Some More Randomness 4

I can't believe I actually went station hopping on the Seymour line last Friday when I said I was going to.

I've now been to every station between Southern Cross and Seymour, except for Donnybrook...so I'm making reasonable progress with my go-to-every-station-in-Victoria goal.

Now, hopefully this won't be my last update for the year. Hopefully I get up early enough to go do at least a few more bus routes tomorrow. But I dunno...I'm lazy.

Some More Randomness 3

It's amazing - I actually went gunzelling yesterday...heheh.

I may have only done routes 467, 695D, 800 and 857, and 834/835 a couple of weeks earlier, but that's a pretty good achievement for me these days.

Either way, there's no way in hell that I'll have every route done before the end of the year, seeing as there's like...13 days left.

I'm going to Bairnsdale on NYE - can't wait. But before that, there'll probably be a bit of station hopping on the Seymour line.

Um, yeah...if I'm not lazy that is...

Randomness 23

On Tuesday, I went to Macedon, Woodend, Kyneton, Malmsbury and Castlemaine stations. I can now proudly say I've gunzelled in falling snow.

Yesterday, I did routes 612, 624 via Darling Rd, 624 via Murrumbeena, 734, 737, 821 and 825. I have now done all Driver routes except the short section of route 627 between McKinnon station and Brighton East. I have also done all Moorabbin Transit routes.

I've therefore done more gunzelling just this week than I've done in ages. Hopefully I can make it a habit now.

Randomness 20

Apologies (again) for the lack of updates, but I've done fuck all gunzelling in the last month apart from a couple of bus routes.

However:

• I have completed planning for five minor trips for bunzelling, and three days of station hopping.
• Actually doing said bunzelling would add about 35 bus routes to my list, in the areas of:
  • Frankston
  • Werribee
  • Ringwood, Croydon, Lilydale, Belgrave
  • Dandenong, Berwick, Cranbourne
  • Epping, Greensborough.
• Actually doing said station hopping would add approximately 25 stations to my list, being all stations from:
  • Donnybrook to Seymour
  • Nar Nar Goon to Trafalgar
  • Macedon to Castlemaine.
• I've also completed planning for two major station hopping/bunzelling trips, which will be dependent on me having sufficient cash available:
  • One to Bendigo, doing all three stations plus at least 75% of bus routes and arriving back at Sydenham at 22:09.
  • One to the Latrobe Valley, doing all three train stations and all Valley Transit bus routes except Traralgon to Churchill.
• In addition to that, I've completed planning for an overnight trip involving a few Nightrider routes, which will probably be done in conjunction with the Craigieburn electrification opening, so I can also gunzel the first spark.

Exciting times are ahead, perhaps. And it's going to cost a fair bit, and take up a lot of my time. But I have plenty of it anyway, since I finished uni for this semester on Friday.

Randomness 17

So, I did some more station hopping today.

Random observations:

• Clarkefield station is dead. Poor location, in the middle of nowhere. Needs more people. Until then needs less trains, possibly peak only.
• Riddells Creek station is equally dead a lot of the time, but isn't completely useless. Needs more trains.
• Gisborne station is busyish. Good location. Needs more people and more trains. Needs sparkification, in fact.

That is all.

Proof that I am a loser

It's awesome to know that for the first time ever, I ushered in the new year while gunzelling.

A time-less trip log for NYE/NYD:

Leave home approximately 0915
425 - St Albans
Train - Flinders Street
Train - Mentone
811 - Springvale
Train - Dandenong
V/Line - Pakenham
V/Line - Flinders Street
75 - Vermont South
732 - Knox City
664 - Lilydale
Train - Ringwood
Train - Flinders Street
Train - Upfield
Train - Coburg
Train - Flinders Street
(roam around Swanston St for about 45 minutes)
Nightrider - Croydon
Train - Ringwood
Train - Box Hill
Train - Blackburn
Train - Laburnum (last up to stop there)
Train - Blackburn (last down to stop there)
Train replacement - Camberwell
Train - Flinders Street
Train - St Albans
Arrive home approximately 0630

So, I was officially the last person to get off an up train at Laburnum, and get on a down train, before it got demolished. :D

What's worse is that I was gunzelling for 21 hours, without falling asleep.

Randomness 13

Again with the lack of updates. :( I'm hopeless.

That said, I went to Adelaide, and knocked some extra stations off my list there.

I've also now been to every station in Melbourne. :D

Randomness 7

I still haven't done my trip to Seymour, but I've decided I'm going to do it some time in September - so I can take advantage of all of the extra services that will be running on weekdays, and actually go to every station in a single day. I can also do it on the Bendigo line, so that will be coming up eventually too.

Hmm, for some reason I've been doing a LOT of bus gunzelling recently. At a quick estimate, if I keep it up at the current rate, I'll be able to have every route in Melbourne done by the end of 2007.

How sad I am...

Randomness 6

So, I did some more station-hopping yesterday.

I ended up going to Baxter, Somerville, Tyabb, Hastings and Morradoo.

That means I only have three stations in the Metcard area left: Flemington Racecourse, Leawarra, Bittern.

It's definitely time to start heading further out I think.

Reapperance

Okay, so I got back on Tuesday but I've been too damn lazy to update.

I did plenty of gunzelling in Perth, and also got around to going to Belmont Park. So I've now been to every station.

I also rode a whole pile of bus routes, which I will list here some time later.

Just a random note: Perth is too quiet for my liking. ;)

Randomness 5

I went to Rockbank yesterday, finally. The station itself sucks. It's useless, and I wouldn't want to wait there for more than the half hour I did. I have now been to all stations except Flemington Racecourse, and all stations between Leawarra and Morradoo.

Here goes a random partly-sensical rant about activity centres around me, mixed with some more gunzelling.

I also went to Sunshine yesterday for no real reason. Well, I did have a reason sort of. I decided to randomly do a photographic tour, which involved taking the longest possible route between Sunshine and Albion on foot. I realised that Sunshine has tremendous amounts of open and underutilised, and therefore developable, space.

Due to a lack of low-density housing surrounding the core activity centre, Sunshine could easily accommodate taller (ten to twelve storey) buildings without much of a problem. But I already knew that anyway. It just seems more surreal to actually look at the whole centre specifically in terms of development space.

So, I eventually got to Albion station, opposite which there is a massive (unused?) flour mill, which would look completely awesome if it was converted into apartments. I was thinking of how a possible redevelopment of that one building would fit in with Melbourne 2030, and I came to the conclusion that it's a perfect example, and is also in a perfect location:

• It preserves the early-20th century heritage-listed building
• It's right next to a train station and a few bus routes
• Nearby residents couldn't complain about the height of the building, because it's been there the whole time (this is actually an important point in my opinion, considering how anti-development people in Brimbank, unlike me, tend to be)

So anyway, I got on a train back to Sunshine, and decided to randomly ride route 454 from end to end and return (which I did without getting off the bus - that's how tragic I am). I took some more photos of Sunshine, this time on the western side of the train line, before getting on a train to Sydenham.

Sydenham (in particular around Watergardens) isn't much of a principal activity centre at the moment, despite being a Transit City. Something worth noting, though, is the level of development that is now under construction and/or approved. Sydenham is going through a construction boom (of sorts) right now, including a new "Learning Centre" and a large shopping centre expansion. It is eventually going to have a town square linking the shopping centre to the train station. So, after taking a couple of photos, I got the 421 to Centro Keilor.

Centro Keilor is just an everyday supermarket-based shopping centre. No real description is required for that reason. I transferred to route 418, to St Albans.

St Albans is a major activity centre. It's very busy, and has significant numbers of people arriving by public transport (although also significant amounts of car traffic). I wasn't there for very long. Just long enough, in fact, to walk from the Alfrieda St bus terminus to the train station, to buy a Sunday Saver, and then get on the 423 a few minutes later.

Route 423 goes through Cairnlea, one of Vicurban's flagship "sustainable" suburbs. The only problem is, Cairnlea only has a single bus route which runs every 40 minutes on weekdays, every hour on Saturdays, and not at all during evenings or on Sundays. True sustainability (I assume) would include reducing reliance on cars, which certainly hasn't happened. But enough about that.

I got to Brimbank Central, which is currently the largest shopping centre in Brimbank (but is going to be overtaken by Watergardens very soon). It is nominated as a major activity centre, and will eventually have the Green Orbital Smartbus running through it. I had lunch there, while thinking about how PT to it should be improved. It would involve running at least routes 423 and 451 on Sundays.

But, enough compulsive ranting for now. Main points for today:

• Sunshine should get lots of high rise buildings. It's in a perfect location
• West Sunshine (particularly around Glengala Rd) is a hole, and should disappear from the face of the earth
• Shopping centres in Brimbank are too small, and should be massively expanded
• I think I'm a bus gunzel......

Gunzel Update

Okay, so I ended up going to Ballarat. I just about stuck to my plan, but I ended up getting an earlier train to Melton, then back to Bacchus Marsh, then to Sunshine, then went home.

I still need to get around to going to Rockbank though. Maybe I can do it on Monday before uni, at least I'd only have a 30 minute wait for the train back.

I might also change my blog layout some time soon.

Hmm, I'm going to Sunbury tomorrow. Yeah.

Randomness 3

So, I ended up just about sticking to my plan, right up to North Geelong anyway. After getting off the train at North Geelong, my trip went something like this:

1543 North Geelong - Little River 1603
1640 Little River - Footscray 1712
then as normal.

So, I've now been to every station between Melbourne and Geelong. Woot.

I'm going to Ballarat on Thursday. My full plan is as follows:

0557 Route 422 - St Albans 0608
0614 St Albans - Sunshine 0622
0639 Sunshine - Ballarat 0816
0914 Ballarat - Ballan 0936
1042 Ballan - Ballarat 1111
1130 Route 1 (Lt. Bridge St) - Wendouree Village 1149
1232 Route 16 - Ballarat City 1249
1520 Ballarat - Deer Park 1629
1642 Route 451 - Brimbank Central 1700
1726 Route 424 - Arr home 1745

Randomness 2

Latest station update. I haven't been to:

Rockbank
Flemington Racecourse
Leawarra
Baxter
Somerville
Tyabb
Hastings
Bittern
Morradoo

Woot, only nine stations to go till they're all done (but unfortunately Flemington Racecourse might have to wait a while, perhaps Melbourne Cup Day). I might go to Rockbank tomorrow, since I'll be out anyway.

I'm probably going to go to Geelong/Marshall on Thursday; purely a station-hopping trip. Since I've basically finished the suburban area, I think it's just about time to start going further out. I'm planning to go to all stations between Lara and Marshall, and perhaps wander around Geelong CBD for a while taking photos.

So, full plan for Thursday:

0605 Leave home
0617 Route 424 - St Albans 0628
0634 St Albans - Flagstaff 0659
0706 Flagstaff (pl. 1) - Southern Cross 0708
0747 Southern Cross - South Geelong 0856
0925 South Geelong - Geelong 0928
0947 Geelong - Marshall 0955
1005 Route 15 - Geelong City 1044
1130 Geelong - Corio 1139
1151 Corio - North Shore 1154
1228 Route 10 (Melb Rd) - Geelong City 1244
1453 Geelong - Lara 1506
1526 Lara - North Geelong 1538
1620 North Geelong - Footscray 1712
1728 Footscray - St Albans 1745
1750 Route 424 - Arr home 1810

Back In Melbourne

Whoo, I haven't updated this in how long now? Three weeks, haha.

When I last updated it I was in Adelaide (Seems like so long ago now, even though it was only three weeks ago). I ended up getting the V/Line Daylink coach+train back to Melbourne (St Albans to be precise, since Bendigo trains stop there). Some random observations:

- Adelaide has hardly changed since I was last there in April 2005.
- 8:25am is too early for me to get a coach from Adelaide city (I had to leave Findon (where I was staying, at my grandma's house) at 7:15am).
- V/Line coaches take too long and stop too often.
- Bendigo station is big(-ish).
- N+N set from Bendigo to St Albans = fun.

Well, I'm now back at uni. Fun, fun. Doing a BA, majoring in professional writing and Japanese. Yep, very fun actually.

Need to do more gunzelling soon. I went to Pakenham and Fountain Gate, then caught the 695 to Belgrave, on Saturday. I went to uni on Labour Day (and had to walk to Keilor Plains in the morning, 45 min, and home from St Albans after uni, 50 min). I still haven't been to Sandown Park, Yarraman, Tottenham, West Footscray, Rockbank and Leawarra-Crib Point for some reason.

Hmm, I don't know what else to write now.

Trans-Australianism

Okay, I'm now 18. Whoo.

Some notes after staying in Perth for five weeks:

Random trips all the way across Australia aren't my thing, seriously. Driving from Melbourne to Perth takes damn forever (three days to be precise). Gunzelling in Perth is fun, meaning I got around to going to every train and bus station in Perth.

Route 39 (Redcliffe to Perth, terminus was outside of where I was staying) has a good service level (every 10-15 minutes peak, 30 minutes off-peak/Saturday, 60 minutes Sunday/evening), but takes too damn long to get to the city (40-50 minutes).

The Esplanade Busport, which I ended up using on most gunzelling days, was massive.

For some reason, I ended up liking Perth despite how boring it was in general. I still prefer Adelaide though. Perth trading hours suck majorly.

Perth shopping centres are generally big, but I don't really understand the hype. Out of the three shopping centres I went to frequently, in my opinion, Westfield Carousel was a dump. Morley Galleria was good I suppose, as was Belmont Forum.

I liked most of the beaches I went to: Cottesloe, Scarborough, Rockingham, Kwinana, Mandurah, Secret Harbour.

I also liked Bunbury, despite its lack of useable public transport (buses generally only run every hour, and none run on Sunday).

This post sucks for some reason. I might fix it up later.

Station Hopping

Four stations done today - East Camberwell, Canterbury, Chatham, Mont Albert. I've now been to every station on the Lilydale/Belgrave lines, meaning that the whole Burnley group is done.

Only 38 stations left to go. I'm starting to make real progress, considering just two months ago that number was 65, and I haven't really gone out that many times since then with the purpose of randomly going to train stations.

Time to shut up I think! :)

Randomness 1

Okay I haven't been able to post because my ISP has been annoying the hell out of me.

Well, I'm 99% certainly going to Stony Point (again!) on Sunday for the Railpage get-together. And since it's on a Sunday I'm going to have to walk to St Albans station, which isn't much a problem really, since it's only about an hour or so walk. Shall be fun, I think.

Anyway, since I last posted I got around to going to Glenbervie, Strathmore, Pascoe Vale, Oak Park and Jacana. Broadmeadows line is therefore complete. I've completed planning to complete the Werribee, Williamstown and Upfield lines, now I just need to decide on a day to do it (probably Tuesday).

Hmm anyway, I'm finally going to get photos of some stuff on the Stony Point line this Sunday. I'll be posting them either Monday or Tuesday night.

Stuff

Well, it's been a while since my last post. I've been getting out quite a bit to explore, predominantly on buses. I shall go out tomorrow, I think.

I only have 48 stations left to go to. As of right now, I've been to every station from Flinders Street to Glen Waverley, Sandringham, Frankston, Alamein, Hurstbridge except Collingwood and to Pakenham/Cranbourne except Sandown Park and Yarraman.

Tomorrow, I'll probably go to: Aircraft, Seaholme, Altona, Westona, Williamstown Beach, Seddon, Spotswood, South Kensington, Glenbervie, Strathmore, Pascoe Vale, Oak Park and Jacana. Perhaps I'll get to Flemington Bridge, Jewell, Anstey, Batman, Merlynston and Fawkner too. If I do, it means I'll have been to every station on the Werribee, Williamstown, Broadmeadows and Upfield lines, and will be down to just 29 stations.

I think I'm making significant progress now. I think I'll leave it there for now, and hopefully I update tomorrow.

Gunzelism

You know you're a hardcore gunzel when people are staring strangely at you as you take photos at some suburban nowhere train station, and you just grin stupidly at them. Yeah, I've been doing that a bit too much now I think.

Since I last updated, I've been to Merinda Park, Officer, Beaconsfield, Hallam, Lalor, Keon Park, Montmorency, Diamond Creek and Wattle Glen. I'm now down to just 65 stations, but I haven't gotten to my target and won't since I'm most likely leaving for Adelaide tomorrow.

So anyway, I've now been to all stations on the Cranbourne/Pakenham lines except Sandown Park and Yarraman, and all stations on the Hurstbridge line past Macleod.

Hmm yeah, that's about it really. I'll update again when I get back from Adelaide on Thursday (if I even actually go there). I'm planning to get lots of photos, that's certain (since I'm strangely obsessed with 3100-class railcars). See you then!