NSW: Millennium trains dealt a blow with another breakdown

AAP General News (Australia)
08-04-2004
NSW: Millennium trains dealt a blow with another breakdown

SYDNEY, Aug 4 AAP - Sydney's embattled Millennium trains were dealt another blow today
with thousands of commuters forced to catch a bus after a train broke down in Sydney's
south.

CityRail spokeswoman Helen Willoughby said the train lost power after departing Cronulla
station on time at 6.47am (AEST) causing the Cronulla to Sutherland branch line to be
shut down for almost 90 minutes.

"The driver was unable to reset the train and staff at Cronulla station notified train
control of the problem," Ms Willoughby said.

Eight buses were organised for affected passengers with the first bus arriving within 30 minutes.

Buses operated to Sutherland station and the problem was isolated to the Cronulla to
Sutherland branch line, she said.

Ms Willoughby said a few thousand passengers would have been affected, with train services
resuming on the line shortly after 8am.

"This section of the network operates on a single line meaning we needed to get the
train back into Cronulla station to enable other train services to operate," Ms Willoughby
said.

Passengers on a Tangara train in Sydney's west yesterday were forced to walk on rail
tracks to get a bus after being stranded behind another broken down Millennium train.

A mechanical fault on the Millennium left it blocking one of the lines between Homebush
and Flemington.

Ms Willoughby said both incidents were under investigation, but defended the Millennium
trains as the best performing on the CityRail network.

The incidents come as NSW Transport Minister Michael Costa defended the service's new
timetable saying commuters would have to wait until September next year for most trains
to run on time.

CityRail figures, released yesterday, showed on-time running had declined since the
timetable was introduced on July 24.

AAP evt/swe/drp/bwl

KEYWORD: TRAINS

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