UPDATE, 1.30PM: V/Line's chief executive officer says the network-wide shutdown of train services on Wednesday morning was unrelated to two previous shutdowns of train services.
V/Line has suffered major shutdowns three times in the past five weeks, resulting in thousands of people unable to use train services.
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Although the latest error was down to a "communications fault", like the previous shutdown on May 18, V/Line CEO Matt Carrick said the two incidents were unrelated.
"The major problem that we had a number of weeks ago was in relation to a damaged cable in a data centre," he told 3AW.
"The advice I have is that this is a different problem to do with the firewall, so effectively the security blanket...and is totally unrelated to the incident a couple of weeks ago."
The trains have now all returned to normal.
EARLIER, 7AM: A number of V/Line trains have been cancelled statewide due to a communications fault, including Ballarat trains.
Although some services are starting to resume, there is still expected to be ongoing delays throughout the morning.
V/Line has blamed a "communications fault" on the shutdown.
"Following a communications outage which resulted in a suspension of V/Line services, a temporary fix has been found to allow trains to resume across the network," the department of transport said.
"Significant delays are likely throughout the morning as services get back into position for the normal timetable. Some services may be replaced by coaches."
The following Ballarat line trains have been cancelled:
- The 04:23 Ballarat - Southern Cross service
- The 05:13 Southern Cross - Wendouree service
- The 05:51 Southern Cross - Wendouree service
- The 05:18 Wendouree - Southern Cross service
- The 05:28 Bacchus Marsh - Southern Cross service
- The 05:56 Wendouree - Southern Cross service
- The 06:14 Wendouree - Southern Cross service
- The 06:16 Ararat - Southern Cross service
- The 06:16 Melton - Southern Cross service
- The 06:31 Southern Cross - Wendouree service
- The 07:13 Ararat - Southern Cross service
- The 07:39 Wendouree - Southern Cross service
- The 07:53 Southern Cross - Ararat service
- The 08:38 Wendouree - Southern Cross service
- The 08:43 Melton - Southern Cross service
- The 12:16 Southern Cross - Melton service
- The 13:10 Melton - Southern Cross service
The first service to operate will be as follows:
- The 06:16 Bachhus Marsh - Southern Cross service.
- The 07:09 Maryborough - Ballarat service.
Please allow up to an additional 90 minutes for your journey this morning.
"We apologise for the disruption to your journey this morning," V/Line said in a statement online.
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Meanwhile, coaches will replace all trains on the Ballarat, Ararat and Maryborough lines for two weeks in July.
Due to V/Line maintenance and infrastructure upgrades, coaches will replace all trains from Saturday, July 2 to Thursday, July 14.
Coaches will operate between Southern Cross and Wendouree, Ararat and Maryborough for the entire journey.
All train services will be replaced by a mix of express and stopping all stations coach services. A temporary train timetable will be in place.
V/Line recommends allowing an additional 60 minutes for your journey and thanked users for their patience during this time.
For the latest information, visit the V/Line website.
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