The Overland

"The Overland" is a passenger train between Melbourne and Adelaide, Australia. The train started in 1887 as the "Adelaide Express" and was given its current name in 1926. Now operated by private company Great Southern Railway, the train completes three return trips a week, travelling mostly during daylight. The train operates between the Melbourne terminal of Southern Cross Station, and Adelaide Parklands Terminal in Adelaide, and covers 828 kilometres between capitals. [http://www.gsr.com.au/our-trains/the-overland/the-journey.php Great Southern Railways - The Overland] ]

Early history

"The Overland" originated as the "Intercolonial Express" when the Victorian Railways Western Line was extended to the South Australian Railways line at Serviceton on the state border. As both railways were built to the same RailGauge|63 broad gauge, a through service commenced on January 19, 1887 ["An Introduction to the Overland Story" Rowland, E.C. Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, January, 1977 pp1-16] , using jointly owned rolling stock. The train was later called the "Adelaide Express". [ [http://www.railwaymuseum.org.au/history.html ARHS Railway Museum: Railway History in Victoria 1839 - 1900] ]

The train ran overnight between the capitals, and was provided with sleeping car facilities from its inception, these being the opulent Mann Boudoir Cars.cite book | author=David Burke | title = Great Steam Trains of Australia | publisher = Rigby | year = 1978 | page= page 78 ] From 1907 new 'E' type side corridor sitting and sleeping cars of Victorian Railways design were introduced. [cite web
url=http://comrails.railpage.org.au/sar_carriages/a0202_ae.html
title=AE Sitting Carriages - V&SAR Joint Stock
publisher=comrails.railpage.org.au
accessdate=2008-08-30] [cite web
url=http://comrails.railpage.org.au/sar_carriages/n_loddon.html
title="Loddon" - Sleeping Car No. 10 - V&SAR Joint Stock
publisher=comrails.railpage.org.au
accessdate=2008-08-30] More cars of these designs were added until 1923, and in 1928 two all steel sleepers and a diner were imported from Pullman in the USA, these being the heaviest carriages ever used in Australia. [cite web
url=http://comrails.railpage.org.au/sar_carriages/n_mount_lofty.html
title="Mount Lofty" - Pullman Sleeping Car
publisher=comrails.railpage.org.au
accessdate=2008-07-09] A dining car was included in the train between Melbourne and Ararat from 1927, [cite web
url=http://comrails.railpage.org.au/sar_carriages/n_hopkins.html
title="Hopkins"
publisher=comrails.railpage.org.au
accessdate=2008-08-30] and between Adelaide and Serviceton from 1928, [cite web
url=http://comrails.railpage.org.au/sar_carriages/n_adelaide_2.html
title="Adelaide" - Pullman Dining Car
publisher=comrails.railpage.org.au
accessdate=2008-08-30] but with the onset of the Depression in 1930 these services were withdrawn until the mid 1930’s, and finally ceased after the outbreak of the Second World War. The SAR purchased "Mountain" and "Pacific" type locomotives to haul the heavier train in South Australia. These were the largest locomotives in Australia at that time. [Burke. Ibid. p82] . In 1936 the train was named "The Overland", and the original deep red livery was replaced by green and yellow with black horizontal lining. [ [http://comrails.railpage.org.au/sar_carriages/a0202_general.html Comrails: V&SAR Joint Stock - Wooden Vestibule] ] The SAR also streamlined some of its 500 class locomotives for the makeover.

In 1941 Victorian steam locomotive H 220 was introduced to service, intended to haul "The Overland" but never entered regular service due to weight restrictions on the line. [ [http://www.railwaymuseum.org.au/history2.html ARHS Railway Museum: Railway History in Victoria 1900 - 1950] ] For over forty years the VR used its famous A2 class locomotives for this service, usually in pairs.

Post-war history

From 1949 "The Overland" moved into the modern era, with new air conditioned Corten steel carriages gradually entering service on the train. Finished in maroon, with a fluted stainless steel panel on each side of the cars, and black roof. This livery remained until the 1990s.

The sleeping cars were of two types. The twinette cars had two berth compartments (as had the "E" and Mann cars before them), but each compartment had an adjoining toilet and shower room. The roomette cars had single berth compartments either side of a central aisle, and a shower room at the end.

The new sleepers were probably the first general application of showers on trains in the world. [ [http://comrails.railpage.org.au/sar_carriages/a0203_general.html Comrails: Steel V&SAR Joint Stock Carriages] ] Diesel locomotives took over haulage of the train in the 1950s, initially with the South Australian 900 class [ [http://www.steamranger.org.au/enthusiast/diesel.htm SteamRanger: SteamRanger's Diesel Locos and Railcars] ] and Victorian B class [ [http://www.victorianrailways.net/motive%20power/bdie.html Victorian Railways: B class diesel electric locomotives] ] but later with 930 class, X class and S classes. [ [http://www.natrailmuseum.org.au/exhibits/nrm_930.html National Railway Museum - Port Adelaide: 930-class] ]

The maroon sleeping cars from 1949 onwards were 16 in number, later 18, and were given Aboriginal names that were painted on the sides of the cars. The 8 roomette cars had the names Allambi, Chalaki, Juki, Mururi, Nankuri, Purpawi, Tantini, and Tarkinji; the 10 twinette cars had the names Dorai, Kuldalai, Malkari, Mokai, Nomuldi, Paiti, Tawarri, Weroni, Yankai, and Yanni.

In 1971 four of the 1949 era sleeper cars were sold to the Victorian Railways for use on the "Vinelander" service to Mildura, and replaced with newly built carriages. [ [http://comrails.railpage.org.au/sar_carriages/a0203_sj.html Comrails: Steel V&SAR Joint Stock Carriages] ] The cars transferred to the Vinelander (the two roomette cars Allambi and Tantini, and the two twinette cars Dorai and Weroni [http://comrails.railpage.org.au/sar_carriages/i_allambi.html "Allambi"] [http://comrails.railpage.org.au/sar_carriages/i_tantini.html "Tantini"] [http://comrails.railpage.org.au/sar_carriages/i_dorai.html "Dorai"] [http://comrails.railpage.org.au/sar_carriages/i_weroni.html "Weroni"] ) were repainted dark blue and their Aboriginal names removed; these names were then applied to the new cars built to replace them on The Overland. The two new roomette cars were thus named Allambi and Tantini, and the new twinette cars were named Dorai and Weroni.

The interiors of these new cars were of a more modern design than the older cars. In particular, the roomette cars were noticeably different, in that they had a zigzag corridor instead of a straight one like the older roomette cars, and the compartments had the shape of a trapezium. This enabled the use of the toilet and washbasin units while the bed was still down, which was not possible in the older-style roomettes. (See Roomette#Roomette accommodations in Australia for more details on this.)

Other twinette cars called Tawarri and Yankai were added later than most of the other sleeping cars, in 1967 [http://comrails.railpage.org.au/sar_carriages/n_tawarri.html "Tawarri" - V&SAR Joint Stock Steel Sleeping Car] [http://comrails.railpage.org.au/sar_carriages/n_yankai.html "Yankai" - V&SAR Joint Stock Steel Sleeping Car] , and these also followed the newer style of interior. Thus, from the early 1970s onwards, there were two roomette cars in the newer style: Allambi and Tantini; and there were four twinette cars in the newer style: Dorai, Tawarri, Weroni, and Yankai.

In 1976 Australian National took over the South Australian Railways, and became joint operator of the train with the Victorian Railways. [http://comrails.railpage.org.au/common/glossary_o.html#overland Comrails: The Overland] ]

After privatisation

In 1994 the Victorian Public Transport Corporation ended any links with the operation of interstate services, and "The Overland" was solely operated by Australian National.cite web
url=http://www.railwaymuseum.org.au/history3.html
title=ARHS Railway Museum: History 1950 - now
publisher=www.railwaymuseum.org.au
accessdate=2008-03-27] It was also at this time that the Melbourne to Adelaide line that the train ran on was converted to standard gauge, with the carriages following and a new route via Maroona and Geelong introduced. In 1997 Australian National was split up, and the train and rolling stock passed to Great Southern Railway. In 1999 the maroon and silver livery was removed and the train was repainted in a new grey and silver scheme, and a new kookaburra logo graphic. A second change was made in 2007, when a number of the carriages received an internal refurbishment, and a new blue, purple and green livery was applied to the exterior. [ [http://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/newmedia.nsf/bc348d5912436a9cca256cfc0082d800/e8e85fc5fde39a05ca2572d60003e228!OpenDocument MINISTER FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT: 'REFURBISHED OVERLAND TRAIN READY TO ROLL' - May 8, 2007] ] A new emu logo was also unveiled. [http://www.gsr.com.au/our-trains/the-overland/the-journey.php Great Southern Railways - The Overland] ]

Today

The train continues to operate due to a $1.5 million annual subsidy from the Victorian State Government.

Following an extensive refurbishment, "The Overland" was re-launched on Monday, 7th May, 2007, with new accommodations: "Red Premium Service" (1- and 2-seating in airline-style seats) and "Red Service" (2- and 2-seating). A licensed cafe car caters for all passengers on the train.

Melbourne's Southern Cross Station is part of the local train network, so it is possible to transfer from commuter trains and V/Line intercity trains to "The Overland". At Adelaide, it uses the Adelaide Parklands Terminal, which is walking distance from Keswick station on the suburban network.

From August 26, 2008 twelve seats per service have been made available to passengers between stations in Victoria at the V/Line fare rate. Negotiated between the Victorian Government and Great Southern Railway, the system is being trialled for 6 months. [cite web
url=http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/minister-for-public-transport/new-train-services-for-western-victoria.html
title=NEW TRAIN SERVICES FOR WESTERN VICTORIA
work=Media Release: Premier of Victoria
publisher=www.premier.vic.gov.au
date=25 August 2008
accessdate=2008-08-27] This change has been welcomed, but residents of the Wimmera-Mallee [cite web
url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/08/27/2347981.htm?site=westernvic
title=Wimmera-Mallee group wants rail service expanded
date=August 27, 2008
publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation
accessdate=2008-08-31] region have called for the Overland to stop at additional stations en-route as well, including Murtoa and Stawell.cite web
url=http://stawell.yourguide.com.au/news/local/news/general/overland-bypasses-stawell-station/232108.aspx
title=Overland bypasses Stawell station
work=Stawell Times News
date=January 23, 2007
publisher=stawell.yourguide.com.au
accessdate=2008-06-29]

References

External links

* [http://www.gsr.com.au/our-trains/the-overland/the-journey.php Great Southern Railways]