Mernda and Hurstbridge train lines suspended after serious derailment near Clifton Hill

A serious derailment near Clifton Hill station has shut down Melbourne’s busy Mernda and Hurstbridge train lines for more than a week.

Compensation will be offered to travellers affected by a week-long shut down of two key trains lines in Melbourne’s north-east.

It comes after a Metro train carrying 55 passengers derailed near Clifton Hill station on Sunday night, causing major damage to rail infrastructure and impacting the busy Mernda and Hurstbridge lines.

Buses will replace trains on both lines until Monday July 21.

On Wednesday Minister for Skills & TAFE Gayle Tierney said travellers, many of whom have been forced onto replacement buses, would be compensated.

“The normal case in these sorts of situations is that there is an assessment in terms of services reaching or not reaching targets,” she said.

“These figures are worked through and then there will be a form of compensation that will be determined at a later stage.”

Work being completed along the Hurstbridge and Mernda Lines amid major disruptions. Picture: Supplied

Metro Trains chief executive Raymond O’Flaherty said the fifth carriage’s bogey came off the rails which was an “extremely rare” failure and has forced a full-scale investigation.

“It’s a very unusual event. It’s not something we’ve seen before,” he said.

“We have a strong safety record at Metro trains. We have the right experts looking at it. We (are focused) to get services moving again on the Mernda and Hurstbridge lines.”

He confirmed the derailment was not linked to any ongoing or recent works.

“I wouldn’t attribute it to any recent works, but obviously, as part of our investigation, we’ll be looking at everything that’s happened in the area,” he said.

The derailed carriage remains on the tracks and needs to be lifted by crane before it can be examined.

It has left commuters from Melbourne’s northern suburbs unable to catch trains into the city until at least Monday July 21.

Work being completed along the Hurstbridge and Mernda Lines amid major disruptions. Picture: Supplied

Buses will replace trains on the Hurstbridge line between Eltham and Parliament stations and on the Mernda line between Reservoir and Parliament.

Trains will operate as normal between Mernda and Reservoir and Hurstbridge and Eltham.