Special Feature-Railway Passenger services.
Good morning,
Today is Sunday the 9th of December, 2018.
This story is to do with Railway Passenger services and how they have dwidled away to a mere pittance to what they once were.
In the past week or so it was announced in the Media that the Overland Train will be stopped in late December 2018, due to the South Australia Government with drawing their $330,000 subsidy to help run it.
The decline of Rail passenger services has been happening since the early sixties, possibly even earlier than that.
Over that time several different governments, in all states of Australia have cut back on Rail Passenger services. But the irony is that the State of Victoria have been expanding their Rail Passenger services since 2004, with the Introduction of the Vlocity DMU sets, with expansion of the Fleet ever since.
Queensland and Western Australia have introduced new services and new Trains, but in my opinion, not to the same extent as Victoria.
Here is a Photograph of the Bluebird Railcar, that was used in South Australia for many, many years, all over the state . It traveled on many routes to many different towns in the state of South Australia.
And here is another photo from Steve Bucton's Collection
Steve has given me permission to use his Photo.
Below are some photos of the Vlocity DMU's in operation in Victoria. The photos were taken in 2015 and 2014 and shows how modern they are and how the other states of this Country could be using them.
In December 2018, the challenge now is will other states use these Railcars for passenger services also, or will they just expand their Bus services and leave it at that.
More information and Photos will be added later.
Bluebird Railcar 252 at Islington in April 2006. Photograph by Brian Leedham.
Bluebirds at Mount Gambier December 1989. Photo from John Masson's collection.
As a Teenager and into my early twenties I was fortunate to travel on the Railcars, as well as the Melbourne Express (Overland ) and the Blue Lake train. We caught the train at Keith, 20 miles from Where I lived at Willalooka, which was on the Naracoorte road, Riddoch Highway I think it is called now. This is 50 years ago and a lot of things have changed since then.
But the big question is, If Victoria can expand Railway Passenger services then why can't the other states. In my opinion all states should be using Vlocities as this would help to relocate people to regional areas if they knew they had decent Rail Passeger services.
So if I had opportunity to catch 3 different trains when I was a Teenager, then why can't the Teenagers of today have the same services.
Morning,
Today is Monday the 10th of December, 2018.
Today I am writing about NSW Passenger services in Rural NSW
These services are covered by the XPT's, Explorers and the Endeavour Railcars.
These Photos above are the copyright of Brian Leedham. If you wish to use them, please contact me at brianwlleedham@hotmail.com
The above Photos indicate that NSW is well covered for Rural Railway Passenger services. The real facts are that there are no Rail Passenger services North West of Dubbo, No services North of Armidale, Large areas of the South West are not covered by Rail Passenger services, and so it goes on.
In the Years that the CPH Railcars operated, they covered a much bigger area of the State, but that is along time ago now, and, the areas where a train does not run are covered by Bus services.
Some will argue that Buses are uncomfortable to travel in and you cannot walk around while traveling.
There always seems to be cuts to Rail Passenger services, not additions. Having said that, this past week or two, the NSW Government have promised a second service to Griffith in the second half of 2019. Is this just Election Talk or will it happen, time will tell.
In my opinion, the NSW Government could have ordered more Railcars by using the Vlocities to use for their Rural Railway fleet, which is supposed to be upgraded in 2020.
We hope that the NSW Government do something about giving Rural People a better Rail passenger service.
Of course the XPT fleet which runs to Brisbane and Melbourne have been good services and the fleet has stood the length of time but they need to be replaced with something better. Luckily the rural people along these routes have been well catered for over the years.
Also the Hunter Railcars serve the Dungog and Scone Railway Stations, but as far as I am aware they are only night and morning services.
BRING ON BETTER RURAL RAIL PASSENGER SERVICES.
Good morning,
Today is Wednesday the 12th of December , 2018.
NEWS, On Passenger services in two states in the last couple of days is,
Victorian Government have put up the Subsidy money for 1 year for the Overland train to keep running. This is very good for the traveling Passengers, but what about the responsibility of the South Australia Government. They have shown their inept attitude towards the traveling Public which is totally disgusting.
Queensland Government has had to seek a new contract for millions of dollars to fix their new Generation trains that were made oversees.
Apparently they were not up to Scratch to be used for full time service.
In the next couple of Days I hope to start a write up for Queensland Rural Trains, a very interesting subject as QR still run quite a few Rural Train Services.
The above 3 photos were taken at Landsborough in the Hinterland of the Sunshine coast of Queensland. There are many rural services all over the state, even tho there has been cutbacks in the past. These Photos are the copyright of Brian Leedham.
Morning, Today is Friday the 14thof December, 2018.
Here's some photos and info about Queenslands rural trains.
Tilt Train from Rockhampton at Landsborough, heading to Brisbane.
Spirit of the Outback, to Longreach.
More Photos to follow, in the next few days I hope to put up more information as well.
Regards, Brian Leedham.
Here's some photos taken at Cloncurry of the Inlander, Rail Passenger service.
I have not researched timetables, so not really sure how many trains run to Mount Isa every week.
Today is Saturday the 15th of December, 2018, and, I will be putting up some info about the Westlander today.
These Photos were taken on the 22-6-2016. My second visit to this station so far.
The above photos were taken at the Ingham Railway station in 2014. It was the Cairns train returning to Brisbane. As far as I am aware, the Locomotive service has stopped, and just the tilt train runs to Cairns.
Morning,
Here's some info about the Tilt train that goes to Cairns.
I was able to get photos of this Train in 2014.
The Tilt Train is called the "Spirit of Queensland", which goes to Cairns, and, I believe is a daily service, but I could be wrong, as I have not checked any timetables,
These six Photos were taken in August 2014.
Brian Leedham owns the copyright of these photographs, and, if you wish to use them please contact me at brianwlleedham@hotmail.com
So the rural services that are supplied to Queenslanders and Tourists are as follows.
Electric to Nambour
Electric Tilt to Rockhampton
Westlander to Charleville.
Spirit of the Outback to Longreach.
The Inlander to Mount Isa.
Tilt Train to Cairns.
So that is 6 Train trips that can be done in rural Queensland.
Good on them for keeping them operational.
Have a great day.
Today is Sunday the 9th of December, 2018.
This story is to do with Railway Passenger services and how they have dwidled away to a mere pittance to what they once were.
In the past week or so it was announced in the Media that the Overland Train will be stopped in late December 2018, due to the South Australia Government with drawing their $330,000 subsidy to help run it.
The decline of Rail passenger services has been happening since the early sixties, possibly even earlier than that.
Over that time several different governments, in all states of Australia have cut back on Rail Passenger services. But the irony is that the State of Victoria have been expanding their Rail Passenger services since 2004, with the Introduction of the Vlocity DMU sets, with expansion of the Fleet ever since.
Queensland and Western Australia have introduced new services and new Trains, but in my opinion, not to the same extent as Victoria.
Here is a Photograph of the Bluebird Railcar, that was used in South Australia for many, many years, all over the state . It traveled on many routes to many different towns in the state of South Australia.
And here is another photo from Steve Bucton's Collection
Steve has given me permission to use his Photo.
Below are some photos of the Vlocity DMU's in operation in Victoria. The photos were taken in 2015 and 2014 and shows how modern they are and how the other states of this Country could be using them.
In December 2018, the challenge now is will other states use these Railcars for passenger services also, or will they just expand their Bus services and leave it at that.
More information and Photos will be added later.
As a Teenager and into my early twenties I was fortunate to travel on the Railcars, as well as the Melbourne Express (Overland ) and the Blue Lake train. We caught the train at Keith, 20 miles from Where I lived at Willalooka, which was on the Naracoorte road, Riddoch Highway I think it is called now. This is 50 years ago and a lot of things have changed since then.
But the big question is, If Victoria can expand Railway Passenger services then why can't the other states. In my opinion all states should be using Vlocities as this would help to relocate people to regional areas if they knew they had decent Rail Passeger services.
So if I had opportunity to catch 3 different trains when I was a Teenager, then why can't the Teenagers of today have the same services.
Morning,
Today is Monday the 10th of December, 2018.
Today I am writing about NSW Passenger services in Rural NSW
These services are covered by the XPT's, Explorers and the Endeavour Railcars.
These Photos above are the copyright of Brian Leedham. If you wish to use them, please contact me at brianwlleedham@hotmail.com
The above Photos indicate that NSW is well covered for Rural Railway Passenger services. The real facts are that there are no Rail Passenger services North West of Dubbo, No services North of Armidale, Large areas of the South West are not covered by Rail Passenger services, and so it goes on.
In the Years that the CPH Railcars operated, they covered a much bigger area of the State, but that is along time ago now, and, the areas where a train does not run are covered by Bus services.
Some will argue that Buses are uncomfortable to travel in and you cannot walk around while traveling.
There always seems to be cuts to Rail Passenger services, not additions. Having said that, this past week or two, the NSW Government have promised a second service to Griffith in the second half of 2019. Is this just Election Talk or will it happen, time will tell.
In my opinion, the NSW Government could have ordered more Railcars by using the Vlocities to use for their Rural Railway fleet, which is supposed to be upgraded in 2020.
We hope that the NSW Government do something about giving Rural People a better Rail passenger service.
Of course the XPT fleet which runs to Brisbane and Melbourne have been good services and the fleet has stood the length of time but they need to be replaced with something better. Luckily the rural people along these routes have been well catered for over the years.
Also the Hunter Railcars serve the Dungog and Scone Railway Stations, but as far as I am aware they are only night and morning services.
BRING ON BETTER RURAL RAIL PASSENGER SERVICES.
Good morning,
Today is Wednesday the 12th of December , 2018.
NEWS, On Passenger services in two states in the last couple of days is,
Victorian Government have put up the Subsidy money for 1 year for the Overland train to keep running. This is very good for the traveling Passengers, but what about the responsibility of the South Australia Government. They have shown their inept attitude towards the traveling Public which is totally disgusting.
Queensland Government has had to seek a new contract for millions of dollars to fix their new Generation trains that were made oversees.
Apparently they were not up to Scratch to be used for full time service.
In the next couple of Days I hope to start a write up for Queensland Rural Trains, a very interesting subject as QR still run quite a few Rural Train Services.
Morning, Today is Friday the 14thof December, 2018.
Here's some photos and info about Queenslands rural trains.
More Photos to follow, in the next few days I hope to put up more information as well.
Regards, Brian Leedham.
Here's some photos taken at Cloncurry of the Inlander, Rail Passenger service.
Today is Saturday the 15th of December, 2018, and, I will be putting up some info about the Westlander today.
Morning,
Here's some info about the Tilt train that goes to Cairns.
I was able to get photos of this Train in 2014.
These six Photos were taken in August 2014.
Brian Leedham owns the copyright of these photographs, and, if you wish to use them please contact me at brianwlleedham@hotmail.com
So the rural services that are supplied to Queenslanders and Tourists are as follows.
Electric to Nambour
Electric Tilt to Rockhampton
Westlander to Charleville.
Spirit of the Outback to Longreach.
The Inlander to Mount Isa.
Tilt Train to Cairns.
So that is 6 Train trips that can be done in rural Queensland.
Good on them for keeping them operational.
Have a great day.
Comments
Post a Comment