Inner West Light Rail observations

[Jurassic_Joke]

Walked past the depot at Pyrmont and amusingly saw they’ve actually removed all the advertising wrap from the trams sitting there idly. Must have been done recently because the ad wrap was still on the trams a week ago.

Like, just saying, if you wanna rake in that advertising revenue on Urbos trams without pissing off the travelling public who want to see out the window, maybe now is the time to do it?

[tonyp]

Walked past the depot at Pyrmont and amusingly saw they’ve actually removed all the advertising wrap from the trams sitting there idly. Must have been done recently because the ad wrap was still on the trams a week ago.

Like, just saying, if you wanna rake in that advertising revenue on Urbos trams without pissing off the travelling public who want to see out the window, maybe now is the time to do it?

Not much use to advertisers with the only audience being the pigeons of Pyrmont. Besides they need the wrap to paper over the cracks inside.

[jpp42]

The original press release for today's revision to replacement services indicated there was no longer to be a stop at John St Square, but this doesn't appear to have been followed this morning as the 3L1 buses were still following their normal route which passes by John St Square in both directions. Upon checking the press release has now been updated to show John St Square again for route 3L1, so either this was just an error or has been revised due to community feedback, as John St Square is one of the busier stops in the Pyrmont part of the route. I'm not actually sure what alternate route would be available, as trying to shortcut via John St, Pyrmont St, and Jones Bay Road would probably not work as the turn from Harris into John would be too difficult for a full size bus.

Route 4L1 is also passing John St Square but should be running express on its way to the terminus at The Star (I observed one at Miller St but didn't see if it stopped at intermediate stops or not).

[Fleet Lists]

The new bus routes are being tracked by Anytrip as operating by State Transit Eastern suburbs but I have seen no sign of the F10 being tracked although it is listed as a route.

[jpp42]

Do we know what vessel(s) are operating the F10? It may not have the right equipment to be tracked?

[Fleet Lists]

It is to be operated by Sydney Ferries so all should have the equipment except the vessel which was used for the on demand service last year so if that is used here (which is quite possible) then yes it is unlikely to be able to be tracked.

[boronia]

Apparently they will be using the Me-Mel, which I think was trialled on this route as on-demand a couple of years ago.

[Linto63]

It is to be operated by Sydney Ferries so all should have the equipment except the vessel which was used for the on demand service last year so if that is used here (which is quite possible) then yes it is unlikely to be able to be tracked.

Showing on a timetable as being operated by Sydney Ferries, doesn't mean they haven't subbed the work out.

[Fleet Lists]

It depends who it was subbed to. Only in the past week I noticed the Captain Cook Annebelle Rankin was being tracked in a Sydney Ferries route.

[In Transit]

It is to be operated by Sydney Ferries so all should have the equipment except the vessel which was used for the on demand service last year so if that is used here (which is quite possible) then yes it is unlikely to be able to be tracked.

Showing on a timetable as being operated by Sydney Ferries, doesn't mean they haven't subbed the work out.

It is being operated by Transdev Sydney Ferries, using their own vessel and crew. Given it was previously only used for on demand, it might not be set up for the normal tracking (noting that it’s not using Opal for fares either - just credit/debit cards to by a single fare trip).

[Qantas94Heavy]

4L1 buses are getting hammered by delays on the City West Link and Anzac Bridge, taking 20-25 minutes from the Fish Market stop to Lilyfield at around 3-4pm today. It's to the point where 3L1 buses seem to take the same time despite many more stops. Some buses are starting the round trip from Dulwich Hill on time and returning to Dulwich Hill 20-30 minutes late.

EDIT: Marrickville -> Dulwich Hill

[Swift]

4L1 buses are getting hammered by delays on the City West Link and Anzac Bridge, taking 20-25 minutes from the Fish Market stop to Lilyfield at around 3-4pm today. It's to the point where 3L1 buses seem to take the same time despite many more stops. Some buses are starting the round trip from Marrickville on time and returning to Marrickville 20-30 minutes late.

They should consider laying the tracks in concrete all the way to Dulwich Hill that way buses can drive on it.
Yea I know genius at work!

[Linto63]

It depends who it was subbed to. Only in the past week I noticed the Captain Cook Annebelle Rankin was being tracked in a Sydney Ferries route.

Pre Covid19, Captain Cook have an ongoing contract to supply vessels to Sydney Ferries, so they would be equipped.

Given it was previously only used for on demand, it might not be set up for the normal tracking (noting that it’s not using Opal for fares either - just credit/debit cards to by a single fare trip).

Tracking software may require a departure and arrival point. As Blackwattle Bay wharf isn't so equipped, it may mean tracking won't work.

[jpp42]

The tracking system doesn't rely on any equipment at the wharf - it's GPS based. As noted this wharf was previously used by the on-demand trial so it's not the first time it has had public transport services.

[jpp42]

4L1 buses are getting hammered by delays on the City West Link and Anzac Bridge, taking 20-25 minutes from the Fish Market stop to Lilyfield at around 3-4pm today. It's to the point where 3L1 buses seem to take the same time despite many more stops. Some buses are starting the round trip from Marrickville on time and returning to Marrickville 20-30 minutes late.

Why are the 4L1 buses going to Marrickville? Don't they still start at Dulwich Hill? I checked the trip planner and don't see any of the replacement stops are in Marrickville either, has there been some sort of change?

[Qantas94Heavy]

Why are the 4L1 buses going to Marrickville? Don't they still start at Dulwich Hill? I checked the trip planner and don't see any of the replacement stops are in Marrickville either, has there been some sort of change?

You're right, that was meant to say Dulwich Hill. I'm not sure where I got Marrickville from :/

[Jurassic_Joke]

Already got meme’d by the new IWLR replacement buses Opal fares, which as of today have been reduced by 50% - tap on and tap off as normal today in the arvo peak, got off at Central Pitt St. The fare was correctly reduced by 50%. Walk to Haymarket tram stop, tap on - reader says “Balance ___”, ie, new journey triggered and no transfer discount, so definitely a glitch. Opal app confirmed I tapped correctly but didn’t receive discount and new journey was started

While i must say I don’t actually mind as I hit the weekly cap each week anyway so I’m not worse off, but thought it might be good to give others a heads up

[boronia]

Cracked inner west trams no longer under warranty

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/cra ... 59dfx.html

[Linto63]

Despite the wishful thinking of Rob Stokes' spin doctor, if it was under warranty would be CAF problem, bus as is it out of warranty then it's our problem.

[Swift]

Hardly a surprise. They've been in service for at least 8 years haven't they?

[tonyp]

Stokes is talking about the consortium being liable - ALTRAC, Transdev and CAF collectively. Not a question of vehicle warranty but service provision overall.

[boronia]

"Warranties" not withstanding, there are usually clauses in supply contracts that stipulate that the vehicle must be fit for purpose over a nominated operating life span (I think buses are 20-25 years?).

Even general consumer laws cover this; how many 15+ year old vehicles have been getting their faulty airbags replaced, or repurchased by the manufacturers?

[Swift]

So how come they're not covered in this case?

[jpp42]

One possible explanation is that the manufacturer gave a warning during the sales process, that the trams were not designed/appropriate for the conditions, and therefore TfNSW waived the warranty if the fault was determined to be due to the particular conditions. Obviously this kind of thing can easily become a dispute if those conditions really were responsible for the faults. I don't know if the public can find out this kind of thing via FOI request or not - I'm sure the whole thing will be called commercial-in-confidence (even parts that don't include dollar figures).

[Swift]

In other words evading transparency. There is something fundamentally wrong going on when this commercial in confidence BS can be routinely pulled by those serving us.