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22 Dec 11 - 06:35 PM (#3278629) Subject: BS: Sad for the Sunlander train From: Joybell Lots of us here feel the romance of old-fashioned train travel. I wanted to share my thoughts about a lovely old Australian train that is going to be axed. It even has musical connections. It's called the Sunlander. For 50 years it's been slowly meandering up the Australian East Coast from Brisbane to Cairns and back. Time to gaze out the window and enjoy the peace. There's a section for luxury travel with sleeping cars and a diner like the ones you see in old movies. The wine barely moves in the crystal glasses. You're treated like royalty. When you return to your private room, after dinner, there's a chocolate on the snowy pillow and your bed is all made up. A musician plays in the lounge-car and there's a selection of old parlor board games and books. Art Decor all through. The food is amazing. Local sea-food and fruit picked up on the way. Now it's to be replaced by another fast "Tilt train". There are already Tilt trains. They wizz past blocking your view for fully 3 seconds. There are also many other options if all you want is to get somewhere fast cheaply. I'm sad for people like me who enjoy the experience of travel. I'd hoped I might one day take a grand-daughter on the Sunlander. *sigh* Am I alone in mourning the loss of another one of these wonderful old trains? Everything seems to be seen through business model glasses. Joy |
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22 Dec 11 - 06:47 PM (#3278635) Subject: RE: BS: Sad for the Sunlander train From: Jim Martin Maybe some kind benefactor will buy the train (if the Australian laws allow for this), like the American guy (James B. Sherwood) did with the 'Orient Express' which has been a great success! http://www.orient-express.com/web/vsoe/history_rebirth.jsp |
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22 Dec 11 - 07:13 PM (#3278647) Subject: RE: BS: Sad for the Sunlander train From: GUEST,DaveA |
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22 Dec 11 - 07:25 PM (#3278652) Subject: RE: BS: Sad for the Sunlander train From: GUEST,DaveA Woops, So about that errant click. I'm with Joy on this one. The Sunlander is/was an iconic train, as was the Indian Pacific before it was privatised & the fares went sky high for all but backpackers. Alas, I think the privatisation model (as practiced by the Orient Express Co), is also pricing long distance train travel out of reach of most travellers. Joy, all I can suggest is to take your grand-daughter to Europe (with Eurail Passes in your pocket) & take her on the Orient Express route but by State Run trains. (eg Zurich/Innsbruck/Vienna/Budaapest/Bucharest/Istanbul) No luxury carriages but a trip she'll remember for the rest of her life. There is another interesting long trip (St Petersburg to Samarkand) which takes 6 nights but alas that is outside the realm of Eurail. Merry Xmas to you & Hildebrand Dave |
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22 Dec 11 - 07:27 PM (#3278653) Subject: RE: BS: Sad for the Sunlander train From: Sandra in Sydney Joy, does that mean you will not be able to visit Billy Barlow's grave in old-fashioned comfort? You'll be swaying along with your plastic cup of tea slopping all over the place & sleeping on a recliner seat? sandra |
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23 Dec 11 - 06:42 PM (#3279119) Subject: RE: BS: Sad for the Sunlander train From: Joybell Oh dear! I'd forgotten that pilgrimage. Maybe I'd better try to make some money and take the trip before our wonderful train goes for ever. Busking again? Out here I don't think that's a goer. I believe the Sunlander has another 2 years. Hmmm. Of course Gympie, where BB is buried, is only a short way towards Cairns. He did perform right up the coast though. And down it. Thank you Dave and Jim for the ideas. I feel better having shared my thoughts with friends. And a Merry Christmas to you too Dave -- to you and yours. I hate those silly recliner seats. It's not natural to sleep without lying down. Grumble grumble Cheers, Joy |
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24 Dec 11 - 04:34 AM (#3279269) Subject: RE: BS: Sad for the Sunlander train From: Phot Right with you on this one Joy! Someday some exec somewhere will understand, its not how quick you get somewhere, its how you get there! Here's to slow trains, and a better pace of life! Wassail!! Chris |
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24 Dec 11 - 07:50 PM (#3279537) Subject: RE: BS: Sad for the Sunlander train From: Joybell Thanks Chris. Greetings back. We used to have another slow train running between Melbourne and Adelaide. It was a night service with big old sleeper cabins with ensuites. The train is still called The Overlander but now it's a day-train. So sad. Funny -- the website tells you that it's so we can enjoy the scenery by daylight. So it's all our fault you see! Cheers, Joy |
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25 Dec 11 - 06:59 PM (#3279942) Subject: RE: BS: Sad for the Sunlander train From: GUEST,DaveA In the 60's, there were 3 iconic trains leaving Melbourne each evening (The Southern Aurora, The Spirit Of Progress & The Overland) between 6:00 and 9:30. Up till 1966, all the pubs in Melbourne closed at 6:00pm (hence the infamous Six O'clock Swill) & us thirsty University students discovered that a legal place to drink after 6:00 was the Bar Car on each of these trains. So, some evenings, you'd see a group of students boarding the Aurora (no tickets required, having a few beers, then moving to the Spirit when the Aurora was about to depart, and finally ending up in the Overland. Ah, the lengths we would go to to get a drink in those days. But all three were lovely trains..... Dave |
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30 Dec 11 - 07:35 PM (#3282199) Subject: RE: BS: Sad for the Sunlander train From: Joybell Ah! the pleasures of trains in those times. Dave do you remember the fresh-squeezed orange juice at Spencer Street Station? Not as potent as the evening booze but wonderful. The oranges came down, every day, on the early train from Mildura where they'd been picked the day before. And yes I loved the name given to the Spirit of Progress. I was taken to see it during the 50s. I just took a long trip from Warrnambool to Tocumwal. The Warrnambool train is still rather old fashioned and I always enjoy that. The less said the better about the Northern part of the journey. Cheers, Joy |
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31 Dec 11 - 06:17 AM (#3282334) Subject: RE: BS: Sad for the Sunlander train From: DMcG I'd love a trip on the Sunlander. I had a lunch on the Orient Express earlier this year and while it was expensive enough to bring on a short coughing fit, it was a wonderful experience and I'd do it again. I'd love the trip to Venice as well, but at around £900 a day, it may have to wait for a Dicken's-style unknown benefactor to appear from nowhere. |
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31 Dec 11 - 05:39 PM (#3282640) Subject: RE: BS: Sad for the Sunlander train From: GUEST,DaveA Yes Joy, I do remember that orange juice - really pulpy & very sweet. And I guess you saw The Spirit with that wonderful streamlined steam engine up front and the Parlour Car at the rear. Family legend was that an uncle got overbooked on a trip to Sydney & had to spend the Melb-Albury leg in an armchair in the Parlour Car instead of a normal seat. Lucky sod. I hear your woe re the trip to Tocumwal with VLine. I've moved down to Gippsland and everytime I come up to Melbourne by train I regret the passing of exciting & enjoyable train travel. To paraphrase Art Thieme, the older I get the better it was. Still, the memory of getting up REALLY early to catch a Steam train at 6:30am from Spencer St to go visit my Great Aunt in Bendigo will never really die. But it seems to run in the family. My elder grandson ( who lives in Zurich) was here for a visit about 18 months ago and is still raving about his ride on Puffing Billy (which is a pretty good attention span for a then 4 year old. Happy New Year Dave |