RAIL TOURS

longbridge · July 20, 2011, 09:55:17 PM

Not exactly a rail tour but for my birthday next month I will be boarding an XPT which of course is a Class 43 HST in disguise, the train leaves Roma St Station in Brisbane at 7am and arrives at Taree in New South Wales (roughly 550 - 600km) at 4.30pm, I will look around Taree and have tea there and at 9.30pm catch the XPT back to Brisbane arriving Brisbane at 6am the next day.

This is the only way I will ever get to ride in a reasonably modern British style train as just about everything else on the main line was made in Australia under licence from General Motors.

Newportnobby · July 21, 2011, 08:11:09 AM

Hi ORB - that's an awful long time on the train, but heck, us addicts will put up with a lot,eh?
Have a great time on your 21st

Lawrence · July 21, 2011, 08:39:14 AM

Dave, have you ever done the coast to coast run out there? Is it still possible in fact, would love to do it

longbridge · July 21, 2011, 09:55:36 AM

Hi Lawrence, yes they still have the Indian Pacific travelling between Sydney and Perth but its out of my price range, fares range between $1,500 and 2,400, great train with plenty of entertainment for travellers and usually hauled by massive NR class locos.
Trip is over 4,000km and takes about three days to get across the country.

Newportnobby · August 15, 2011, 10:14:27 PM

Cracking day out, Gromit. Travelled on the Mersey Highlander today over the Settle & Carlisle into Carlisle behind Brit 70013 Oliver Cromwell with 12 up composed of Mk1's and Mk2's. She smelt, looked and sounded wonderful, and I'm sure in parts of the journey she was purring. Crowds had turned out, especially by the Ribblehead viaduct. Despite early morning drizzle, most of the day was spent in sunshine. The return from Carlisle to Preston was over Shap and through Carnforth. Here are the pics (apologies to diesel fans and yes, one of the carriages sported the Hogwarts emblem)

galway · August 15, 2011, 10:37:52 PM

Great photo's glad you enjoyed the day.

Tank · August 16, 2011, 08:59:01 AM

Thanks for showing. Very clear photo's.

sawyerm1982 · August 20, 2011, 09:54:26 AM

Im off to hopefully catch a couple of piccies of 'The Limestone Cowboy' travelling down the little used middlewich line in a couple of hours...

Newportnobby · August 20, 2011, 10:45:24 AM

Quote from: sawyerm1982 on August 20, 2011, 09:54:26 AM
Im off to hopefully catch a couple of piccies of 'The Limestone Cowboy' travelling down the little used middlewich line in a couple of hours...

Great name

Look forward to some pics