Southern Cross Express
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Service type | Luxury train |
| Status | Ceased |
| Former operator(s) | Australian Vintage Travel |
| Route | |
| Termini | Melbourne |
| Stops | Sydney Canberra |
| On-board services | |
| Class(es) | First |
| Technical | |
| Rolling stock | South Australian Railways steel |
The Southern Cross Express was a luxury train operator in Australia. It was launched in June 1985 as Steam Age operating out of Melbourne on the Victorian Railways broad gauge network. Services were operated by steam locomotive R766 and six South Australian Railways carriages.[1]
In 1987, the carriages were sold to Australian Vintage Travel, who also owned a Douglas DC-3 airplane and the South Steyne ferry, converted to standard gauge and began operating interstate services into New South Wales on the State Rail Authority network. Its first trip was a cruise from Melbourne to Sydney and Canberra hauled by an 81 class in January 1988. It operated a few further trips in 1988 before ceasing.[1][2]
In 1990, the carriages moved to Goulburn and later Junee Locomotive Depot before moving to Casino in October 1996 for use on Northern Rivers Railroad's Ritz Rail tourist train on the Murwillumbah line.[3][4][5][6]
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Southern Cross Express" Railway Digest October 1988 pages 365-369
- ^ Stylish new train Sydney Morning Herald 10 April 1988
- ^ "Southern Cross Express cars sold" Railway Digest February 1990 page 47
- ^ "Intelligence" Railway Gazette International September 1991 page 568
- ^ "The Northern Rivers Railroad" Railway Digest December 1996 page 28
- ^ "Northern Rivers launches a Ritzy train" Railway Digest July 1999 page 22