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Threat to Australia’s long-distance ‘Overland’ service

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ONE of Australia’s iconic long-distance passenger trains is threatened with withdrawal in 2019 as politicians cannot agree on future funding.

‘The Overland’ has run between Adelaide and Melbourne since October 1887 when it was known as the ‘Intercolonial Express’.

All GSR services are hauled by locos provided by freight company Pacific National. Here, loco NR93 is seen crossing the Murray River at Murray Bridge, east of Adelaide, with the Melbourne-bound ‘Overland’, the 07.45 from Adelaide, on September 18. STEVE McNICOL

At that time South Australia and Victoria were separate British colonies. In 1926 it became ‘The Overland’ and has continued using that name ever since.

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The service gained modern stainless steel-bodied
air-conditioned coaches after the Second World War, and was one of the first rail services anywhere in the world to offer on-board showers.

Read more in the November issue of The RM – on sale now!


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