Sweltering heat halts train services in their tracks

TWENTY train services on the Geelong line were partly replaced by buses on Saturday during searing heat, less than a month after heat-related speed restrictions were relaxed by the regional rail operator.

In early December, V/Line relaxed heat-related restrictions, which apply when the temperature is between 36C and 39C, and allows trains to run at 130km/h.

When the temperature ex- ceeds 39C, like it did after 12.30pm on Saturday in Geelong, trains are restricted to a top speed of 90km/h on the Geelong line.

V/Line said the restrictions were required because steel tracks expand on days of extreme heat.

Melbourne Victory soccer fans reported being stuck at Southern Cross Station after kick-off in the A-League game at GMHBA Stadium due to train troubles.

Fans also voiced their anger on social media at having to wait more than 40 minutes for a train back to Melbourne after the A-League game.

V/Line said on Saturday the 5:56pm Waurn Ponds-Southern Cross service was delayed due to heat-related speed restrictions.

“The 17.56 Waurn Ponds – Southern Cross train is delayed by approximately 16 minutes due to hot weather speed restrictions,” V/Line said on Twitter.

Changes on Saturday on the Geelong and Warrnambool lines included: the 12.30pm Southern CrossWaurn Ponds service, which ran as a train to Marshall then was replaced by a bus to Waurn Ponds; and the 1pm Southern Cross-Warrnambool service, which ran as a train to Geelong Station and was replaced by a bus to Warrnambool.

The 11.50am, 1.50pm, 2.30pm, 3.10pm, 3.50pm, 4.30pm, 5.10pm, 5.50pm and 7.10pm services between Southern Cross and Waurn Ponds ran as trains to South Geelong and commuters were then asked to get on a bus to Waurn Ponds.

And the 1.16pm, 3.16pm, 3.56pm, 4.36pm, 5.16pm, 6.36pm and 7.16 trains between Waurn Ponds and Southern Cross Station were replaced by coaches to South Geelong and connected with trains between South Geelong and Melbourne.

The 5.28pm WarrnamboolSouthern Cross service was replaced by a bus from Warrnambool to Geelong then connected with a train from Geelong to Melbourne.