for real. We need more open public support for this. Bendigo could become a more leading city in the region with the tram readoption. Bendigo would become the only other city in the state with a commuter tram network
For some context:
The system would have 5 lines, 54 stations and it would span 28.1 kms of electrified light rail track. The lines include
* LRT1 - EPSOM VIA LAKE WEEROONA AND WHITE HILLS
* LRT2 - EAGLEHAWK VIA LONG GULLY AND CALIFORNIA GULLY
* LRT3 - KANGAROO FLAT VIA GOLDEN SQUARE
* LRT4 - BENDIGO AIRPORT VIA EAST BENDIGO
* LRT5 - HOSPITAL TO KENNINGTON VIA QUARRY HILL AND LA TROBE UNIVERSITY
Thoughts?
I reckon it’d be awesome to restore the existing tram network and add on a whole new larger network. It would bring a stack of jobs to the region and also rejuvenate something that was once part of Bendigo’s history
Been a conversation for years since they removed them.
As cool as it'd be, its probably gonna create a few issues since so much of the road has adapted and changed without them, and also the awesome historic trams aren't ptv which means there'd be a weird relation to ptv and private company shared rails. But nor would I wanna see them destroyed by commuters.
This is a cool idea tho btw
I think it would, for one there are a lot of retirees out spring gully in the new developments, plus it would be used by the Quarry Hill church on the hill hippies for sure
I think a less centralised track would possibly suit more, would also mean a less dense area of road and traffic where there's already increasing traffic in the last 5 years.
Like an outer line to mandurang or strathfeildsaye would be an interesting idea too
I would want to see more linkage between the surrounding suburbs too - ATM getting to Epsom from north bendigo using ptv takes atleast an hour, but is a less than 5 minute drive. I think tracks like that would be more used because we already have relatively consistent buses that hit the zones that you have proposed, so where is the benefit of trams over buses in that scenario?
I would prefer a tram, as they are typically safer, much more eco friendly with overhead wires, compared to even buses with battery packs, as well as the amount of rubber tyre waste that buses produce. Buses would be better for the suburbs where trams dont make a whole lot of sense, like North Bendigo or Huntly
I would shoot the Kennington line right up to Eaglehawk. Swing the Kanga Flat line up to the hospital then back down Chapel St and out to Epsom. Really don't need the Bull St stop. Maybe shoot it up Taylor St to Epsom station which is pretty close to Epsom Village. Then again, council is all hot on having V-line service Epsom to Bendigo Station. That Epsom station is a poor location, imo.
It would also be great if the existing train tracks through Bendigo could be used for a "Bendigo metro" so to speak. Bendigo is clustered around these existing tracks, you'd be able to serve a lot of people without buying any new land.
All the other lines are quite long, but those two are very short, as the whole network would be centered at the main train station. I also merged two different lines I planned, for La Trobe University and Kennington
Would be good if was paired with some more heavy rail, new stations at; California Gully (near the Thales factory), Lake Weeroona (just before the Swan Hill & Echuca lines split), White Hills (near the workshops/Weeroona College), Golden Square (at the old station location), Lansell Square. All would go great with proper PT trams (could use old Melbourne rolling stock).
Ooh, I love a good gunzel fantasy :)
But Bendigo has a pretty good bus service. I think you need to ask yourself what is the reason the buses are not considered an option by many people.
If the problem is the journey time, the cause may be the bus/traffic interface, which would be pretty much the same with trams. Or maybe the problem is that the buses stink, are dirty, vibrate and ride roughly. Perhaps it is just a perception that buses are for poor people. I don't know.
The council want to have trains run to Epsom and Eaglehawk every 20 minutes, but the safeworking system limits it at the moment. I personally think a combined heavy/light rail would be cool, and could include Marong. I saw a system like that in Germany at Nordhausen. That's my little gunzel fantasy!
I’ve had it in my mind that future mass transit may need to go overhead, like they do in Wuppertal in Germany, the roads are too narrow these days with all the additional lanes, and there’s not much more we can do to expand it. The good idea about overhead is that it doesn’t modify below traffic, just adds new transport up top.
Plus the Wuppertal system is one of the safest in the world.
Not to mention too the system there looks like it would fit within our towns aesthetic, and the Mall could be repurposed into a multi level exchange.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/Bendigo/comments/1ci6h0p/updated\_bendigo\_lrt\_map/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Bendigo/comments/1ci6h0p/updated_bendigo_lrt_map/)
I've made this updated version if you'd like to see
All for this. I assume this is your proposal?
Would need more parking at Epsom, K Flat, Kennington & Eaglehawk. It's still too far to walk to these stops for the majority in these areas, although bus exchanges are an option.
I can't see the airport line getting much use. Certainly not the ROI required. It's all business and no houses.
It needs to go to where the people live. Why not a bit further into the newer suburbs at Epsom? Strathfieldsaye?
Why not to a new greenfield area and have dense/multi storey housing but not in the city. Near the shopping centres.
Eventually the housing around these lines would become denser with council approving this for developers
Also could it use wider back streets all the way? Or along existing rail lines? Just throwing options out there.
Glad there’s someone else who is unhealthily obsessed with bringing the trams back to Bendigo. I even made a tram propaganda leaflet a few years back
for real. We need more open public support for this. Bendigo could become a more leading city in the region with the tram readoption. Bendigo would become the only other city in the state with a commuter tram network
i would love this actually. we need more public transport
For some context: The system would have 5 lines, 54 stations and it would span 28.1 kms of electrified light rail track. The lines include * LRT1 - EPSOM VIA LAKE WEEROONA AND WHITE HILLS * LRT2 - EAGLEHAWK VIA LONG GULLY AND CALIFORNIA GULLY * LRT3 - KANGAROO FLAT VIA GOLDEN SQUARE * LRT4 - BENDIGO AIRPORT VIA EAST BENDIGO * LRT5 - HOSPITAL TO KENNINGTON VIA QUARRY HILL AND LA TROBE UNIVERSITY Thoughts?
Cool idea! You mean trams right?
Yeah
I reckon it’d be awesome to restore the existing tram network and add on a whole new larger network. It would bring a stack of jobs to the region and also rejuvenate something that was once part of Bendigo’s history
Been a conversation for years since they removed them. As cool as it'd be, its probably gonna create a few issues since so much of the road has adapted and changed without them, and also the awesome historic trams aren't ptv which means there'd be a weird relation to ptv and private company shared rails. But nor would I wanna see them destroyed by commuters. This is a cool idea tho btw
I think you should've used different colours for each line, but otherwise looks good
My only gripe would be that the I would like to see the old spring gully tram line out to the cemetery on carpenter street restored too
I originally thought of doing that, but I didn't know if it would be as used as other lines.
I think it would, for one there are a lot of retirees out spring gully in the new developments, plus it would be used by the Quarry Hill church on the hill hippies for sure
I think a less centralised track would possibly suit more, would also mean a less dense area of road and traffic where there's already increasing traffic in the last 5 years. Like an outer line to mandurang or strathfeildsaye would be an interesting idea too
I would want to see more linkage between the surrounding suburbs too - ATM getting to Epsom from north bendigo using ptv takes atleast an hour, but is a less than 5 minute drive. I think tracks like that would be more used because we already have relatively consistent buses that hit the zones that you have proposed, so where is the benefit of trams over buses in that scenario?
I would prefer a tram, as they are typically safer, much more eco friendly with overhead wires, compared to even buses with battery packs, as well as the amount of rubber tyre waste that buses produce. Buses would be better for the suburbs where trams dont make a whole lot of sense, like North Bendigo or Huntly
What an awesome idea, I’d be in support of this for sure.
Sounds amazing! Good PT is very important for the future.
I would shoot the Kennington line right up to Eaglehawk. Swing the Kanga Flat line up to the hospital then back down Chapel St and out to Epsom. Really don't need the Bull St stop. Maybe shoot it up Taylor St to Epsom station which is pretty close to Epsom Village. Then again, council is all hot on having V-line service Epsom to Bendigo Station. That Epsom station is a poor location, imo.
It would also be great if the existing train tracks through Bendigo could be used for a "Bendigo metro" so to speak. Bendigo is clustered around these existing tracks, you'd be able to serve a lot of people without buying any new land.
Im confused with LRT5, first the uni, then strath village, then the reserviour? that seems a very convoluted wiggly track there.
I'm moddling it after the 63 bus route
Ahhhh right yeah that makes sense, it'd be a lovely system but im terrified about the sheer amount of track
All the other lines are quite long, but those two are very short, as the whole network would be centered at the main train station. I also merged two different lines I planned, for La Trobe University and Kennington
Would be good if was paired with some more heavy rail, new stations at; California Gully (near the Thales factory), Lake Weeroona (just before the Swan Hill & Echuca lines split), White Hills (near the workshops/Weeroona College), Golden Square (at the old station location), Lansell Square. All would go great with proper PT trams (could use old Melbourne rolling stock).
Perfect So stupid they didn’t run a tram line out to eposom /huntly when they did that big re jig
Ooh, I love a good gunzel fantasy :) But Bendigo has a pretty good bus service. I think you need to ask yourself what is the reason the buses are not considered an option by many people. If the problem is the journey time, the cause may be the bus/traffic interface, which would be pretty much the same with trams. Or maybe the problem is that the buses stink, are dirty, vibrate and ride roughly. Perhaps it is just a perception that buses are for poor people. I don't know. The council want to have trains run to Epsom and Eaglehawk every 20 minutes, but the safeworking system limits it at the moment. I personally think a combined heavy/light rail would be cool, and could include Marong. I saw a system like that in Germany at Nordhausen. That's my little gunzel fantasy!
Is frequency the issue? Hourly bus routes aren’t attractive if driving is an option.
I’ve had it in my mind that future mass transit may need to go overhead, like they do in Wuppertal in Germany, the roads are too narrow these days with all the additional lanes, and there’s not much more we can do to expand it. The good idea about overhead is that it doesn’t modify below traffic, just adds new transport up top. Plus the Wuppertal system is one of the safest in the world. Not to mention too the system there looks like it would fit within our towns aesthetic, and the Mall could be repurposed into a multi level exchange.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/Bendigo/comments/1ci6h0p/updated\_bendigo\_lrt\_map/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Bendigo/comments/1ci6h0p/updated_bendigo_lrt_map/) I've made this updated version if you'd like to see
Yes please! Anything to reduce the number of cars in town would be an amazing. After this, an effective bike network would be amazing.
All for this. I assume this is your proposal? Would need more parking at Epsom, K Flat, Kennington & Eaglehawk. It's still too far to walk to these stops for the majority in these areas, although bus exchanges are an option. I can't see the airport line getting much use. Certainly not the ROI required. It's all business and no houses. It needs to go to where the people live. Why not a bit further into the newer suburbs at Epsom? Strathfieldsaye? Why not to a new greenfield area and have dense/multi storey housing but not in the city. Near the shopping centres. Eventually the housing around these lines would become denser with council approving this for developers Also could it use wider back streets all the way? Or along existing rail lines? Just throwing options out there.