Woden Depot: Reopen!

[Snorzac]

468 is there

[Barry Drive]

All of the registered, not in service, MANs (413 414 417 418) have vacated Belco. So some or all of those could be at Woden.

[Snorzac]

FFS!! Why? Put them in service.

[Buzz Killington]

I'll try to go past there tomorrow and check out what's there.

[CNG]

One MAN's that I saw at Woden depot was 414.

[Buzz Killington]

Thanks CNG.

[Barry Drive]

Confirmed it is the 4 MANs from Belco + 468 currently at Woden.

[CNG]

Is woden going to become like a depot for the redex buses as well,
If I were a driver I would like to operate from Woden, as it is near my house and beggining to get good buses. Lets hope it becomes a full operating depot, especially with molonglo underway and that.

[Snorzac]

no

[Bus 400]

The heritage bus with the curved back (suspect Matilda) is now at Woden Depot undercover.

If it is Matilda, hopefully the heritage bus from Tuggeranong is transfered. So that can both be kept undercover, I am unsure where Belconnen Depot keep/kept their heritage bus.

[Buzz Killington]

I believe both heritage buses were at Tuggeranong.

[Sir Pompously]

Matilda was at Tuggeranong then got moved to Belconnen, I believe to have some work done to the engine(?) *Citation needed*.

[King of Buses]

MAN Euro 5's and Scania 14.5's needto be added to the wiki as it does not yet have them.
It is Matilda as the other heritage bus is still at tuggeranong with 490 in front of it.

[Barry Drive]

Buses which are stored at Woden depot but are not in service do not get categorised as 'Woden Depot'. Depot categories are only for buses in service. All known buses stored at Woden can be found in the 'Buses not yet in service' category. If there have been any recent deliveries not added to the wiki, report these in the deliveries topic in the Fleet section.

[Bus 400]

I am curious as to who would unlock Woden Depot (I am meaning as what is the case for Tuggeranong & Belconnen Depot's) for the SNT drivers? I would think the Woden Supervisors might, but then could it be Tuggeranong starters have to head that way of a morning & evening?

[Buzz Killington]

I'd assume that each of the SNT Drivers have a key to let themselves in and out without the need to have the gates open all day.

[Snorzac]

I am pretty sure every driver can get access to it.

[CNG]

Are drivers soon going to be able to spend their meal break at Woden depot?

[smitho]

Are drivers soon going to be able to spend their meal break at Woden depot?

Yes, SNT drivers have been doing that since they were re-located there in 2010.

Although SNT comes under the responsibility of Regional Manager (South), SNT buses tend to be maintained at the north depot (Belco).

Recent ACT Budget apparently had financial provision for the next stages of returning ACTION operations to Woden Depot. Commuter buses / drivers may re-commence operations out of Woden Transport Depot towards the end of this year or early 2012 with a 'Lub' and Quick Fix type facility will possibly be operational by then.

[smitho]

Article on page 3 of today's CT talks about imminent departure of remaining private tenants (from the former ACTION Workshop area) to make way for the return of ACTION maintenance staff.

[Bus 400]

I'll scan the article later, but one big thing is that Tuggeranong workshop may be moved to Woden.


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[Bus 400]

Here is said article:

[Barry Drive]

I'll scan the article later, but one big thing is that Tuggeranong workshop may be moved to Woden.

What the article says is "... to allow buses to be maintained at Woden rather than Tuggeranong." In other words, buses which are garaged at Woden can be maintained on site rather than having to be sent to T depot.

This is not the same thing as moving Tuggeranong workshop.

The question though will be whether they employ additional mechanics or just move some from B and T without increasing the numbers.

[Bus 400]

WIN News just featured a short piece on the Woden Business Park people being kicked out by the ACT Government. This time the Lube shop owner had his say about the only other type of service he provides is in Coffs Harbour. They knew they would have to vacate & when the sheds at Woden Depot were vacated those owners were only given 30 days to leave.


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[smitho]

Still no more retired Renaults in storage at Woden; anyone know when the next batch of Renaults are being withdrawn?

[Buzz Killington]

The last three to be withdrawn at Belconnen have been sold to a private buyer (a driver?), presumably they're being collected from there rather than being moved to Woden

[Bus 400]

It does look like work is progressing on getting Woden Depot offices/workshop building back to a bus depot. I assume the asbestos will be removed this time, rather then paying those based there "danger money"* again?

But the company who stores their cars at the southern end of Woden Depot appear to be staying for now.

*I remember over hearing a story about bus drivers based at Woden Depot were paid a higher rate for working in an asbestos building.

Also from another story I've heard, while businesses within Woden Depot may object to ACTION moving back in. The bakery near there will be glad to see bus drivers back in Phillip.


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[Bus 400]

On an inspection of Woden Depot this afternoon, I spotted these two old & new signs.


First up is ACTION's new logo on one of the doors into the Woden Depot building on the Dundas Court part of the depot.



Next up is the sign on the fenced off island on the Bellona Court end of the depot.

[smitho]

Development application sign recently planted on the Athllon Drive verge outside Woden Depot Workshop advising of plans to remove underground fuel tanks...

[Bus 400]

Development application sign recently planted on the Athllon Drive verge outside Woden Depot Workshop advising of plans to remove underground fuel tanks...

The DA can be found at http://www.actpla.act.gov.au/topics/your_say/comment/pubnote?sq_content_src=%2BdXJsPWh0dHAlM0ElMkYlMkZhcHBzLmFjdHBsYS5hY3QuZ292LmF1JTJGcHVibm90ZSUyRnB1Ym5vdGVEZXRhaWxfbmV3LmFzcCUzRkRBX25vJTNEMjAxMjIxNDAxJmFsbD0x

[Buzz Killington]

Noticed tonight that the Renaults have all been moved from the main shed to being parked up against the fence on the Athllon side of the depot

[Bus 400]

Work also looks to have started on the administration building.

[Bus 400]

Noticed tonight that the Renaults have all been moved from the main shed to being parked up against the fence on the Athllon side of the depot

Looks like musical buses happened either Sunday or Monday (I blame ACTbusspotter's POTM nomination). As the buses are all nice & cosy under the one shed now.

[smitho]

Former Ainslie Depot busport at Woden Depot is in use again by Dart and PR3 buses...

[Barry Drive]

More new arrivals expected maybe?

[Bus 400]

In today's Canberra Times, ACTION's Director (James Roncon) mentions that Woden Depot is to open in the second half of 2014.

Which should be around the same time that Phillip Bus Station should open.

[Barry Drive]

As mentioned elsewhere, the project to rehabilitate the old diesel tanks at Woden Depot has been withdrawn. Also (during the ACT Virtual Community Cabinet), the minister has ruled out expanding the ACTION fleet size (for the next 12 months) nor is the artic fleet size increasing.

My calculations also show that the 77 new low-floor buses between 2013 and 2017 will (just) be sufficient to meet the DDA requirement of 80% low floor for a fleet size of 415 (provided at least 17 Darts remain in service).

Add all this up and it looks like there are no plans to increase ACTION's fleet size in the next 4 years, which means that there is no need for Woden Depot to be used for regular service buses. (Also means that the stored Renaults are unlikely to re-enter service, but that's another topic.)

[The Love Guru]

It also means that the Network '13 (which will become Network '14) will not an increase in peak time schedules and that the current bus shortages will continue for the foreseeable future.

[The Love Guru]

As a side note, that will mean that Molonglo services in peak times will come at the cost of services elsewhere on the network. It also means no Gungahlin xpresso services in the near future.

[Bus 400]

When the light rail comes online in Network 2035, this will free up buses for Wright's first peak hour bus.

[Buzz Killington]

As a side note, that will mean that Molonglo services in peak times will come at the cost of services elsewhere on the network. It also means no Gungahlin xpresso services in the near future.

They'll probably just tack Molonglo onto the Duffy/Holder routes.

[Bus 400]

A response from TAMS Minister Shane Rattenbury on the reopening of Woden Depot was:

"@ShaneRattenbury: @Bus400 Yes, Woden depot still going ahead, work being done to get it online. #actvcc"

[Barry Drive]

Have asked Shane Rattenbury for more information.

In the budget, the Woden Depot upgrade and fuel remediation spending has been shifted from this year to next year, so it's not cancelled. However, the stated budget target of 66% low floor by June 2014 does not support any fleet growth - based on known deliveries (12 new low-floors expected by end of June 2014), plus all Darts returned to service, to get to 66%, total fleet size will need to be 413, exactly what it is now.

They are also claiming 80% by December 2017 which, without an increase in new buses, can only be met by keeping the fleet size essentially the same.

[smitho]

They'll probably just tack Molonglo onto the Duffy/Holder routes.

It would make sense to toss Yarralumla in the same loop as Molonglo/North Weston services...allowing more direct routing of Woden-Curtin-Civic services along the lines of the Transport for Canberra long term network plan.

[smitho]

Are signs of recent work in progress at Woden Transport Depot, with a section of concrete tarmac excavated to the north of the workshop building.

[Sir Pompously]

Fuel tank removal possibly?

[smitho]

Fuel tank removal possibly?

Yes, I wondered if that might be the case although the site isn't where I'd expect the tanks to be and the excavation isn't very large.

[Barry Drive]

The sign at the depot says "JST removal" (or "UST" or "OST" - it's not clear). Underground storage tank maybe?