I think (hope) this is the last of the early mornings. With those early wake up calls on the Ghan, an unexpected early start for the Puffing Billy trip yesterday, and having to check in at Melbourne Southern Cross Station before 07.30hrs this morning, I am starting to feel “the effects”. I am now settled and enjoying, thoroughly, this train ride back from Melbourne to Adelaide.
This rail journey between Melbourne and Adelaide, “fills in” a small but penultimate piece of my aim to journey around the world by train, bus and ship. The last piece between New York, Toronto and Vancouver in June this year, fulfils that long-held ambition.
I do like The Overland, a proper loco hauled train of around 7 stainless steel coaches, offering both Red and Premium Red Class, where in the latter, breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea are included in the fare. The seats are like arm chairs in 2 + 1 configuration giving enough leg room for somebody over 7 feet tall! I am saddened that this service is being withdrawn; it serves many towns between Melbourne and Adelaide, and I am sure it will be sorely missed. From what I gather, one State’s government is withdrawing funding. “Sounds familiar!” (North Shore 1st stop).
NORTH SHORE
I am beginning to “come round” since extracating myself from bed at 6.10 this morning, and having enjoyed breakfast of beans and bacon on toast and a much needed coffee. I also had a bowl of cereal at the hotel, just because breakfast there was pre-paid.
Last night, after my steam train trip, and wending my way back from Belgrave to the City, I tucked into a delicious “diabetic (un)friendly” Chinese sweet and sour pork with boiled rice, at a restaurant which appeared to be part of a Chinese community, opposite my hotel. Actually, there seems to be a vast Chinese influence accross all of this continent. Chicken and sweet corn soup preceded the main course which brought back teenage memories of the Mido restaurant in Northenden Road, Sale, now regarded as part of Greater Manchester. The sweet and sour pork in Melbourne was “identical!”
It’s now just after 9.30, and The Overland is now in open flat countryside as it heads westwards. (See last picture) The fields appear brown through lack of rain; today a pale grey sky may give up some much needed precipitation. We are now on a stretch of “single line”. (09.42hrs), and once again, I am experiencing a further brief glimpse of Australia as we progress towards our next stop, Ararat.
ARARAT 11.34am (approx).
(Video taken leaving Ararat)
The train announcer informs us that Ararat is the first Chinese settlement in Australia. What little I saw from the train gave no hint at such.
STAWELL 11.58 approx.
Now there’s something I have not seen for decades, line-side telegraph wires! Childhood and teenage memories.
HORSHAM 12.48hrs
Still part of Public Transport Victoria (PTV)
Now, all we need is jointed rail and steam!
DIMBOOLA 13.10hrs (PTV) Driver/ loco crew relieved here. It looks as if the only outside pictures I can take of the train will be at Adelaide. The doors were locked around 15 minutes before departure from Melbourne.
NHILL 13.39 approx.
These stops are for but a few seconds. Apparently the grain silo which dates back to the 1920s is the largest in the southern hemisphere and it is here at Nhill.
Crossed from Victoria into South Australia 14.16 hrs. Time now 13.46hrs. Running 5 – 10 minutes late.
I wouldn’t be surprised if we had made up any lost time. Station dwells were mere seconds in duration leaving me wondering if anybody left or boarded the train at these very brief station calls. The slightly grey skies of this morning, complete with rainbow at one point, have given way to something very much clearer and brighter. No rain for the foreseeable future then. 15.28hrs South Australia Time. Afternoon Tea is just being trollied to coach A. From what I see, I may well “pass” on that; the cakes are definitely a “no-no!” I discover that I have two nights in Adelaide before completing my Australian railtour on the Indian Pacific to Perth. Being mid-week, I should be able to catch up on laundry, and, perhaps some post card writing, as well as explore the city. Catching up on those early rises is also high on my list of priorities. I have purchased a number of Ghan and Overland goodies, particularly as the latter finishes later this year. These, I will post to the U.K.
I never mentioned our call at Murray Bridge. From the train, the first bridge over the Murray River, can be seen as we pass over a more recent, but still traditional structure.
16.20hrs. We have climbed into hilly countryside from the vast plains and glimpses of the Grampians that came before, still in Victoria. There is just over an hour before we reach our destination, and the end of another magnificent rail journey. The days are going quickly, just like at home. As we travel through the hills towards Adelaide, I am reminded of last year’s visit to Cleland Wildlife Park where kangaroos and emus were aplenty. I am unsure whether those twig stumps I saw from the train to Cairns were in fact kangaroos!
MURRAY BRIDGE 15.47hrs
Next stop, ADELAIDE at 17.30.
Earlier, I wrote but deleted my only issue with recent rail journeys, that is far too many back to back announcements at the beginning of the journey; I remember trains before the advent of on board P.A. systems. I do figure that much of this is an excersise in negating company liability in the event of something going wrong. That, I do appreciate but surely the signage in the toilets is pretty clear! Once all that was taken care of, further announcements were relevant and contributed to an already wonderful travel experience. I hope this train gets a reprieve, it has been a privilege and enormous pleasure to travel on THE OVERLAND.
Many thanks for reading.
David.
David's Cruise 