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Photos from ten years ago Toxic Custard newsletter

Old photos from June 2008

Here’s another in my series of old photos from ten years ago… this time, June 2008.

You might remember that Frank Woodley did TV ads for Metlink, to encourage bus usage. Here’s the cartoon version, on a bus stop.
Metlink Frank Woodley bus promotion, June 2008

Speaking of advertising, I quite liked this ad for the Get Smart movie (originally posted here). Come to think of it, I’ve still never seen the movie.
Get Smart movie advertising, June 2008

Hitachi train, sporting its Comeng-era seat covers
Hitachi train, June 2008

Gambling addiction is a serious problem, but this is still one of my favourite photos: The Machines Will Win. (See also: Part II)
You know in the end the machines will win (1/2)

(For those with short memories, that’s a Metcard machine; the predecessor to Myki, and just as disliked when it first got introduced.)

The signage at Bentleigh station, back when the train times worked.
Bentleigh Station Smartbus signage, June 2008

Punt Road – then, as now, sometimes the buses can’t reach the bus lane because of all the traffic. Hopefully the re-design of this intersection will fix that.
Punt Road, June 2008

The last few photos are from a visit to the Eureka skydeck in late June 2008…
Eureka Skydeck, June 2008

The view of the Westgate Bridge/Kingsway intersection. It conveys the vast amount of space used by motorway interchanges.
Westgate Freeway viewed from the Eureka Skydeck, June 2008

A more youthful looking me, back when I wore a tie, with Government House and The Shrine of Remembrance in the background
At the Eureka Skydeck, June 2008

The city skyline. Note despite the two lanes of traffic across Princes Bridge, the cars were still queuing.
Central Melbourne, viewed from the Eureka Skydeck, June 2008

By Daniel Bowen

Transport blogger / campaigner and spokesperson for the Public Transport Users Association / professional geek.
Bunurong land, Melbourne, Australia.
Opinions on this blog are all mine.

4 replies on “Old photos from June 2008”

It’s sad that they had to put a sticker of a phone box on the back of the public phone because we don’t have actual phone boxes.

Gee, feels like we have had MyKi for so long now.

Some other changes include, Connex, Bentleigh level crossing, and Hitachi trains. All now gone from Melbourne.

Thanks again for your flashbacks.

The evidence on advertisements like those is that they just end up making gamblers feel guilty, and thus less likely to seek help and more likely to experience outcomes like addiction or suicide. They’re a nice bandaid in place of actual regulation of the industry.

Unfortunately the Victorian Government’s approach to gambling is worse than their transport policy. (Both Liberal and Labor, they’re indistinguishable on this issue.)

As for the so called “bus lane”, it’s almost reassuring to see that the absolute lack of bus priority in Melbourne is something that has been around forever.

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