A lesser known Australian train trip – The Overland hosts a full-day rail journey that connects Adelaide and Melbourne. The Overland train was recently at risk of ceasing but a last minute turnaround sees it continue its service. It first ran in 1887 as the Adelaide Express, known by South Australians as the Melbourne Express. It was given its current name in 1926. Now operated by private company Journey Beyond, the train undertakes two return trips a week.
Steam-hauled Adelaide Express leaving Murray Bridge station
Originally an overnight train that stopped at large intermediate stations, it now operates during the day, stopping less frequently. The Overland was converted to standard gauge in the 1990s and now operates from Melbourne over the longer standard gauge line initially heading south to the port city of Geelong, before returning to its original route in Ararat. After departing Ararat the train stops in the Victorian towns of Stawell, Horsham, Dimboola and Nhill before crossing the South Australian border. The final stretch into Adelaide, after crossing the Murray River is over the scenic Adelaide Hills. The train contains Red Premium and Red seated accommodation and a bar/lounge car, Café 828.
Red Service carriage
Murray Bridge is one of the few Australian towns named after a bridge (and not a very original name for a bridge at that). This service town is the gateway to the Fleurieu Peninsula or the south east region of South Australia, depending on which way you are travelling. It is appropriate that the town is named after a bridge (or pair of them) as the two bridges across the Murray River, one carrying the Princes Highway and the other the main railway line between Melbourne and Adelaide, are very distinctive and often photographed features.
Contrary to what its name suggests, Bordertown is not on the South Australian/Victorian border but 18 km away on the South Australian side. That is because, when the town was established, there was a dispute between the colonies of South Australia and Victoria as to where the border between them was. South Australia built the town where they believed the border should be, but when a High Court decision settled the dispute in Victoria's favour, the town was left high and dry in South Australia.
Home to the biggest single-bin silo in the southern hemisphere at the height of its operations - it has a capacity of 2.25 million bushels - Nhill (pronounced Nill) is a small wheat town that is exactly half way between Melbourne and Adelaide on the Western Highway, 80km east of the South Australian border.
A quiet town on the tree-lined Wimmera River adjacent to Little Desert National Park. Dimboola services the local rural and tourism industries focused on wheat, other grains, sheep and timber and more recently emu, alpaca, olives and vineyards.
Set at the junction of the Western, Wimmera and Henty highways, the Wimmera 'capital' serves the local sheep and wheat industries, that later being reliant upon the Federation strain of high-yield, drought resistant wheat helped underpin the region's prosperity.
A former goldmining town, now a regional centre, the city of Ararat is noted for its many fine colonial era buildings and gold mining heritage. Ararat is nestled between several mountain ranges, including the Grampians National Park, Mount Langi Ghiran, Mount Cole, Mount Buangor, Ararat Hills Regional Park and the Pyrenees Ranges.
Geelong is the second largest city in the state of Victoria, and is the largest regional centre in the state. A major industrial centre and port, Geelong is the gateway to the Bellarine Peninsula, Victoria's Surf Coast and the Great Ocean Road. Geelong combines the best elements of a cosmopolitan city with some of the world s most magnificent surf beaches just a stone s throw away. The city's vibrant retail heart is alive with cafes and restaurants and cinemas. And overlooking Corio Bay, with its backdrop of ships and yachts, is the pier and waterfront precinct which has been transformed to accommodate stylish new eateries, beautiful landscaped gardens, fantastic public art encircled by walking, cycling and skating paths.
The 500 class were part of larger order for 30 steam locomotives placed with Armstrong Whitworth, England, in 1924, as part of the rehabilitation of the state's rail system being overseen by Railways Commissioner William Webb. They replaced the Rx and S class locomotives, many dating back to 1894, that were still performing mainline duties, meaning that double and even triple heading was common. All ten 500-class locomotives arrived in Adelaide in 1926, and entered service on the Adelaide to Wolseley line as far as Tailem Bend. All were named after notable South Australians. Throughout the mid-1930s all but two of the locomotives in the class were semi-streamlined and had valances fitted. The first two 500-class locomotives were withdrawn from service in 1955 and the last was withdrawn in 1962. 504 (named Tom Barr Smith) is preserved as a static exhibit at the National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide.
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