The Alice (train)

The Alice was an Australian passenger train service that ran between Sydney and Alice Springs from November 1983 until 1988.

The Alice
Stainless steel carriages of the type used on The Alice
Overview
Service typePassenger train
StatusCeased
First service14 November 1983
Last service28 October 1987
Former operator(s)State Rail Authority
Australian National
Route
TerminiSydney Central
Alice Springs
Distance travelled2,857 kilometres
Average journey time47 hours
Service frequency1 per week
Train number(s)WE3/WE4
Line(s) usedMain Western
Broken Hill
Trans Australian
Central Australian
Technical
Rolling stockComeng stainless steel carriages
Track gauge1,435 mm

History

The origins of The Alice can be traced back to 1982 when Railways of Australia suggested that one of the four weekly Indian Pacific services from Sydney to Perth be diverted to Alice Springs.[1] In October 1982 a trial run was operated carrying media representatives, travel managers and rail executives.[2]

The first service departed Sydney on 14 November 1983. It was jointly operated by the State Rail Authority and Australian National as a tourist train with sightseeing stops at Broken Hill, the South Australia / Northern Territory border, Kulgera, the Iron Man statue and the Finke River Bridge.[3][4][5]

It operated weekly departing Sydney on Mondays and Alice Springs on Wednesday, taking 47 hours to complete the 2,857 kilometre journey.[6]

It was suspended from December 1986 until March 1987, to allow the rolling stock to be used for extra Indian Pacific services during the 1987 America's Cup in Fremantle.[7][8] With dwindling patronage, the last service departed Alice Springs on 28 October 1987.[9][10][11]

Revival

The service was revived in April 1999, when The Ghan from Alice Springs to Adelaide was rerouted to Sydney on selected journeys.[12][13] This ceased in March 2003.[14][15]

Formation

The Alice was formed of stainless steel carriages built for the Indian Pacific and had accommodation for 142 first class passengers.[4][16] The Alice Springs bound service also included State Rail Authority RUB sitting carriages as far as Port Pirie. These returned east attached to an Indian Pacific service.[17][18]

It was hauled by State Rail Authority 46 class and 86 class electric locomotives from Sydney to Lithgow where an 80 class diesel took over for the journey to Broken Hill, from where Australian National GM class locomotives took over for the journey to Alice Springs.

References
  1. The Indian-Pacific The Recorder August 1982 page 154
  2. Direct Sydney – Alice Springs Train Railway Digest December 1982 page 404
  3. Here & There Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin issue 554 December 1983 page 26
  4. The Alice to Australia's Wonderland Network December 1983 pages 6, 7, 52
  5. "1983/84 Annual Report" Railway Digest April 1985 page 93
  6. New Passenger Trains The Recorder October 1983 page 12
  7. Here & There Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin issue 594 April 1987 page 34
  8. ANR Continental Railway Journal issue 70 June 1987 page 313
  9. The Alice The Recorder December 1987 page 43
  10. Here & There Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin issue 608 June 1988 page 47
  11. Port Pirie Station The Recorder April 1989 page 106
  12. Ghan Sprints to Sydney – Sat 10 April Catch Point issue 130 April 1999 page 19
  13. First Run of Ghan to Sydney Catch Point issue 131 May 1999 page 5
  14. Last Ghan into Sydney pulls up short Railway Digest May 2003 page 8
  15. The Ghan Continental Railway Journal issue 135 October 2003 page 46
  16. Intelligence Railway Gazette International December 1983 page 904
  17. Passenger cars The Recorder September 1984 page 187
  18. Here & There Australian Railway Historical Society issue 565 November 1984 page 94
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