"The Flier," one of the few specially named trains of the Victorian Railways, first spread its wings on May 3, 1926, when it made its inaugural run to Geelong.
     "The Flier" originally left from No. 1 platform at Flinders Street. It was a non-stop train, and it was kept to a tight schedule. It was the Railways answer to the threat of road competition, and train running staffs were impressed with the necessity to establish a good on-time reputation this express.
     Referring to its introduction, the annual report of the Commissioners for the year ended June 30, 1926, stated: "An express train between Melbourne and Geelong was decided upon as a result of the growing importance of Geelong as an industrial centre and in order to provide a fast service which would enable business men and others to leave Melbourne at a convenient hour in the morning and return in time for the evening meal.

70-minute schedule

     Under the existing schedule 'The Flier' leaves Flinders Street at 9 a.m. and returns from Geelong at 4 p.m., the journey occupying 70 minutes in each direction, but arrangements are being made which should enable the trip to be completed in an hour. The results to date have been quite satisfactory, and in addition to meeting a public demand, the inauguration of this service is an important factor in combating passenger transport by road.
     The trip was ultimately completed within the hour following the installation of automatic staff exchangers between Newport South and North Geelong.      The "Geelong Flier" became "The Flier" in 1927 when the Western District was brought one and a half hours nearer by rail to Melbourne. "The Flier" left Spencer Street at 8.20 a.m. and on the trip to Port Fairy stopped only at Geelong, Birregurra, Colac and Camperdown, and then at all stations. On the return journey the train left Camperdown at 2.20 p.m. daily, stopping at Colac, Birregurra and all stations to Geelong and then ran express to Melbourne.
     Reporting the first run of "The Flier" on October 17, 1927, the Victorian Railways Magazine had this to say about it: "Fed on speed the 'Geelong Flier's' appetite has increased. It has chafed at the shortness of its swoop to Geelong. It sweeps through Geelong and soars further along the line to Camperdown and ultimately to Port Fairy. It covers the whole journey in six hours thirty four minutes."
     Extension of "The Flier" service to the Western District was not an easy matter. In fact it provided the then Transportation Branch with a series of time-table problems. For example, it was discovered that no fewer than thirty-three separate electric trains would be affected by "The Flier's" new schedule. In some cases only a matter of sixty seconds were involved.      It will be noted that "The Flier's" original schedule of 70 minutes was reduced by ten minutes and, when it left Spencer Street on the extended service, the time from Melbourne to Geelong was 63 minutes. This is explained by the heavier loading that followed the extension of the service to the Western District. The improved A2 engine hauling "The Flier" has since enabled the Department to maintain the improved service beyond Geelong and to cut the travelling time from Melbourne to Geelong to fifty-five minutes, the average speed for the journey is 49.1 m.p.h.
     The Department has recommended electrification between Newport South and Geelong, and also duplication of the Newport South-Werribee and North Geelong-North Shore sections at an estimated cost of £1,188,000, when even greater speed and increased frequency of passenger services may be expected. The plans provide for electric locomotives of general utility type with a speed range of up to 70 m.p.h. These improvements would make it possible to provide a considerable increase in the number of passenger trains each way.

Reprinted from The Victorian Railways New Letter, March, 1950

     Decisions to complete partly-finished sextuplication work on the Illawarra line and tunnelling and trackage between Redfern and Martin Place were made by the NSW State Cabinet last month.
     Cabinet had also decided to abandon all portions of the Eastern Suburbs Railway south of Gardeners Road, Mascot. This includes the sections between Coogee, Maroubra, Matraville, Kingsford, Botany and Mascot.
     It also decided to commission an American consulting firm, De Leuw, Cather and Co. to make a survey on the advisability of constructing the line from Martin Place via Kings Cross to Bondi Junction or whether the route should be varied. The possible use of buses or other transport media instead of the railway will also be investigated.
     Work on the addition of two tracks (making six in all) between Redfern and Tempe, has not been undertaken since 1952 when a considerable amount of earthworks and retaining wall structures had been completed.
     Additional platforms are being built at Sydenham to serve Bankstown line trains and this work is to be incorporated in the Redfern-Tempe project.
     The extra facilities on the Illawarra line are necessary before the unused tunnel under the city area can be fully utilised. From Redfern (where new platforms will be built) two tracks will pass under Prince Alfred Park to Chalmers Street (beside Central electric platforms). A big excavation and most of the steelwork for an underground station has been completed here and roofing to restore road surface was suspended last month to divert available finance for urgent works concerning the forthcoming inauguration of the Sydney-Melbourne standard gauge operations. These works include the lengthening of Nos. 1, 2 and 3 platforms at Sydney terminal, additional facilities at Alexandria freight yard, and conversion of the Eveleigh running sheds to house new air-conditioned trains.
     From Chalmers Street, the new tracks will go underground to Town Hall station (two new platforms to be constructed) and thence under the city in a north-easterly direction to Martin Place where a station site has already been excavated. Some tunnelling has already been completed either side of this station.
     Further extensions eastward from Martin Place by viaduct and tunnel to Kings Cross and Bondi Junction will depend on the recommendations made by the American company.
     The decision to abandon the southern sections of the Eastern Suburbs Railway will release large areas of land for industrial and residential development.
     Appointment of the US firm to investigate the ESR and its potentialities is considered to be a stalling move by the Government to carry it through to the next election without having to make a definite decision on the construction of the line. Informed circles believe, that unlike the Ebasco report of 1957, this company will recommend resumption of work on the project.
     Application of other transport methods such as buses and monorails seems grossly unlikely in view of the operating advantages for the NSWGR accruing even from completion as far as Martin Place.
     It is planned to through-route Illawarra line trains to the Eastern Suburbs and completion of the Martin Place station and its connection to Town Hall and Chalmers St. will provide not only an important rail outlet in the north-east section of the city but a handy turn-back facility for trains on this line.

Reprinted from Railway Transportation, September, 1961

     A train in motion, especially an express passenger train speeding through our lovely country, is a fine sight. Exactly why a train in motion should be such an attraction is not easy to say. Motors and electric tramcars often go, for short distances at least, very quickly, but for one person who turns to glance at them a hundred will linger to watch a passing train, even if it be merely a "goods." This interest in trains asserts itself more strongly in Great Britain than in any other country. Perhaps it is due to the neat outline, the smart finish, and the pretty colours of British locomotives and carriages. The distinctive liveries indulged in by our railway companies enable us to tell quite a long distance away to what company a train belongs. There is no mistaking the black engines, and the coaches with brown bodies and milk-coloured panels of the London and North-Western. We cannot confuse a Great Northern train, with its light green engine and carriages of varnished wood, with a London and South-Western train, for although the engine of the latter is nearly the same shade of green, the brown and salmon coloured carriages make all the difference. A Midland train, with engine and coaches of one colour, namely, lake, forms a triumph of harmony.
     British express trains have always enjoyed the reputation of being second to none for speed and safety. True, they are not so grandly furnished as some of the special trains in foreign countries where great distances have to be traversed. In Great Britain there are few railway journeys which cannot be begun and ended between breakfast and dinner time; consequently there is no need for us to make our trains like hotels on wheels, a step that becomes necessary when travellers have to spend a day and a night, or several days and nights, in the train.

"The Grampian" Corridor Express, Glasgow to Aberdeen, Caledonian Railway

     All our main line expresses are now what are called corridor trains, the compartments being no longer completely cut off from each other. There is a passage down the side or middle of each carriage, and the space between two carriages is bridged by a covered gangway; hence we can walk from one end of the train to the other with perfect freedom and safety. Nearly every long-distance express contains a restaurant car, in which hot meals are served to passengers at the usual hours, just as in a house. And on long night journeys first-class travellers have sleeping cars placed at their disposal, the cabins of which are every bit as comfortable to sleep in as those on board ship.
     The regulation test of a British express train is a speed of 40 miles an hour including stops. It requires some energy to satisfy this test where a journey of several hundred miles is in question. As a rule, such a train has to labour slowly up many hills, to slacken speed for bridges, curves, or junctions, besides consuming precious time in, say, half-a-dozen stoppages of as many minutes each. But a good number of trains do much better, attaining an inclusive speed of 50 miles an hour and upwards for long distances, even when they have to climb long hills as well.
     In picking out some of our crack express trains a system of classification by length of journey must be observed. The East Coast route runs trains from King's Cross to Edinburgh, 393 miles, in 7¾ hours, the speed, inclusive of stops, being 50¾ miles an hour; the West Coast from Euston to Edinburgh, 400 miles, in 8 hours, and from Euston to Glasgow, 401¾ miles, in 8 hours, the inclusive speed being 50 miles an hour in each case; and the Midland, whose route is much the most difficult of the three, from St. Pancras to Glasgow, 423½ miles, in 8¾ hours, inclusive speed 48 miles an hour, and to Edinburgh, 406 miles, in 8 hrs. 35 min., inclusive speed 47 miles an hour, although between Carlisle and Edinburgh two hills, 950 ft. and 850 ft. in height respectively, have to be ascended. The night expresses from London to Aberdeen occupy 11¼ hours by the West Coast route, which is 539½ miles in length, and 11 hrs. 7 min. by that of the East Coast, which is 16½ miles shorter, the inclusive speeds being respectively 48 and 47 miles an hour.
     The famous Cornish Express of the Great Western Railway covers the 305½ miles between London and Penzance in 6 hrs. 35 min., which gives an average speed of 44 miles an hour, but west of Exeter, or for nearly half the distance, the train meets with a constant succession of steep gradients, while for part of the distance between Truro and Penzance the line is single-track. In the list of trains which perform journeys from 200 to 300 miles in length, we note the Irish night express from Euston to Holyhead, 263½ miles, in 5¼ hours, or 50 miles an hour inclusive. The Mail trains between Euston and Holyhead — the "Wild Irishmen," as they are called — take about a quarter of an hour longer. The Irish boat expresses of the Great Western Company accomplish the 261½ miles between Paddington and Fishguard in 5½ hours, the average speed working out at nearly 48 miles an hour. A fine dining-car express starts from King's Cross every afternoon for Newcastle-on-Tyne, accomplishing the run of 268¾ miles in 5 hrs. 12 min., which gives a speed of 52 miles an hour. The North-Eastern Company gives a splendid morning express from Leeds to Edinburgh, 229 miles, in 4 hrs. 32 min. — speed 50½ miles an hour. We can travel by the London and South-Western Railway from London to Plymouth in 4 hrs. 43 min., and as the distance is 230 miles the speed, including stops, is 48¾ miles an hour. This is a very fine performance, for the route is hilly and has many sharp curves. During the summer holidays a North-Western express will convey us from Euston to Llandudno, 227 miles, in 4 hrs. 42 min. — speed 48 miles an hour.
     The fastest journeys, however, are made between London and the big towns in the provinces which lie from 100 to 200 miles away.

A Great Northern Express

     The shortest route to Liverpool is by the North-Western line. The distance is 192 miles, and the "flyers" perform the journey in 3 hrs. 28 min., — speed 55¼ miles an hour. The traveller has the choice of four lines between London and Manchester. Here again the North-Western is the best, and its fastest trains wipe off the 188¾ miles in 3½ hours — speed 54 miles an hour. The Midland route is a little longer, viz., 189¼ miles, but it is much harder, for the line is carried across the wild Derbyshire Peak district, which means climbing a hill of 1,000 ft. Nevertheless, the journey is performed in 3 hrs. 40 min. Both the Great Northern and Great Central companies have routes to Manchester that slightly exceed 200 miles in length, and are one and the same north of Sheffield, between which city and Manchester the Pennine Mountains are crossed by one of the hardest pieces of railway in England, ending in the Woodhead tunnel, 3 miles long. Yet each company gives a train that averages close on 50 miles an hour.

Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Manchester to Blackpool Express picking up water while running at 50 miles an hour.

     Leeds is connected with London by a number of splendid expresses. By the Great Northern route, 185¾ miles, the fastest journey occupies 3 hrs. 25 min. — speed 54¼ miles an hour, while by the Midland, 196 miles long, there is an express that runs from Leeds to St. Pancras without a stop in 3 hrs, 35 min. — speed 54¾ miles an hour.
     In point of time Birmingham has become very near to London. The North-Western Railway runs 40 express trains a day to and fro, nine of which perform the journey of 113½ miles without a stop in 2 hours; while on the rival Great Western route, which was recently shortened to 110½ miles, there are half-a-dozen two-hour trains. A wonderful swarm of ultra-rapid short-distance trains, which have to cut their way through a maze of junctions, enable passengers to pass between Liverpool and Manchester every few minutes of the day. The service of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Company is the most remarkable of the three, for the run of 36½ miles, a very hilly one, is accomplished in 40 minutes, or at the rate of speed of 55½ miles an hour, by as many as 24 trains a day.

The Southern Belle, London, Brighton and South Coast Railway

     The railways which carry Londoners to the South Coast do not furnish such rapid travelling as the northern lines. But there is a reason for this. The distances are so short that, after deducting stops and suburbs, there is not a long enough piece of open road in which to make up the required average speed. The Brighton Company's crack express "The Southern Belle," entirely composed of beautifully-furnished Pullman cars, represents, however, the perfection of swift and luxurious travel. Four times a day it covers the 51 miles between Victoria and Brighton in 60 minutes. Again, many stretches of the southern lines are extremely hilly. The line to Dover, for example, is very steep throughout, but the Continental boat expresses are run in much more dashing style than the timing of 1¾ hours for 78 miles would imply.

Reprinted from The Wonder Book of Railways, circa 1920

     The world's first audibly-operated signal installation in which an ingenious electronic detector converts the sound of locomotive horns into electrical energy for signal and barrier manipulation has been developed by the staff of the New Zealand Railways.
     The detector and its associated equipment have been installed at Plimmerton to overcome the problem of lengthy delays to road traffic using the nearby barrier-protected Shrewsbury Terrace level crossing when the station is unattended.
     Plimmerton is 151 miles from Wellington on the electrified section of the North Island Main Trunk Route to Auckland.
     Previously, when there were no staff on duty and the signal control panel was not in use, the automatic signalling system could not distinguish between stopping and through trains. This meant that the barriers at the level crossing were lowered for the whole of the time a southbound (to Wellington) train stood at the platform, causing undue delays to road traffic. The Down starting signal at Plimmerton would show a clear indication provided the section ahead was not block or occupied.
     Now, the normal indication for the Down Starting signal has been altered to Stop and the lowering of the barriers and clearance of the signal is effected in response to the sounds of the locomotive horns picked up by carefully adjusted microphones (or 'whistle detectors') located in appropriate positions.
     One detector is located 300 yards north of the Down Home signal, about a mile north of the station while a second is placed alongside the Down Starter. In addition, a push-button control panel has been installed at the station.
     When the driver of a through train approaches the first detector he sounds the horn. Passing through a microphone and transistorised amplifier, the sound waves are converted to electrical energy which, in effect, asks the starting signal to clear thus, in turn, setting the barriers for automatic operation. The Down Starter changes to Clear, the Down Home from Caution to Clear and as the train approaches the crossing, the barrier arms are lowered into position.
     The driver of a train intending to stop at Plimmerton does not whistle at the first detector. Consequently, the Down Starter remains at Stop and the barriers remain up. When the train is ready to depart, the guard operates the push-button on the platform or the driver can sound the horn registering his request with the second detector. This causes the barriers to lower and the signal to clear.
     If a through train is following closely behind another train, the Down Starting signal may still be showing a Stop indication as the train approaches. The whistle sounded at the first detector will be 'remembered' by the equipment and as soon as the train ahead had proceeded a safe distance the second train will be automatically cleared through the crossing with the barriers lowered.
     Alternatively, the driver of the second train can whistle while stationary in the platform so that the second detector can accede to his call as soon as the section is clear.
     Any whistled request for a signal, received on either detector, will cause a small white light to show beneath the second detector. This informs the driver that his request has been registered and will be granted when conditions permit.
     The detector equipment operates on the 'fail-safe' similar to the automatic signalling system and simply provides a means for the driver to state his intention in the absence of station staff.
     The microphones have been adjusted to respond only to the notes of the horns fitted to the diesel and electric locomotives and trains used on the line and then only when the signalling system recognises the presence of a train in the right place. Motorists can honk their car horns to their hearts' content without any effect on the installation.

Reprinted from Railway Transportation, August, 1963

     Only one of every 50 Americans travelling between two cities takes a train — a statistic that explains why U.S. Railroads have lost money on their passenger business every year since 1945. Nonetheless, many railroaders are now more optimistic about passenger trains than they have been for years. They feel that proposed new, fast trains, including a 150 m.p.h. super-train between New York and Washington, on which test runs begin next year, will eventually lure many inter-city travellers from cars (now used by 90%) and planes (5%). Meantime, many lines are concentrating on special trains, spruced up equipment, new services and engaging advertising to perk up their passenger business. There is some evidence that they are succeeding; last year for the first time since 1944 the railroads carried more passengers than the year before.

Champagne And Candlelight

     In early December, the Atlantic Coast Line's 'Florida Special' began its daily winter-season runs between New York and Miami, offering such unusual amenities as free champagne and dinner by candlelight. Each train has television, a telephone, and a recreation car run by an airline style hostess who models resort wear, leads games and shows movies.
     The Pennsylvania Railroad last month began a low key advertising campaign for its all Pullman 'Broadway Limited' between New York and Chicago, which now averages only 95 passengers per trip. Sample: 'The Broadway Limited isn't a Wingjet, a Jumpjet, a Speedjet, or a Jetjet. It's called a train'. The Pennsy recently added sherry with dinner, delivers newspapers to each room, offers bedrooms with showers.
     Three Chesapeake & Ohio - Baltimore & Ohio trains now show free, first-run movies. The line's 'Chicago Express' between Washington and Chicago last summer began carrying passengers' automobiles (for $50) on a rack car attached to the rear of the train, and will offer the service again next summer. Most railroads are experimenting with fare cuts to boost traffic, especially at off-peak hours. C&O - B&0 cuts its fares 31% on 'red-circle days' (Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays), when travel is light; the Pennsy. has cut-rate mid.-week Philadelphia — New York Ladies' Day Specials. Only a few trains offer such attractions however, and the railroads' revenues and profits from passengers are still declining.
     The Sante Fe last year spent $8,000,000 on new dome cars for its 'El Capitan' from Chicago to Los Angeles and its 'San Francisco Chief', also refurbished its famous 'Super Chief.' The Sante Fe now offers gift certificates for train-trip presents and, for $12, a meal ticket book good for all five meals on trains between Chicago and Los Angeles.
     The Union Pacific's trains from Chicago to the West Coast still maintain a tradition of comfort and good service that continues to attract passengers. The Burlington, whose California and Denver 'Zephyrs' used to carry peak loads only in summer, will spend $250,000 this winter jointly with Hertz Corp. to promote Colorado skiing. It has already been so successful that ski-season reservations on its trains must often be made months in advance.

Reprinted from South Australian Railways Institute Magazine, March-April, 1966

     Delivery of the first double deck suburban trailer car for the New South Wales Government Railways, is scheduled for February.
     World wide interest has been shown in this revolutionary bid to increase the passenger carrying capacity of the Sydney suburban system without the expensive and unproductive expedient of additional trackage and facilities.
     An order for 120 double deck cars was placed with Tulloch Ltd., of Rhodes, in September, 1962, with first completions planned for the end of 1963. Subsequent deliveries will be made at the rate of 40 per year with the order finalised by early 1967.
     The car conforms to a unique centre well design with a two-level central saloon. Floor level of the end saloons and vestibules is at normal platform height (4 ft. 0¼ in. above rail).
     From the vestibules, stairways lead either up or down to the centre saloons which seat 52 passengers each in two-and-three seating of an improved design. Fourteen passengers are accommodated on perimeter seating in the end vestibules giving a total seating capacity for the car of 132 compared with approximately 70 in conventional vehicles.
     It is estimated that each car will hold 278 passengers under full load conditions.
     Floor level in the lower saloon is 1 ft. 2¼ in. above rail and 7 ft. 10 in. in the upper deck. Headroom in both sections is 6 ft. 3 in.
     A wide application of aluminium alloy in sheet, plate and extrusions for all but the main load-bearing members and fibreglass for interior trim has enabled the tare weight of the cars to be kept at 33½ tons, giving a loaded figure of approximately 51 tons.
     The double decks will be illuminated with fluorescent tubes and will have exhauster fans for additional ventilation on both decks.
     Forty of the cars will be fitted with power-operated doors and will be included in the existing ten eight-car S-type trains with four-motor traction equipment. The trailer cars so displaced will have their power-operated doors removed and will replace obsolete widened trailer cars in normal train sets.
     The double deck cars will be mounted on two four-wheel bogies equipped with air-bag suspension. This will be first large scale installation of this equipment in Australia.

Reprinted from Railway Transportation, February, 1964

NEXT WEEK LUXURY BOOKING LOUNGE PROGRESS ON AUSTRALIAN NORTH-SOUTH LINE THE GRAND NATIONAL, 1907 THE "OREGON PONY" NEW GREAT WESTERN RAILCAR FOR TRAILER HAULAGE TO WALK OR TO RIDE? HELICOPTERS IN — TRAINS OUT LAST OF THE SHUNTING HORSES