V/Line Geelong trains suspended after signalling fault

V/Line suspended Geelong line trains on July 3 after a signalling and telecommunications fault disrupted the busy regional corridor between Lara and Manor Junction.

Replacement coaches were put on between Waurn Ponds and Wyndham Vale while crews worked to restore services. Passengers were told to check the V/Line website before travelling.

The interruption began around 7:30am and left commuters facing long delays, missed appointments and time spent waiting at stations or on buses. One passenger was reported to have been stuck near Lara for about an hour before returning to Corio Station to wait for buses.

V/Line said its crews were working to fix the fault as quickly as possible. Services resumed around 1:30pm.

Morning disruption

The Geelong line is one of Victoria's busiest regional rail links, carrying passengers between Geelong and Melbourne. The fault caused major disruption for people travelling through stations including Waurn Ponds, Wyndham Vale, Lara, Corio and South Geelong.

Traffic and level crossing operations were also affected while the fault was active.

What is known

V/Line described the problem as a complex signalling and telecommunications fault between Lara and Manor Junction. No fuller technical explanation was available in the initial reports.

The incident came during another difficult week for Geelong line passengers, with the corridor already under pressure from a separate cable theft disruption earlier in the week.

What happens next

Transport authorities may provide a further incident update if the cause is established. For now, the confirmed timeline is that services were suspended in the morning, replacement coaches ran through the disruption and trains were back by about 1:30pm.