Well not really, not accommodating him. Using the first initial of his name will confuse you, as it is R, so let's just call him T for tram fan. T lives in Surfers Paradise in Queensland. He was once an employee in Melbourne's public transport system.
Public transport fans, especially for trams, are known at times as gunzels. Don't ask me why. I think the far more derogatory term 'foamers', who foam at the mouth at seeing seeing something transport related is kind of self explanatory.
The week past has been crazy busy, but after moving a meet up with T about three times, we met up at Flinders Street Station at about 9.20am. On the platform was my workplace cleaner, who has moved on to a supervisory role, and parted from my workplace. Con must be about 60, and it is clearly visible that he once very handsome bloke of Greek heritage. I wished him happy 2018 and shook his hand as we left the train. He was going on to Essendon, while T and I caught the same 9.32 train to Moonee Ponds.
I had looked in advance at the PTV website for the right train to be at Moonee Ponds Junction by 10am. Yes, the 9.32 will suit me well. T caught the same train so it did not really matter about being at Moonee Ponds Junction by ten. We strolled from the station along Puckle Street to the Junction where we examined how the tram system worked there. It is a bit complicated as is it the terminus for the route 82 Moonee Ponds tram to Footscray, and a through point for the route 59 tram to Airport West. Why is there a route 57, a West Maribyrnong tram here? We worked out that it had run out from the depot and this was the way it went into service on route 57. There was what appeared to be a good bus interchange there too. It is quite a public transport hub, and I am pleased we had a good look at it.
We caught the 82 to Footscray, with much figurative Oh My God exclamations. I remember this was all paddocks, now blocks of flats. This was undeveloped, now all shops. I recognised one spot, from when we visited
Jack's Magazine. It was where we had a nice lunch.
We entered Footscray Station via the new entrance, which does not really sit well with the old still existent station. T used the stairs as climbing stairs help his bad knee. I used an escalator which helps with my bad back, that is just stand there.
There are plenty of trains at Footscray Station to get back to town. I chose the limited express, which skips one station. T and I parted ways at Flinders Street Station, he heading for St Kilda Road trams back to his digs in St Kilda, and me to the DeGraves Street subway (an underpass) to get a couple of things at the Woolworths Metro supermarket in Flinders Street. It was a bit of fun catching up with him. He is also gay, so the chat wasn't all about trains and trams.
I hate catching an outbound tram at Flinders Street Station, so I walked up DeGraves Street to Flinders Lane and then to the Collins Street tram stop for a tram home.
Once on the tram, I texted R; on a tram home, see you soon. He called me back, at Chemist Warehouse in town and about to have brunch. I hopped off the tram and crossed and caught one up to Bourke Street where we had brunch.
We caught the tram home and who should be filming at our tramstop? Yes, T. I introduced R to T, which will make things a whole lot easier in the future should we visit Surfers Paradise again.
Did I take photos? Only a couple. I was early to get to Flinders Street Station, so I left the tram at the Arts Centre and walked across Princes Bridge.
I remember when the late former State Arts Minister Lynne Kosky announced a plan to link the lower area behind the gallery with the St Kilda Road level by cutting away this embankment. I guess the project was never funded. I wonder how far the planning went.
The merit of this sculpture is doubtful in my opinion but children just love playing around them. Simple fun. It is bit like the many many presents Little M and Little Em received at Christmas. After initial toy inspections, they preferred to play with cubes of ice from two drink eskies for the next hour.
We seem to have a pop up pontoon restaurant on the Yarra River. It is part of
Abory, a nearby bankside restaurant and bar that now occupies a space next to where there was once a train platform. It looks nice but I bet it is very expensive.