Railway Digest Magazine January 2024 Back Issue

Adieu Australind
On 24 November 1947, the Western Australian Government Railways introduced a new express train, named Australind, running from Perth to Bunbury. Originally locomotive-hauled, it became a railcar service from 14 November 1987. The Australind service is currently suspended, replaced by buses, while the Armadale suburban railway undergoes a major 18-month rebuild. David Whiteford took the opportunity to look at the history and recent operation of the Australind.

Sydney Station Stories – St James
In the latest instalment of his Sydney Station Stories series, Chris Walters looks at St James, on the Sydney City Circle underground railway. Conceived as a busy interchange station, and operating for many years as a terminal, today St James is a regular two-platform ‘through station’, though it remains one of Sydney’s great art-deco masterpieces.

The Survivor – Q317/Q4017
Phil Melling reports on the curious case of Q317/Q4017, a Clyde/EMD GT46c locomotive, built in 1998, which unlike its classmates, has managed to retain its Westrail yellow paint and black ‘tiger stripes’ through various changes of ownership and even a change of identity!

A busy railway day at Ararat
Having heard that The Ghan would be making a rare visit to Victoria on Wednesday 1 November 2023, with a run from Adelaide terminal to the unusual destination of Inverleigh (28 kilometres west of Geelong) and return, John ‘Sooty’ Dare decided to pay a visit to Ararat. Not just to watch The Ghan pass through, but to see what else may be going on at this often-busy junction point.