Fleet composition and changes
| Fleet / type | Role in the Connex era |
|---|---|
| Hitachi | Part of the original Hillside allocation when the suburban fleet was split at the start of the franchise period.[1] |
| Comeng | Major suburban fleet; refurbished between 2000 and 2003 by Alstom at Ballarat North Workshops.[1] |
| X’Trapolis 100 | Ordered to replace Hitachi sets; first entered service in December 2002.[1] |
| Siemens Nexas | Joined Connex’s operational responsibility when it took over M>Train’s business in 2004.[1] |
| 4D prototype | Allocated to Hillside in the initial fleet split.[1] |
| Stony Point stock | A class locomotives and MTH carriages hired from V/Line, later replaced by Sprinters in April 2008.[1] |
Maintenance arrangements
Maintenance responsibilities were divided across specialist contractors and changed over time. Historical summaries note that Hitachi and Comeng maintenance was outsourced to United Group, Siemens maintained Siemens Nexas fleets, and Alstom was contracted for major fleet maintenance roles before later corporate changes in the sector.[1]
Compatibility work
After the operator merger in 2004, modifications made under different franchises meant some Comeng sets were not directly compatible across the network. Innovonics undertook work to make them interoperable again, alongside a CCTV upgrade.[1]