CountryLink XPT
Encyclopedia
The XPT is the main long-distance passenger train used in regional
New South Wales
, Australia. It operates on key eastern seaboard routes including the Sydney-Melbourne
and Sydney-Brisbane
services. It has been in service from 1982, and is based on the InterCity 125
High Speed Train designed by British Rail
.
led to the situation becoming a political issue in the 1976 State Election
. In 1977, the Public Transport Commission
issued several tenders for the construction of replacement rail vehicles of varying types. Commonwealth Engineering
(Comeng) submitted a tender for a single type of train based on the British InterCity 125
train, which had entered service from 1976. In 1979, this Comeng bid was successful and although the bid was for 100 vehicles, only 30 were constructed by the time the contracts were signed in 1980. The initial order was for four sets of five passenger cars hauled by two power cars each, and two spare power cars.
The HST design had to be significantly modified, with the power cars becoming shorter, the engine being down rated, and air filters and the cooling system modified to cater for hot and dusty Australian conditions. The passenger trailers cars were based on a Budd design, rather than the British Rail Mark 3
trailers of the HST (InterCity 125), which were considered unsuitable. The interior of the passenger cars was based on the HST however, with fixed seating of 1+2 configuration in first class and 2+2 configuration in second class.
railcar. On a test run to Albury on 10 September 1992 the XPT reached 193 km/h between Table Top and Yerong Creek. However this record was broken by Queensland's QR Tilt Train in 1999.
The first full test XPT set ran in January 1982, and the first revenue passenger service began on 8 April 1982 to Dubbo, replacing the locomotive
-hauled Central West Express. The next service was the Mid- North Coast XPT to Kempsey
from May 1982. The Riverina XPT to Albury
was introduced in August 1982, with services introduced to Canberra in August 1983 and Tenterfield
or Armidale
in 1984 (the Northern Tablelands XPT). The initial XPT livery was the red, orange and black, the so called 'Candy' livery of the then State Rail Authority of New South Wales.
Initially the XPT carried a fare surcharge compared to parallel locomotive-hauled services, however this was abolished in 1985. The XPT was a success, with high patronage forcing the order and delivery of an additional 12 trailer cars to allow six sets of 7 passenger cars. This allowed the extension of the Mid-North Coast XPT from Kempsey to Grafton, becoming the Holiday Coast XPT from 1985.
In 1988, the Booz- Allen Hamilton report issued by the newly elected Greiner State Government
recommended the cessation of all country passenger services, citing their economic non-viability. This was considered politically unfeasible, so the report's alternative option of moving New South Wales to an all-XPT country passenger service was adopted, resulting in the progressive withdrawal of locomotive-hauled services. In 1989, CountryLink
was established as a business unit of State Rail, and from 1990, XPT services were extended to Brisbane and Murwillumbah, the Northern Tablelands XPT was cut back to Tamworth, and the Canberra XPT was withdrawn, replaced by locomotive-hauled trains (prior to the introduction of the CountryLink Xplorer
railcars).
Between 1990 and 1992, with the inception of the CountryLink brand, the trains were repainted in a new blue, turquoise and white livery. In 1992, tenders were called for the provision of additional rollingstock and the refurbishment of existing cars for the introduction of XPT services to Melbourne
. ABB in Dandenong, Victoria constructed four additional power cars, five new seating cars and eight new sleeper cars. The sleeper cars were introduced on services to Murwillumbah and Brisbane in 1993, the Tamworth XPT was replaced by an Xplorer set, and the daily Grafton XPT was introduced. Services to Melbourne began at the end of 1993, initially a single overnight service (replacing the Sydney/Melbourne Express
) but later an additional daily service was introduced, by extending the "Riverina XPT" service from Albury, on the New South Wales/Victorian border through to Melbourne, a distance of approx 320 kilometres, replacing the Intercapital Daylight Express
(which had actually been withdrawn earlier in 1991). In 2004, with the cessation of services on the Murwillumbah branch line, the Murwillumbah XPT was cut back to Casino
.
CountryLink's fleet currently includes
Carriage coding, features and numbers are as follows:
Typically the XPT operates as a seven-car set consisting of (from Sydney end) XP-XFH-XF-XF-XBR-XL-XP for services on the Central West XPT to Dubbo. All other services have the XAM first class day/nighter car attached to the XL sitting car. Countrylink operate the XAM cars on all services arriving and departing Sydney to/from Melbourne, Brisbane, Grafton and Casino.
XPT power cars originally featured a Paxman Valenta
12RP200L Engine with a single turbocharger. These were recently replaced by Paxman VP185 12-cylinder, diesel electric engines with four low-pressure turbochargers and two high-pressure turbochargers boasting 1492 kW / 2000 horsepower. The first retrofitted power car, XP2016, returned to service on 27 June 2000. Traction equipment was manufactured by Brush Traction
of Loughborough
, England.
Power cars comprise five main compartments at the platform level. At the front is the drivers' cab, followed by the clean air compartment, engine room, cooling group, and compressor room at the rear of the locomotive.
A typical XPT consist will include two power cars, one pulling and the other pushing as per the British Intercity 125
, removing the need to shunt locomotives from one end of the train to the other to change directions. While the Intercity 125 may carry up to 9 passenger cars, the XPT rarely carries as many as 8 trailers.
The State Rail Authority has named 18 of the 19 XP power cars after destinations that the XPT has served.
These are:
Currently only power cars XP2003, XP2004, XP2006, XP2007 and XP2017 retain their names.
Early in the split-up of the NSW State Rail Authority into CountryLink, CityRail and FreightRail, power car XP2012, "City of Tamworth" was used in many CountryLink publicity photographs.
Regional rail
Commuter rail, also called suburban rail, is a passenger rail transport service that primarily operates between a city center, and the middle to outer suburbs beyond 15km and commuter towns or other locations that draw large numbers of commuters—people who travel on a daily basis...
New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia. It operates on key eastern seaboard routes including the Sydney-Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
and Sydney-Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
services. It has been in service from 1982, and is based on the InterCity 125
InterCity 125
The InterCity 125 was the brand name of British Rail's High Speed Train fleet. The InterCity 125 train is made up of two power cars, one at each end of a fixed formation of Mark 3 carriages, and is capable of , making the train the fastest diesel-powered locomotive in regular service in the...
High Speed Train designed by British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
.
Development
In the 1970s, public concern about the ageing state of passenger rollingstock in New South WalesRail rollingstock in New South Wales
The railways of New South Wales, Australia, use a large variety of passenger and freight rollingstock.- Suburban Passenger Rollingstock :From the opening of the first railway line in Sydney in 1855, suburban steam hauled trains operated suburban services. By 1890, suburban steam hauled trains ran...
led to the situation becoming a political issue in the 1976 State Election
New South Wales state election, 1976
A general election for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly was held in the state of New South Wales, Australia, on Saturday 1 May 1976. The result was a narrow win for the Australian Labor Party under Neville Wran—the party's first in the state in more than a decade.- Issues :The incumbent...
. In 1977, the Public Transport Commission
New South Wales Public Transport Commission
The Public Transport Commission was a state government agency responsible for the provision of rail, bus and ferry services in New South Wales, Australia between 1972 and 1980.-History:...
issued several tenders for the construction of replacement rail vehicles of varying types. Commonwealth Engineering
Commonwealth Engineering
The Commonwealth Engineering Company Limited is the brand name of a former Australian Engineering Company that designed Locomotives, Electrical Multiple Units , Diesel Multiple Units and Trams.-History:...
(Comeng) submitted a tender for a single type of train based on the British InterCity 125
InterCity 125
The InterCity 125 was the brand name of British Rail's High Speed Train fleet. The InterCity 125 train is made up of two power cars, one at each end of a fixed formation of Mark 3 carriages, and is capable of , making the train the fastest diesel-powered locomotive in regular service in the...
train, which had entered service from 1976. In 1979, this Comeng bid was successful and although the bid was for 100 vehicles, only 30 were constructed by the time the contracts were signed in 1980. The initial order was for four sets of five passenger cars hauled by two power cars each, and two spare power cars.
The HST design had to be significantly modified, with the power cars becoming shorter, the engine being down rated, and air filters and the cooling system modified to cater for hot and dusty Australian conditions. The passenger trailers cars were based on a Budd design, rather than the British Rail Mark 3
British Rail Mark 3
British Rail's third design of standard carriage was designated 'Mark 3' , and was developed primarily for the InterCity 125 High Speed Train...
trailers of the HST (InterCity 125), which were considered unsuitable. The interior of the passenger cars was based on the HST however, with fixed seating of 1+2 configuration in first class and 2+2 configuration in second class.
In service
The first two power cars commenced testing with a luggage van in August 1981. With an operating speed of over 160 km/h, on a demonstration run to Albury on 6 September 1981 the XPT set a new Australian speed record of 183 km/h between Table Top and Gerogery, about 40 km from Wagga Wagga, breaking that of Western Australia's 1971 ProspectorTranswa Prospector
The Transwa Prospector is a standard-gauge passenger train operated by Transwa that runs between Perth, Western Australia, and the Goldfields town of Kalgoorlie.-History:...
railcar. On a test run to Albury on 10 September 1992 the XPT reached 193 km/h between Table Top and Yerong Creek. However this record was broken by Queensland's QR Tilt Train in 1999.
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
-hauled Central West Express. The next service was the Mid- North Coast XPT to Kempsey
Kempsey, New South Wales
Kempsey is a town in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, Australia and is the council seat for Kempsey Shire. It is located 15 kilometres inland from the coast of the Pacific Ocean where the Pacific Highway and the North Coast railway line cross the Macleay River...
from May 1982. The Riverina XPT to Albury
Albury, New South Wales
Albury is a major regional city in New South Wales, Australia, located on the Hume Highway on the northern side of the Murray River. It is located wholly within the boundaries of the City of Albury Local Government Area...
was introduced in August 1982, with services introduced to Canberra in August 1983 and Tenterfield
Tenterfield, New South Wales
Tenterfield is a town in New South Wales, Australia. It is located in the New England region at the intersection of the New England and Bruxner Highways. Tenterfield is a three-hour drive from Brisbane, 2.5 hours from Byron Bay, two hours from Armidale, New South Wales and 10 hours from Sydney....
or Armidale
Armidale, New South Wales
Armidale is a city in the Northern Tablelands, New South Wales, Australia. Armidale Dumaresq Shire had a population of 19,485 people according to the 2006 census. It is the administrative centre for the Northern Tablelands region...
in 1984 (the Northern Tablelands XPT). The initial XPT livery was the red, orange and black, the so called 'Candy' livery of the then State Rail Authority of New South Wales.
Initially the XPT carried a fare surcharge compared to parallel locomotive-hauled services, however this was abolished in 1985. The XPT was a success, with high patronage forcing the order and delivery of an additional 12 trailer cars to allow six sets of 7 passenger cars. This allowed the extension of the Mid-North Coast XPT from Kempsey to Grafton, becoming the Holiday Coast XPT from 1985.
In 1988, the Booz- Allen Hamilton report issued by the newly elected Greiner State Government
Nick Greiner
Nicholas "Nick" Frank Hugo Greiner AC, is an Australian businessman and former politician. He was the 37th Premier New South Wales from 1988 to 1992. He was Leader of the New South Wales Division of the Liberal Party from 1983 to 1992 and Leader of the Opposition from 1983 to 1988. He is married...
recommended the cessation of all country passenger services, citing their economic non-viability. This was considered politically unfeasible, so the report's alternative option of moving New South Wales to an all-XPT country passenger service was adopted, resulting in the progressive withdrawal of locomotive-hauled services. In 1989, CountryLink
CountryLink
CountryLink is the operator of passenger rail services in country New South Wales, Australia and into Queensland and Victoria. It is an operating brand of the Rail Corporation New South Wales, a government-owned entity...
was established as a business unit of State Rail, and from 1990, XPT services were extended to Brisbane and Murwillumbah, the Northern Tablelands XPT was cut back to Tamworth, and the Canberra XPT was withdrawn, replaced by locomotive-hauled trains (prior to the introduction of the CountryLink Xplorer
CountryLink Xplorer
The Xplorer is a Diesel Multiple Unit train used on country passenger rail services in New South Wales, Australia. It is one of two types of passenger rollingstock used by CountryLink, the government owned operator of country trains . The Xplorer trains entered service in 1993, and are externally...
railcars).
Between 1990 and 1992, with the inception of the CountryLink brand, the trains were repainted in a new blue, turquoise and white livery. In 1992, tenders were called for the provision of additional rollingstock and the refurbishment of existing cars for the introduction of XPT services to Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. ABB in Dandenong, Victoria constructed four additional power cars, five new seating cars and eight new sleeper cars. The sleeper cars were introduced on services to Murwillumbah and Brisbane in 1993, the Tamworth XPT was replaced by an Xplorer set, and the daily Grafton XPT was introduced. Services to Melbourne began at the end of 1993, initially a single overnight service (replacing the Sydney/Melbourne Express
Sydney/Melbourne Express
The Sydney/Melbourne Express was an intercapital passenger train service that operated between the Australian cities of Melbourne and Sydney between 1986 and 1993...
) but later an additional daily service was introduced, by extending the "Riverina XPT" service from Albury, on the New South Wales/Victorian border through to Melbourne, a distance of approx 320 kilometres, replacing the Intercapital Daylight Express
Intercapital Daylight
The Intercapital Daylight was a named passenger train that operated between the cities of Melbourne and Sydney in Australia, running during the daytime making intermediate stops between Sydney and Albury, but running express between Albury and Melbourne.-History:On the Victorian side the train was...
(which had actually been withdrawn earlier in 1991). In 2004, with the cessation of services on the Murwillumbah branch line, the Murwillumbah XPT was cut back to Casino
Casino, New South Wales
Casino is a town in the Northern Rivers area of New South Wales, Australia, with a population of 9,400 people . It lies on the banks of the Richmond River and is situated at the junction of the Bruxner Highway and the Summerland Way....
.
Services
The XPT fleet are currently used on five routes from Sydney:- Melbourne (2 daily each way, 2 overnight)
- Brisbane (Once daily each way, service to Brisbane is overnight)
- Dubbo (Once daily each way)
- Grafton (Once daily each way)
- Casino (Once daily each way, service from Casino to Sydney is overnight)
Fleet
- 19 XPT power cars
- 8 Sleeping cars
- 9 First class saloon cars
- 9 First class saloon/buffet cars
- 25 Economy class saloon cars
- 9 Economy class saloon/luggage cars
Carriages
- XP- Power Cars: XP 2000 - XP 2018. 2000 - 2014 were built by ComengCommonwealth EngineeringThe Commonwealth Engineering Company Limited is the brand name of a former Australian Engineering Company that designed Locomotives, Electrical Multiple Units , Diesel Multiple Units and Trams.-History:...
, 2015 - 2018 were built by ABB Transportation. - XFH- Economy Class, Booked Luggage & Guard's Lookout: XFH 2104 - XFH 2010, XFH 2112 and XFH 2113. All built by Comeng.
- XF- Economy Class: XF 2210 - XF 2224. All built by Comeng.
- XBR- First Class & Buffet: XBR 2150 - XBR 2158. All built by Comeng. XBR 2157 was rebuilt economy class saloon XD 2225 and XBR 2158 was rebuilt from economy saloon/luggage car XDH 2111; both were rebuilt by United Goninan at Broadmeadow New South Wales.
- XL- First Class: XL 2228 - XL 2236. XL 2228 - XL 2232 were built new by ABB Transportation at Dandenong Victoria, XL 2233 - 2236 were rebuilt by United Goninan at Broadmeadow, New South Wales from XFH/XDH saloon/luggage cars.
- XAM- First Class sleeping carSleeping carThe sleeping car or sleeper is a railway/railroad passenger car that can accommodate all its passengers in beds of one kind or another, primarily for the purpose of making nighttime travel more restful. The first such cars saw sporadic use on American railroads in the 1830s and could be configured...
, can also be used as a day sitting car: XAM 2175 - XAM 2182 were built by ABB Transportation.
Typically the XPT operates as a seven-car set consisting of (from Sydney end) XP-XFH-XF-XF-XBR-XL-XP for services on the Central West XPT to Dubbo. All other services have the XAM first class day/nighter car attached to the XL sitting car. Countrylink operate the XAM cars on all services arriving and departing Sydney to/from Melbourne, Brisbane, Grafton and Casino.
Power cars
Paxman Valenta
The Paxman Valenta was an engine that was made by Paxman diesels for the HST , and is still in use in various marine applications, such as the Upholder/Victoria class submarine....
12RP200L Engine with a single turbocharger. These were recently replaced by Paxman VP185 12-cylinder, diesel electric engines with four low-pressure turbochargers and two high-pressure turbochargers boasting 1492 kW / 2000 horsepower. The first retrofitted power car, XP2016, returned to service on 27 June 2000. Traction equipment was manufactured by Brush Traction
Brush Traction
This article is about a British rail-locomotive maker. For the Detroit auto-maker, see Brush Motor Car CompanyBrush Traction is a manufacturer and maintainer of railway locomotives, part of the FKI group , based at Loughborough in Leicestershire, England situated alongside the Midland Main Line.-...
of Loughborough
Loughborough
Loughborough is a town within the Charnwood borough of Leicestershire, England. It is the seat of Charnwood Borough Council and is home to Loughborough University...
, England.
Power cars comprise five main compartments at the platform level. At the front is the drivers' cab, followed by the clean air compartment, engine room, cooling group, and compressor room at the rear of the locomotive.
A typical XPT consist will include two power cars, one pulling and the other pushing as per the British Intercity 125
InterCity 125
The InterCity 125 was the brand name of British Rail's High Speed Train fleet. The InterCity 125 train is made up of two power cars, one at each end of a fixed formation of Mark 3 carriages, and is capable of , making the train the fastest diesel-powered locomotive in regular service in the...
, removing the need to shunt locomotives from one end of the train to the other to change directions. While the Intercity 125 may carry up to 9 passenger cars, the XPT rarely carries as many as 8 trailers.
The State Rail Authority has named 18 of the 19 XP power cars after destinations that the XPT has served.
These are:
- XP2000 - City of Maitland
- XP2001 - City of Dubbo
- XP2002 - City of Brisbane
- XP2003 - City of Orange
- XP2004 - City of Kempsey
- XP2005 - City of Newcastle
- XP2006 - City of Wagga Wagga
- XP2007 - City of Albury
- XP2008 - City of Goulburn
- XP2009 - City of Murwillumbah
- XP2010 - City of Taree
- XP2011 - City of Sydney
- XP2012 - City of Tamworth
- XP2013 - City of Casino
- XP2014 - City of Grafton
- XP2015 - City of Wangaratta
- XP2016 - City of Cootamundra
- XP2017 - City of Melbourne
- XP2018 - City of Coffs Harbour
Currently only power cars XP2003, XP2004, XP2006, XP2007 and XP2017 retain their names.
Early in the split-up of the NSW State Rail Authority into CountryLink, CityRail and FreightRail, power car XP2012, "City of Tamworth" was used in many CountryLink publicity photographs.
See also
- High-speed rail in AustraliaHigh-speed rail in AustraliaProposals for High-speed rail infrastructure in Australia have been under active investigation since the early 1980s. There is currently no such technology in active service in Australia; existing rail services between the east coast cities are slow, infrequent, and not realistically competitive...
- Rail transport in New South WalesRail transport in New South WalesThe Australian state of New South Wales has an extensive network of railways, which were integral to the growth and development of the state. The vast majority of railway lines were government built and operated, but there were also several private railways, some of which operate to this...
- CountryLinkCountryLinkCountryLink is the operator of passenger rail services in country New South Wales, Australia and into Queensland and Victoria. It is an operating brand of the Rail Corporation New South Wales, a government-owned entity...
- InterCity 125InterCity 125The InterCity 125 was the brand name of British Rail's High Speed Train fleet. The InterCity 125 train is made up of two power cars, one at each end of a fixed formation of Mark 3 carriages, and is capable of , making the train the fastest diesel-powered locomotive in regular service in the...