MetroGnome Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
By
pwags on 01-Dec-10. Waypoint GA2790
Cache Details
| Difficulty: | |
| Terrain: | |
| Type: | Moveable |
| Container: | Small |
| Coordinates: | S37° 49.025' E144° 58.495' (WGS 84) |
| 55H 321753E 5812547N (UTM) | |
| Elevation: | 5 m |
| Local Government Area: | Melbourne |
/144.974917,-37.817083,14/400x200?access_token=pk.eyJ1IjoiY2F1Z2h0YXR3b3JrIiwiYSI6ImNqa2l4ZzNzMDE5bjgzdm1sZGpuODF1Mm0ifQ.q8YMzVyzDJJlJHHV8EMjwQ)
Description
This is a moveable cache with a difference. It has been hidden on board a Melbourne Metro train, so to find it you'll have to find the correct carriage, and retrieve the cache from the position described here.
This "cache" was originally an entrant in the GeGnome Project Moving Cache Race, running from 1 December 2010 until 31 January 2011. He will remain available after the race is finished. It has been listed here as a "moveable" cache, although it's not quite a typical moveable. Find him, log him, and feel free to move him to a new location if you wish, but you are welcome to simply re-hide him back in the same location.
"MetroGnome" has been kidnapped by the gnome gnappers. At first he was tortured, and left tied-up on a railway line in Melbourne's suburbs. Luckily his life was spared, but he's still tied up, and has been carefully hidden on board one of Melbourne's trains.
MetroGnome is NOT at the listed location - well, not for long. He probably passes through this point a few times each day as he goes "back and forth" (corny "metronome" reference) along the line. He was originally hidden on the Cranbourne line, eastbound, on board carriage number 401M. He was located under the back-to-back seats, two across, located closest to the driver's cabin - see this photo for details.
However, now that he has been found, he's no longer on carriage 401M. I will attempt to keep this listing updated with his latest location, but to be safe, please read the logs below to check where he's been hidden!
TaylorBrats have moved him to carriage 390M on 29/1/2011.
If you manage to find MetroGnome, then sign the logbook, and re-hide him, either back where you found him, or on another train. Please ensure that you make a note of the carriage number and exact location in your log, so that he can be found by the next person.
Logs
The cache at this location seems to be MIA so we'll archive it for now to stop it turning up in the search lists. If it is found then the owner can reenable the listing by placing an Unarchived log against it.
Second time I have actively searched for this gnome. Well at least sat at flinders st station looking at every train that came in. I swear I have seen every number either side of 390 but never the right one. Will try again another time
There I was on platforms 4/5 at Flinders Street last night at 11:33pm. In pulls 390M on platform 3, with a scheduled departure time of 11:35. It took me 30 seconds to run down the stairs and up to the platform, only to find a dozen or so people on the train. I had a very quick look (they must have wondered what I was doing), before I decided to abandon the search, as I didn't want to go to Belgrave at that time of night. Maybe next time!
Ok, there is a caching god, and they clearly hate me.
Was waiting for a train at Camberwell station yesterday, and was looking at the trains that were parked there. (shh. we're tourists, we're bored, and one of the guys likes trains?)
Yep. Guess which one i saw parked there.
God damnit.
(ok, to make myself feel better. I dont even live in melboure. This took forever to be found, aaaaand, i'd have to be a stealthy ninja - which i'm not, to rehide it. Yay..)
Was waiting for a train at Camberwell station yesterday, and was looking at the trains that were parked there. (shh. we're tourists, we're bored, and one of the guys likes trains?)
Yep. Guess which one i saw parked there.
God damnit.
(ok, to make myself feel better. I dont even live in melboure. This took forever to be found, aaaaand, i'd have to be a stealthy ninja - which i'm not, to rehide it. Yay..)
Not sure if this will work.
Oh, here he is hanging out at Flinders Street with TaylorBrats boy.
And yes, Metro staff are aware, and allowed him free passage!
Possibly some disability pass, seeing he has no use of his arms or legs... :p
Thanks again pwags !!
Oh, here he is hanging out at Flinders Street with TaylorBrats boy.
And yes, Metro staff are aware, and allowed him free passage!
Possibly some disability pass, seeing he has no use of his arms or legs... :p
Thanks again pwags !!
Congratulations to TaylorBrats! I am so pleased that he was still there, and that he was found before the end of the "race".
So it appears that the Metro staff are now aware of his existence? Hopefully there's no problems with him travelling around Melbourne without a ticket?
Let's leave him going and see if anyone else can find him now that he's been moved to a new carriage!
So it appears that the Metro staff are now aware of his existence? Hopefully there's no problems with him travelling around Melbourne without a ticket?
Let's leave him going and see if anyone else can find him now that he's been moved to a new carriage!
I think I saw 390M yesterday!!! Dammit! lol
Maybe Monday I can try again....
Maybe Monday I can try again....
Princess Diala, we took about an hour and a half once on the platform at Flinders.
Should be noted that we were able to enlist some help
He is a gorgeous little fellow. Hope some more find him before the game is up!
Should be noted that we were able to enlist some help
He is a gorgeous little fellow. Hope some more find him before the game is up!
So this gorgeous little chappie, having been found and given the opportunity to share in our excitment, then inspected inside and out by Metro staff to ensure he wasn't a suicide bomber, has been given a new hide-e-hole, almost identical to his previous spot... except on board carriage 390M.
Last seen leaving Flinders Street Station, Upfield bound!
48 hours to find him - GO!
Last seen leaving Flinders Street Station, Upfield bound!
48 hours to find him - GO!
I reckon I saw the carriage last night, we saw a train layed up on a bridge and I saw it as 400M however that was the one pointing forwards, was 401M in the centre of the one train?? I raced to the next station and was disappointed to discover that the next due train was not due for 15mins and had stopped at all previous stations thus ruling out the next train as the one I had seen.. I tried to ask the lady at the station but she clearly didn't understand what I was asking.. We waited at flinders street for the next train, however it did a uturn about 200m down the platform in a place we weren't allowed to go, the next train that arrived was full of passengers and wasnt the one we were after.. sooo sooo close.. well done on the find.. now to hope for a STF..
So! Found the carriage. Now for a little ride, and wait til all these muggles have gone!! Very helpful train operator
Found it! Found it! Found it! Yay!!!! And first to find to boot! Nice to return the favour Pwags
Will be moving this little dawgy along...
Found it! Found it! Found it! Yay!!!! And first to find to boot! Nice to return the favour Pwags
Will be moving this little dawgy along...
Rated: for Overall Experience
Great to see the attempt today, PrincessDiala. Sorry you didn't have any luck. Maybe I should increase the difficulty level? 
I will be back on the train each day next week, so hopefully I'll get a chance to check that it's still where I hid it.
I will be back on the train each day next week, so hopefully I'll get a chance to check that it's still where I hid it.
I wish this could have been a smiley... alas *sigh* no good today..
Stood around for at Flinders Station on platform 4/5 for 2 hours waiting, looking, walking up to see the other end of the train, waiting some more... I asked the customer assistance dude - when did they get these guys?
...
Probably didn't help that I was getting hungry and some inconsiderate person decided to sit down and eat a burger <1m away from where I was standing... g-r-r-r
No train spotters about from 1215 to 1415, it would have REALLY been a help if they were there!...
I did see however some undercover inspectors give tickets to two people for smoking the other side of the ramp where I was standing - is it typical to not carry ID in times like this?
The station was looking particulary clean. As I usually catch the bus in I don't see that they have hired many platform and train cleaners what an improvement!
I suggest next time having a stool, some drinks, and probably some company to help the time pass a little better.
Maybe next time...
Stood around for at Flinders Station on platform 4/5 for 2 hours waiting, looking, walking up to see the other end of the train, waiting some more... I asked the customer assistance dude - when did they get these guys?
...
Probably didn't help that I was getting hungry and some inconsiderate person decided to sit down and eat a burger <1m away from where I was standing... g-r-r-r
No train spotters about from 1215 to 1415, it would have REALLY been a help if they were there!...
I did see however some undercover inspectors give tickets to two people for smoking the other side of the ramp where I was standing - is it typical to not carry ID in times like this?
The station was looking particulary clean. As I usually catch the bus in I don't see that they have hired many platform and train cleaners what an improvement!
I suggest next time having a stool, some drinks, and probably some company to help the time pass a little better.
Maybe next time...
You know there's already a LOT of people watching how you go on the cache page so I hope your mission is successful
Good luck, PrincessDiala! Don't get arrested for suspicious loitering at Flinders Street!
I have a whole lot of not a great deal to do today... Wish me luck!!
Had mentioned to my dad to keep an eye out for the 401 train, as he was travelling on the Cranbourne line each day to head into Richmond to work at the Boxing day test. He phoned this morning to say he saw the 401 at Cranbourne - but parked in the siding storage area so he couldn't get to it. Then when i spoke to him tonight he had seen it on the way home - parked on another platform at Caulfield, heading on the Frankston line!! As the Aussies did such a bad job of playing this was our last chance during the race period to track MetroGnome down! Maybe someone else will have more luck! Thanks for the fun, dad thought it made his trips in on the train slightly more interesting!!
Haha! Melbourne's trains are completely unpredictable. I also saw it this morning, around 11am, inbound on the Frankston line.
While there I was driving to work on the Princes Fwy and could'nt beleieve my eyes, just to the left like I was being teased on the Werribee Line 401M!!!
Great idea.. covert and I successfully hunted down the 2024 tram last night to claim a find on GC Smart Array Cache.. a new challenge.. excellent..
Those strange people that hang around Flinders Street Station writing down train numbers (I think they call them "gunzels") could be very helpful - they are likely to know which line, and what time to expect 401M!
Good luck, and don't get arrested acting suspiciously if you do find the train.
Good luck, and don't get arrested acting suspiciously if you do find the train.
Lol - I have heard of train watchers before. Now we have a bunch of Gnome Watchers all across the country.
Great idea!!
Great idea!!
Wow ... this is fabulous. Its a pity we won't be in Melbourne because it would give the other half of the team a perfect excuse to sit at Flinders Street or Southern Cross Station and watch trains all day.
This will be interesting! I know it's not a normal style of "moveable" cache, but let's see if anyone can find him!
