M-Train

Quality 0.50 · 0 views · Updated 2 months ago

Former railway operator in Melbourne, Australia

title: "M-Train" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["defunct-railway-companies-of-australia", "mobico-group", "rail-transport-in-victoria-(state)", "railway-companies-established-in-1997", "railway-companies-disestablished-in-2004", "1997-establishments-in-australia", "2004-disestablishments-in-australia"] description: "Former railway operator in Melbourne, Australia" topic_path: "geography/australia" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M-Train" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Former railway operator in Melbourne, Australia ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox company"]

FieldValue
nameMTrain (Bayside Trains)
logoM-Train-brand.png
imageComeng477.jpg
image_size250
image_captionComeng after refurbishment by EDi Rail in October 2002
former_nameBayside Trains
industryRailway operator
predecessorPublic Transport Corporation
successorConnex Melbourne
foundation1 July 1998
defunct18 April 2004
location_cityMelbourne
area_servedMelbourne
parentNational Express
websitewww.mtrain.com.au
::

::callout[type=note] the former Australian railway company ::

| name = MTrain (Bayside Trains) | logo = M-Train-brand.png | logo_size = | logo_caption = | image = Comeng477.jpg | image_size = 250 | image_caption = Comeng after refurbishment by EDi Rail in October 2002 | former_name = Bayside Trains | type = | traded_as = | industry = Railway operator | fate = | predecessor = Public Transport Corporation | successor = Connex Melbourne | foundation = 1 July 1998 | founder = | defunct = 18 April 2004 | location_city = Melbourne | location_country = | locations = | area_served = Melbourne | key_people = | products = | production = | services = | revenue = | operating_income = | net_income = | assets = | equity = | owner = | num_employees = | parent = National Express | divisions = | subsid = | website = www.mtrain.com.au MTrain (pronounced as "M train") was a train operator in Melbourne, Australia, which operated roughly half of the city's suburban rail operations. Formed in July 1998 as Bayside Trains, a business unit of the Public Transport Corporation, it was privatised in August 1999 and became a subsidiary of National Express as one of the two operators of the suburban rail network, the other being Connex Melbourne.

In December 2002, National Express handed the franchise in, with the Victorian state government taking over until negotiations were concluded for Connex Melbourne to take over in April 2004.

History

In October 1997, in preparation for privatisation, it was announced that the Public Transport Corporation's suburban rail operations were split into two business units, Bayside Trains and Hillside Trains. On 1 July 1998, the former took over operation of the Frankston, Cranbourne, Pakenham, Sandringham, Williamstown, Werribee, Sydenham (now Sunbury), Broadmeadows (now Craigieburn) and Upfield line services.

Bayside Trains initially operated service on the Orbost line as far as Warragul under contract to V/Line until electric services ceased beyond Pakenham. On 1 July 1998, operation of the Stony Point line was transferred from V/Line.

National Express successfully bid to take over the Bayside Trains services from 29 August 1999 beating competition from Connex, GB Railways and a Singapore MRT led consortium. National Express were also awarded the Swanston Trams franchise and V/Line concession.

In October 2000, National Express rebranded Bayside Trains as MTrain.

In December 2002, National Express handed in its Victorian rail and tram franchises having been unable to renegotiate financial terms with the State Government who took over operations.

KPMG were appointed to operate the business on behalf of the State Government. In May 2003, the State Government announced it would establish a single company to operate both networks, and was negotiating with Connex Melbourne (who operated the other half of the network) to operate this entity. In February 2004, an agreement was reached, and the networks were reunited on 18 April 2004.

Operations

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3f/MTrainSiemens.jpg" caption="[[Siemens Nexas]] in a trial M>Train livery"] ::

MTrain operated the suburban rail services in the western, north-western, south-eastern, and southern suburbs running through North Melbourne and South Yarra stations. These were the Werribee, Williamstown, Sydenham (now Sunbury), Broadmeadows (now Craigieburn), Upfield, Pakenham, Cranbourne, Frankston, Sandringham and Stony Point lines, in addition to maintaining the three underground City Loop stations.

When the Public Transport Corporation fleet was split, Bayside Trains were allocated 58 three-car Hitachi and 97 three-car Comeng sets. A class locomotives and MTH carriages were hired from V/Line for services on the unelectrified Stony Point line.

To replace the Hitachis, 62 three-car Siemens Nexas were ordered.

Until November 2003, MTrain also issued its own annual railway tickets, running in parallel and sold at a discount to those Metcard system, but only permitting travel on their half of the network.

References

References

  1. "Melbourne's Rail Network to be Split" ''[[Railway Digest]]'' November 1997 page 12
  2. "City in Brief" ''[[Railway Gazette International]]'' December 1997 page 835
  3. (1999). "Report of the Auditor-General - Victorian Government's finances 1998-99". Auditor-General of Victoria.
  4. (April 2007). "Victoria’s public transport - Assessing the results of privatisation". Institute of Public Affairs.
  5. "Melbourne EMU Fleet" ''[[Australian Railway History. Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin]]'' issue 737 March 1999 page 116
  6. "Victorian Rail Transport Business Formerly Established" ''Railway Digest'' September 1998 page 15
  7. "All change for private trains and trams" ''Railway Digest'' August 1999 page 23
  8. "NEG conquers Oz" ''[[Rail (magazine). Rail]]'' issue 363 11 August 1999 page 11
  9. [http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/national-express-group-awarded-three-franchises-to-operate-passenger-train-and-tram-services-in-melbourne-and-the-state-of-victoria-in-australia-156491325.html National Express Group Awarded Three Franchises] {{Webarchive. link. (11 October 2013 National Express June 1999)
  10. [http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/national-express-takes-root-in-melbourne.html National Express takes root in Melbourne] {{Webarchive. link. (25 October 2013 ''Railway Gazette International'' 1 October 2000)
  11. "ARHS Railway Museum: Victoria 1950 - now". ARHS Railway Museum.
  12. "National Express - Review of Operations - Australia". investis.com.
  13. "Moving Melbourne - A New Brand Coming for Melbourne's Transport" ''[[Transit Australia]]'' January 2001 page 18
  14. "Metros" ''Railway Gazette International'' July 2001 page 441
  15. [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/2836793/National-Express-walks-out-of-Australian-rail-service.html National Express walks out of Australian rail service] {{Webarchive. link. (12 January 2018 ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' (London) 17 December 2002)
  16. "Privatisation takes a tumble in Victoria" ''Railway Gazette International'' February 2003 page 61
  17. [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/2894001/Nat-Express-pulls-back-Down-Under.html Nat Express pull back Down Under] {{Webarchive. link. (12 April 2018 ''The Daily Telegraph'' (London) 3 September 2004)
  18. Richard Web. (14 March 2004). "The long goodbye". The Age.
  19. [http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/12/23/1040511007915.html Receivers take over train, tram group] {{Webarchive. link. (26 October 2012 ''[[The Age]]'' 24 December 2002)
  20. [https://www.railexpress.com.au/victorian-passenger-services-get-new-managers/ Victorian passenger services get new managers] {{Webarchive. link. (25 March 2023 ''Rail Express'' 28 January 2003)
  21. Selma Milovanovic, Rachel Wells. (17 April 2004). "Down Frankston way it's a popular line". The Age.
  22. "Victorian rolling stock contracts announced" ''Railway Digest'' May 2000 page 20
  23. "M>Train Electric Sets Unveiled" ''Railway Digest'' March 2001 page 10
  24. "Related AFC tickets - M>Train Yearly Ticket". robx1.net.

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

defunct-railway-companies-of-australiamobico-grouprail-transport-in-victoria-(state)railway-companies-established-in-1997railway-companies-disestablished-in-20041997-establishments-in-australia2004-disestablishments-in-australia