Yesterday (30/4) I spent a full day riding around buses in Melbourne's outer south-eastern suburbs, including Frankston, Langwarrin, Cranbourne, Hampton Park, Eumemmering and Dandenong. Among my observations were newbies to the Ventura fleet and buses on stand-by duty ready to assist Metro as a result of ongoing delays and cancellations following a fire damaging signal equipment at Richmond early Tuesday evening. Some of these buses we noted on services between Dandenong and Cranbourne mid-morning.
Ventura #440 (Scania L94UB, Volgren) at Frankston on a 833 service to Carrum Downs
Despite wearing Dandenong depot signwritting, #1052 (Volvo B7RLE, Volgren) has recently entered service at the Seaford depot
Two Ventura Mercedes Benz O405s, #1140 (ex #492) and #527 await their new call of duty at Cranbourne
Ventura #527 (Mercedes Benz O405, Volgren) still signwritten for Moorabbin Transit. Also note the Metcard validator!
Reversing into the bus parking zone, Ventura #664 (Volvo B7RLE, Volgren)
A lighthearted desto commonly seen on Cranbourne Transit buses is seen on #30(Volvo B10BLE, Volgren)
Still wearing full Nationalbus decals, Ventura #490 (Mercedes Benz O405) is joined by Nuline #48 (Volvo B10M Mk2, Volgren)
Ventura #334 (Scania L113CRB, Volgren)
An Optimus newbie at Ventura's Oakleigh Depot is #1049 (Volvo B7RLE, Volgren)
Despite now being a rapidly growing community, many original parts of Cranbourne are still served by the 797 Town Service, which operates four off-peak loops each roughly 90 mins apart. The 11:17 trip is seen here operated by Cranbourne Transit #10 (Scania L94UB, Volgren) while #34 (Mercedes Benz O405NH, Volgren) dwells after arriving on an 898 service from the Hunt Club, one of a number of growing estates in Cranbourne East.
A Wednesday in the outer suburbs
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Re: A Wednesday in the outer suburbs
Driver Coastal #93 (Scania K93CRB, Northcoast) drops off students at Frankston
Cranbourne Transit #35 (Mercedes Benz O405NH, Volgren) has just completed a 892 service from Dandenong, while Ventura #394 (Volvo B7RLE, Volgren) is three quarters of the way through an anti-clockwise Berwick Circle service, both seen at the intersection of Narre Warren - Cranbourne Rd and Ormond Dr Narre Warren South.
The newest bus in the Cranbourne Transit fleet, #59 (Scania K280UB, Volgren) is seen at Dandenong Station just the late evening peak. Not only does this bus has poorly formatted destos without the use of any vias (Casey Central 892 / Hampton Park 892 / Amberly Park 892). Amberly Park is a neighbourhood shopping centre and housing estate in Narre Warren South.
Dysons has been a regular sight on rail replacement duties at Dandenong this month. Last night #152 (Scania L94UB, Volgren) waits on stand-by duty.
Also on stand-by duty was Nuline #50 (Volvo B10M Mk3, Austral), a recent replacement for the former #50 (Volvo B10M Mk2, Centurion).
Ventura #1217 (Scania L113CRB, Volgren) (ex #328) and Nuline #9 (Volvo B7R, Dandenong) also at Dandenong.
Cranbourne Transit #5 (Scania K230UB, Northcoast-Gemilang) waits to depart for Cranbourne. This route takes an indirect route through Hampton Park and would be significantly slower than the replacement bus options.
And finally, Transdev #636 (M.A.N. 16.240, Designline) departs Dandenong on an Airport-bound 901 service. Although still uncommon, their use has become a regular feature on the 901 & 902 orbital services now, with another bubble spotted on the previous 901 service as well.
Kind Regards
Craig
Re: A Wednesday in the outer suburbs
Re Bubbles on the 901, I was doing Rte 811 in Dandenong yesterday (in Moorabbin Transit #699), and had Transdev Bubble #646 tagging along behind me as we both exited Dandenong's main street. A slightly surreal feeling for me, being an ex-903 driver.
Re Moorabbin Transit #527, yes it is still signed "Moorabbin Transit" (as indeed a number of buses still in service at Moorabbin Transit are) which is not wholly inappropriate, since the entity Moorabbin Transit still exists; that entity (whose name appears on my payslips every week) just happens to be owned by Ventura now, rather than by Grenda's.
Re Moorabbin Transit #527, yes it is still signed "Moorabbin Transit" (as indeed a number of buses still in service at Moorabbin Transit are) which is not wholly inappropriate, since the entity Moorabbin Transit still exists; that entity (whose name appears on my payslips every week) just happens to be owned by Ventura now, rather than by Grenda's.
Re: A Wednesday in the outer suburbs
Great photos as always Craig.
I saw one of those ex National Mercs out and about back in March when there was an issue on the Glen Waverley line. I am surprised they still carry National Bus signage, but then do Ventura still 'own' the brand?
I saw one of those ex National Mercs out and about back in March when there was an issue on the Glen Waverley line. I am surprised they still carry National Bus signage, but then do Ventura still 'own' the brand?
Keep Melbourne Moving.
Re: A Wednesday in the outer suburbs
Equally, the Volvos seem to make regular appearances on the 903 as well. I once made the mistake of assuming the Volvo at the bus stop at Shoppingtown was a 902 and ended up in Heidelberg...Although still uncommon, their use has become a regular feature on the 901 & 902 orbital services now, with another bubble spotted on the previous 901 service as well.
Re: A Wednesday in the outer suburbs
krustyklo wrote:Equally, the Volvos seem to make regular appearances on the 903 as well. I once made the mistake of assuming the Volvo at the bus stop at Shoppingtown was a 902 and ended up in Heidelberg...Although still uncommon, their use has become a regular feature on the 901 & 902 orbital services now, with another bubble spotted on the previous 901 service as well.
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Re: A Wednesday in the outer suburbs
National is next to non-existent except for the few ex-National buses running around still in the Ventura fleet since the Transdev take over, correct? If so I would probably say that NBL no longer exists and Ventura is all that's left.John wrote:Great photos as always Craig.
I saw one of those ex National Mercs out and about back in March when there was an issue on the Glen Waverley line. I am surprised they still carry National Bus signage, but then do Ventura still 'own' the brand?
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Mitchul [;
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Re: A Wednesday in the outer suburbs
If you zoom in on bus 636 bubble bus got to say thats a lot of graffity at the back of the bus
Re: A Wednesday in the outer suburbs
Mitch wrote:National is next to non-existent except for the few ex-National buses running around still in the Ventura fleet since the Transdev take over, correct? If so I would probably say that NBL no longer exists and Ventura is all that's left.John wrote:Great photos as always Craig.
I saw one of those ex National Mercs out and about back in March when there was an issue on the Glen Waverley line. I am surprised they still carry National Bus signage, but then do Ventura still 'own' the brand?
Thanks,
Mitchul [;
Yes, my understanding is that is correct.
National Buses was the entity, owned by Ventura, which ran the Fitzroy and Doncaster operations that were taken over by Transdev following their success with the Tender.
The company may well still exist as a corporate entity (a company search would be required in order to confirm this) but it is no longer "active", in terms of running a business.
That is not to say that it may not be "resurrected" should Ventura be successful in winning back the Tender at some time in the future, which remains a possibility, as those operations are required to be run as a separate business under the conditions of the tender documents (which was why they were tendered for by Ventura under the National name).