thank you for your feedback on 7 August 2026 regarding your travel experience on the Swan Hill Line.
At the outset, I sincerely apologise for the delayed response and for any frustration and inconvenience caused.
I acknowledge your concerns regarding carriage availability, maintenance pressures and the proposed Velocity and locomotive-hauled operations between Bendigo and Swan Hill.
V/Line’s entire fleet is currently in use, and unfortunately, no spare trains are available to add additional or change carriages. We closely monitor peak service patronage to ensure we’re meeting demand on the busiest trains.
The Victorian Government continues to upgrade and expand our regional public transport network, adding new trains and services and updating timetables to run more services, helping more Victorians travel.
Please note that, while V/Line undertakes planning to implement new train timetables, Transport Victoria is the authority ultimately responsible for developing new timetables and coordinating requests to fund additional services. Transport Victoria also ensures that coordination across all public transport modes is assessed and improved before the launch of new timetables.
Please be assured that your feedback has been forwarded to Transport Victoria for their review and consideration.
We strive to provide our customers with a seamless and hassle-free experience, and we take your feedback seriously. Again, I apologise for any inconvenience. Feedback like yours is very important to us, as it provides key information about what you think as a user of our services and helps us make informed decisions about improvements.
Thank you again for contacting us with your feedback. Everyone at V/Line is committed to delivering the service our customers and community deserve and expect.
Conclusion:
- Does it look the reply look like they admitting they cut back to severely on rolling stock in past few years and don’t have a designated set to take over the role of the aging trains?
- It seems look like test of time has proven their “One Size Fit All” operation of this sped up the wear and tear of the newer VLocitys and damaging them !!!
- not only the older train are failing due to lack of fund for maintenance to retire them on Swan Hill Line
- The biggest concern is currently VLocity the oldest half the age of the classic fleet being let go are too breaking down in use whist in service on other lines!!!
Who is going be held responsible for relying too heavily on these mid to short distance VLocity rail cars & rushing to withdraw the older fleet and not introducing a designated fleet for Regional Inter city travelling rly conditions?
More trains needed to produced to increase in length the train to cater for usage growth as Vic got mostly single track operations, crossing loops a limited double track operation
As amount train services moving UP/DN on each line can cater for is a factor for train working timetable clerk to consider with the people who operate them!
The older carraige loco haul catered for this.
- But the fixed set units are a bit more tricker to adjust to demand need more units!
- But when it have problem it knocks 3 car full of seats at time currently with VLocity!
- 1x loco can increase at least 5-6 cars
- Couple two loco together can cater for at least 16 cars!
- When carraige had defect that one carraige was taken away and another took it’s place, the purpose of having spare carriages on stand by.
- There had ample ground staff to marshal carriages around the yard to cater for this.
This was era when train were seldom cancelled for bus as last resort reponse.
Those had service in rail operations managing this knew where the various holding yard and workshops were on several lines where a spare could be sourced at short notice sadly all has changed now.