ACT Bus Forum

Although the metal lettered "Woden Transport Depot" sign was removed from the main building some months ago, there is still an old faded metal sign facing west with Department of the Capital Territory prominent on it.

It would appear as there was a reason behind this. Capital Self Storage were given their 30 day eviction notice at the beginning of this month. They have told everyone to clear out as they want the site all clean & pretty for when ACTION take it back.

This includes the driver that I have previously mentioned that have kept their bus at this site. They have been told to move out, but have been told by ACTION that they can keep their bus at Woden Depot once ACTION take it back.

Quote from: Not really thinking things through.....
It would appear as there was a reason behind this.

So, because Capital Self Storage is moving out, that is the reason they removed the Woden Transport Depot signage that has been there since ACTION days (In its rather dated 1970's font)? Alrighty then, whatever makes you happy.

Me thinks I need to go and get photos of the Department of the Capital Territory sign before it goes from every "Pumpass" (I believe they call it now) angle.

There is fairly new signage on the outside western wall of the WTD proclaiming 'Phillip Business Park" or something similar....with all the (now mostly removed) tennants listed on it.

It is one of those cheap looking metal signs which you see all around the place these days; I think it appeared around the time that the classic Woden Transport Depot sign was removed - about 12 months ago from memory. The latter sign was typical of the font and durable style used by NCDC/Department of Construction on a wide variety of public buildings such as schools, health centres, libraries etc in pre-self government days.

There is a well preserved example on Evatt Primary School....so much more classy than the cheap, tacky signage you now see around most state schools and other public buildings.

Confirmation today that ACTION will move back into Woden depot in November.

Alleluia! Praise the lord all-mighty that the depot has been reborn! Praise him! *Brings out Gospel Choir*

Will be good to see Woden reopen again. However, it is still unknown in what capacity it will be a depot, full or just a satellite. 

As I went past today i noted the sheds all had their heights noted as 3.2m (or possibly 3.3, i don't recall), which would be a bit too low for many of the newer vehicles to fit underneath them.

I suspect work may be done to Woden depot sheds, as I don't think that reversing into the side sheds will be allowed because of risk on injury. Probably the Renaults will be stored there. As it looks like Belconnen & Tuggeranong will do most of the work & Woden is like a peak working depot, well that's how I envisage it.

Quote from: Bus 400 on September 29, 2009, 09:09:42 PM
I suspect work may be done to Woden depot sheds, as I don't think that reversing into the side sheds will be allowed because of risk on injury. Probably the Renaults will be stored there. As it looks like Belconnen & Tuggeranong will do most of the work & Woden is like a peak working depot, well that's how I envisage it.

I understand that the Woden Depot busports closest to Athllon Drive (which were originally from the 'new' Ainslie Depot) will not be used for bus storage, at least in the early stages of the recommissioning.

Now that I think about it, damage could be done to the bus by people on the other side of the fence if a bus is parked up against the fence. Tuggeranong & Belconnen have a gap between bus sheds & the fence so they are safe.

Quote from: Sir Pompously on September 28, 2009, 08:46:40 PM
Alleluia! Praise the lord all-mighty that the depot has been reborn! Praise him! *Brings out Gospel Choir*

Will be good to see Woden reopen again. However, it is still unknown in what capacity it will be a depot, full or just a satellite.

My impression from public comments made by the ACT planning authority is that it will be a satellite depot - with its primary role being to store buses which cannot be accommodated at the other depots and as a place where buses can be parked during longer term layovers.

This would release the large block of land south of the Hellenic Club (currently used for longer term layovers) for property developments. Survey contractors were measuring up this block a few weeks ago.

I would guess workshop work would still only be done at Tuggeranong & Belconnen. But Woden might have a quick fix & refuel/cleaning area? With a possibility of the Canteen being moved to Woden Depot, so that when Woden Town Centre gets under way, the meal facilities will be at Woden Depot (which if I am dreaming will be near the Townsend Street Bus Station)

In response to recent post on the forum about Woden actually being a operational depot I feel that it needs to be made clear that Woden will be no more than a storage facility for buses that ACTION decide to sell or cannibalize for parts. Anyone who still thinks that Woden depot will be operational is dreaming.

Ha ha, you've finally seen the light, I'm pleased to see :P

I've been saying that the last few months I just haven't posted it because I was told not to so we could get at the nerves of a former member. I thought that now was the right tome to post that.

I have not noticed or heard that buses are operating at woden depot yet, so yeah right woden depot reopening in november. What is the point of a bus depot when it has no buses to house. That is what a depot is

read reply 12.

Quote from: rolfe on December 08, 2009, 07:36:41 PM
I have not noticed or heard that buses are operating at woden depot yet, so yeah right woden depot reopening in november. What is the point of a bus depot when it has no buses to house. That is what a depot is

The last I heard (from an ACTION STN employee a few weeks back) is that the combined STN fleet and STN staff will commence operations out of Woden Depot from the start of the new 2010 school year. STN staff will sign on / sign off there.

One of the private business tenants recently told me that ACTION will take back the upper floors of the Admin Building while the remaining tenants of the former Business Park (and some possible new tenants) will continue to occupy the ground floor once ACTION resumes operations there. Refuelling would not be done at Woden because of contamination issues in the old tanks.

I wonder if ACTION is planning on moving their offices/call centre again?

I was woundering, what buses are possibly going to be bassed over at woden. Could the steertags and the man evo IV's (REDEX BUSES) be a possibilty?

This has been previously covered;

Quote from: King Long on December 02, 2009, 09:04:15 PM
In response to recent post on the forum about Woden actually being a operational depot I feel that it needs to be made clear that Woden will be no more than a storage facility for buses that ACTION decide to sell or cannibalize for parts. Anyone who still thinks that Woden depot will be operational is dreaming.

The 14.5m buses and the MAN Euro Vs will be based at Belconnen and Tuggeranong, respectively.

The 14.5's are going to Belco?

I understood the steer tags were going to Tuggeranong but I have no idea how the diesel MANs will be distributed across the two depots.

Belco certainly has strong claims for more low floor, air cond buses, but Tuggeranong Depot could certainly do with more too as there is a higher proportion of aged and infirmed passengers in Tuggeranong Depot's surrounds, particularly in Weston Ck/Woden Valley and 'old South Canberra'.

Quote from: smitho on January 18, 2010, 08:51:29 PM
I understood the steer tags were going to Tuggeranong

I thought as much, given that most of the artics are based there.

Understand that ACTION is still aiming for next week for combined Belco/Tuggy SNT to start up there providing internal refurbishments are completed by then.

February start-up now unlikely - preparation for SNT move could take a few month more.

Typical government misorganisation.

Looks like some landscaping has been done at the rear of the depot - all the trees have been cut back.

Looks nice and tidy now, glad the Government are putting some work into making the depot look half decent again.

Lookout for some 'Action' @ Woden Depot from Monday....

Maybe tugger's depot is overflowing with the new man's and they need somewhere to store them

As said in the MAN thread SNT from both depots will be moving there.

are drivers going to be bassed at Woden?

Quote from: CNG on April 10, 2010, 07:36:11 AM
are drivers going to be bassed at Woden?

Given that buses can't drive themselves and ACTION doesn't pay drivers to sit around all day I'd imagine so.

Quote from: smitho on January 27, 2010, 09:11:23 PM
Understand that ACTION is still aiming for next week for combined Belco/Tuggy SNT to start up there providing internal refurbishments are completed by then.

As far as I know, it is still both Belco and Tuggy SNT's which will relocate to Woden Depot next week.

I suppose more shifts could be moved to Woden in the next shift pick & once the list of buses being decommissioned is approved (with as I last remember is to be finalized in around June this year) as those buses will run out of Woden Depot until they are sold. That should then give Tuggeranong & Belconnen room to store there MAN's under cover.

There will be a shed rearrangement out at Belconnen to fit the MANs in once SNT leave. I will remind you buses moved to Woden, other than SNT,  will not operate any services, they will simply be stored until sold

Quote from: belcodriver on April 10, 2010, 07:47:16 AM
Given that buses can't drive themselves and ACTION doesn't pay drivers to sit around all day I'd imagine so.

The key word that was used was BASED. Ever heard of a satellite depot where buses get parked but where the drivers are based at the main depot?

well they certainly aren't bassed at a depot.....

Quote from: ajw373 on April 11, 2010, 12:11:21 AM
The key word that was used was BASED. Ever heard of a satellite depot where buses get parked but where the drivers are based at the main depot?

No. What's the point of that? How do drivers get from the main depot after signing on to their bus?

Quote from: belcodriver on April 11, 2010, 08:15:23 AM
No. What's the point of that? How do drivers get from the main depot after signing on to their bus?

The point is the satellite depot is used just for parking the bus and sometimes some basic depot admin functions, such as cashing in etc (though this may vary). This reduces the cost of running the satellite depot.

As to how drivers get to said depot, I would say in exactly the same way as they would get to the main depot. Ie drive or catch a bus.

Anyone see any SNT activity at Woden Depot today?  I saw only one vehicle (which I took to be an SNT bus) there at around 1345 today...

I had a quick look as I went past at about 5.30, didn't see anything more than what was there last week.

Nothing had changed with the Belco SNT fleet at 11 this morning

There were a good number of SNT buses parked @ Woden Depot when I passed it earlier this afternoon.

Quote from: Scania K320UB on April 10, 2010, 10:12:31 PM
There will be a shed rearrangement out at Belconnen to fit the MANs in once SNT leave. I will remind you buses moved to Woden, other than SNT,  will not operate any services, they will simply be stored until sold

It seems likely that there will be some older standard buses withdrawn from service and stored for parts - and possibly in the future, for sale.... so from what I understand is going on, Woden will provide that storage site.

But that won't preclude operations at Woden gradually being ramped up as Molonglo develops so that eventually, it may return to its former role for full scale commuter bus operations. This would need some major investment in facilities such as fuel tanks, so it is only a longer term possibility.

One SNT bus remained at Belconnen just before 5pm

There are currently 17 SNT buses parked at Woden depot.

There are no longer any SNT buses visible at Tuggeranong Depot.


I did notice that the SNT buses have been moved from under the shed to out in the open.

As I reported on Twitter earlier, there were three diesel MANs parked under the sheds at Woden Depot next to the SNT buses when I went past at around 1730. Couldn't see fleet numbers but the one at the back had a numberplate.

If anyone, in their travels, is able to go have a closer look and see if they can spot the fleet numbers of those three, that'd be great.

468 is there

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.

FFS!! Why? Put them in service.

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

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

Thanks CNG.

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

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.

no

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.

I believe both heritage buses were at Tuggeranong.

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

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.

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.

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?

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.

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

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

Quote from: CNG on May 20, 2010, 09:02:25 PM
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.

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.

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


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Here is said article:

Quote from: Bus 400 on September 23, 2011, 07:07:16 PM
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.

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

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

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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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.

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

Quote from: smitho on April 09, 2012, 05:03:06 AM
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

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

Work also looks to have started on the administration building.

Quote from: Buzz Killington on June 06, 2012, 06:22:02 PM
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.

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

More new arrivals expected maybe?

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.

As mentioned elsewhere, the project to rehabilitate the old diesel tanks at Woden Depot has been withdrawn. Also (during the ACT Virtual Community Cabinet (http://actbus.net/act-virtual-community-cabinet-may-2013/)), 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.)

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.

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.

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

Quote from: The Love Guru on June 04, 2013, 06:35:45 AM
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.

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

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

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.

Quote from: Buzz Killington on June 04, 2013, 07:06:48 PM
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.

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.

Fuel tank removal possibly?

Quote from: Sir Pompously on May 25, 2014, 12:13:38 AM
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.

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