9 9 : ▁V / Line ▁Fre ight ▁and ▁the ▁rural ▁intr ast ate ▁network ▁to ▁Fre ight ▁Victoria , ▁a ▁cons ort ium ▁led ▁by ▁American ▁operator ▁Rail America ; ▁Hill side ▁Tra ins ▁and ▁track ▁le ase ▁to ▁Con nex ▁Melbourne ; ▁and ▁V / Line ▁Pass enger ▁and ▁B ays ide ▁Tra ins , ▁renamed ▁M > Tra in ▁and ▁with ▁its ▁track ▁le ase , ▁to ▁British ▁operator ▁National ▁Express . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 6 ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁National ▁Express ▁announced ▁their ▁intention ▁to ▁withdraw ▁financial ▁support ▁from ▁their ▁rail ▁operations ▁in ▁Victoria , ▁including ▁V / Line ▁Pass enger ▁and ▁M > Tra in . ▁The ▁government ▁tempor arily ▁res umed ▁control ▁of ▁its ▁systems ▁through ▁rece ivers ▁and ▁decided ▁to ▁ret ender ▁the ▁metropol itan ▁rail ▁network ▁to ▁a ▁single ▁operator ; ▁Con nex ▁won ▁the ▁contract ▁and ▁took ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁entire ▁metropol itan ▁system ▁in ▁February ▁ 2 0 0 4 . ▁Meanwhile , ▁in ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁the ▁government ▁announced ▁its ▁intention ▁to ▁retain ▁V / Line ▁Pass enger ▁in ▁public ▁ownership , ▁and ▁set ▁up ▁the ▁state - owned ▁V / Line ▁Corporation , ▁which ▁bought ▁the ▁operator ▁out ▁of ▁receiver ship ▁on ▁ 1 ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁▁ 1 6 ▁August ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁saw ▁the ▁Fre ight ▁Victoria ▁business ▁and ▁rural ▁track ▁le ase ▁was ▁purchased ▁by ▁Pacific ▁National , ▁but ▁by ▁November ▁ 2 0 0