Train delays could stretch into a third day as Metro crews scramble to fix fire-damaged equipment.
Metro spokeswoman Larisa Tait said on Wednesday workers were trying to finish repairs at Richmond before the first train on Thursday morning. At about 11am, repairs were still being completed.
Crews have been working since Tuesday evening, when a fire in an electrical sub-station burned cables which supplied power to the network’s signalling system in the area.
Rail workers said the fire was probably caused by rats chewing through 12-year-old heavy-duty cabling covers and exposing high-voltage wires.
Metro Trains said on its website testing would be carried out overnight once the works were complete.
Trains on the Cranbourne, Frankston, Pakenham and Sandringham lines were delayed up to 20 minutes throughout the night, with up to 20 trains cancelled
There were also significant delays on the Williamstown and Werribee lines, as knock-on effects on Metro’s badly delayed trains hit commuters in Melbourne’s west too.
The next update on changes to train services in the morning will be published on Metro’s website at 4.30am.
