Monday, November 30, 2009

Out with the old, in with the new

Rail staff worked around the clock as Melbourne rebranded its rail system from Connex to Metro. Trains got programmed with the new announcements on Saturday night. Sunday night and early Monday morning saw old logos covered, new posters posted and even an information centre reclad. Metro managers enthusiastically rode their first train (the 4:17am from Frankston) studying passenger boardings along the way.

The previous operator, Connex, exited with little fanfare; few partied like it was 1999. That is except for staff and enthusiasts who held internal functions or rode final trains to mark the operator's ten years in Melbourne.

Below are some photos from yesterday and today.

YESTERDAY

11:17pm: The last Connex service from Frankston at Chelsea

TODAY

5:30am: Remodelled Flinders St Station information centre

5:35am: Metro posters

6:30am: Connex banner has just been lowered, Metro banner raised

6:35am: half Connex, half Metro

7:00am: Remodelled Flinders St Station information centre - almost ready for business

7:30am: Metro both sides

BACKGROUND READING

Train Franchising Contracts

1 comment:

Jarrett at HumanTransit.org said...

I played a key role on the consulting team for the Frankston redesign. Grenda's team in that area, based at their Dandenong depot, was one of the best operations teams I've ever worked with -- full of great ideas and yet also open to ours.