V/Line passengers complain of dripping ceiling on Melbourne-Albury journey

Group leader Karen Reid said she had heard of some people being forced to sit on the floor during crowded V/Line journeys on the North East rail line but didn't expect to be dripped on half-way through their trip on Sunday, September 17.

"My friend was getting wet on her legs, but the water from above me was dripping down on my boobs," Ms Reid said. "The conductor saw this and made a joke about me being baptised - which was all in good fun.

"We all went along with it and I said, yeah, I'm just gonna change to Buddhism the way I'm going."

Ms Reid said she and her friends were in good spirits for the 2.33pm trip from Southern Cross station but did hold concerns for people's safety.

"Jokes aside, the only thing we were worried about was the electrical wiring, what if someone got a shock?" she said.

"Then the conductor just told us it was condensation build-up from the air conditioning.

"We're all farmers but we're not stupid - surely if that was what it was it would have been dripping all along the ceiling groove, not just in three spots.

"It was a bit annoying getting wet because there were no other seats, the only time we could move to a dry spot was when people got off at Wangaratta."

A V/Line spokesman confirmed the operator had received reports of water dripping from the ceiling last Sunday.

"We apologise to any passengers inconvenienced by dripping water on an Albury Line train over the weekend and thank them for bringing this to our attention," the spokesman said.

"We are currently investigating the cause and will complete any repairs as required.

"The safety of passengers on board our services is our priority and maintenance crews are immediately looking into this matter."

"V/Line runs a stringent program of regular maintenance on all our trains to ensure a safe, comfortable and reliable service for our passengers, with trains regularly rotated out of service to complete maintenance."

The spokesman said passengers were encouraged to speak with conductors if they noticed a potential maintenance issue.

"Passengers can also speak with station staff or call 1800 800 007 after their journey, or visit our website to provide feedback," the spokesman said.

To read more stories, download The Border Mail news app in the Apple Store or Google Play.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: