Southern Highlands bustitution observations

[BroadGauge]

All observed from a passengers point of view.

- One morning service from Moss Vale to Liverpool went missing due to an issue with paperwork, with passengers made to wait 40 minutes for the next service.

- The express buses from Central to Moss Vale were timed to take about 25 minutes longer than it actually takes, leaving passengers for Exeter to Goulburn inclusive with a 30+ minute wait for the "connecting" bus.

- The express coach from Mittagong to Campbelltown is much faster than the slow & windy railway route is, only took 45-50 minutes. When you see how much quicker the road route to the Southern Highlands is, you can see why everybody drives.

- A good selection of vehicles were provided & bus marshals were helpful to passengers. Anything from a Volgren CR221L route bus to full coaches were being used for some runs.

- No express buses are provided for passengers travelling south of Moss Vale, while running via The Highland Way to service the tiny towns adds 20-30 minutes to the journey time. Overall it would take 4 hours from Sydney to Goulburn during trackwork, compared to 3 hours normally, or a bit over 2 by car.

- No signage is provided at Exeter, Bundanoon, Penrose, Wingello or Tallong for the southbound bus stop - the policy seems to be to stop opposite the other stop. CityRail did a good job outfitting these stations with trackwork signage although passengers were waiting on the platform at Bundanoon despite the signage indicating that buses were operating, maybe they thought passenger trains would be running as freight trains still were?

- Marulan Station is a favorite for drivers to skip if there are no passengers alighting as the diversion into it adds a good 5 minutes.

- Campbelltown Station was jam packed with stabled trains including in the dock platform. Despite many trackwork signs & workers performing maintenance, some passengers barged past the barriers onto the platform before realising that buses were operating.


Overall CityRail bus shutdowns go pretty smoothly and was this not an exception. I would love to know who writes the timetables though - why are the same timings used on weekend evenings as during weekday peak hours? Surely, as they semi-regularily conduct such shutdowns, they would have the times fine-tuned?

[Glen]

I would love to know who writes the timetables though - why are the same timings used on weekend evenings as during weekday peak hours? Surely, as they semi-regularily conduct such shutdowns, they would have the times fine-tuned?

Running times on all Railway Bus operations are supplied by RailCorp.

The actual timetables on Railway Bus operations are supplied by either the bus company (to RailCorp specifications) or directly by RailCorp.

In the case of the Southern Highlands closures, the timetable is supplied directly by RailCorp.

[Windy]

I assume this was the result of the line closure due to a derailment? If it was so, then any signage about suspended passenger services would have been a bonus given that there wouldn't have been much warning...

[Glen]

I assume this was the result of the line closure due to a derailment? If it was so, then any signage about suspended passenger services would have been a bonus given that there wouldn't have been much warning...

No this was routine 'track upgrading'.

[Simes]

I assume this was the result of the line closure due to a derailment? If it was so, then any signage about suspended passenger services would have been a bonus given that there wouldn't have been much warning...

No this was routine 'track upgrading'.

tree pruning if what went on round here was anything to go by

[Glen]

No this was routine 'track upgrading'.

tree pruning if what went on round here was anything to go by

When it comes to RailCorpse excuses to close lines, nothing would surprise me!

[TheLoneGunMan]

Hi All,

Well that happens regularly between Mt Victoria and Lithgow, so it wouldn't surprise me that this get extended on the other lines.

[tartan]

All observed from a passengers point of view
The express buses from Central to Moss Vale were timed to take about 25 minutes longer than it actually takes, leaving passengers for Exeter to Goulburn inclusive with a 30+ minute wait for the "connecting" bus.

The express coach from Mittagong to Campbelltown is much faster than the slow & windy railway route is, only took 45-50 minutes. When you see how much quicker the road route to the Southern Highlands is, you can see why everybody drives

why not keep those buses that can get there faster than the train ??????
and why are there no protests about keeping a railway bus service if its faster than the train ????????

[crazyknightsfan]

All observed from a passengers point of view
The express buses from Central to Moss Vale were timed to take about 25 minutes longer than it actually takes, leaving passengers for Exeter to Goulburn inclusive with a 30+ minute wait for the "connecting" bus.

The express coach from Mittagong to Campbelltown is much faster than the slow & windy railway route is, only took 45-50 minutes. When you see how much quicker the road route to the Southern Highlands is, you can see why everybody drives

why not keep those buses that can get there faster than the train ??????
and why are there no protests about keeping a railway bus service if its faster than the train ????????

coz buses iz teh evil!!111