NT/SA: Southbound on the Ghan

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Flexity110
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NT/SA: Southbound on the Ghan

Post by Flexity110 »

Having just returned from a journey on the Ghan from Darwin to Adelaide, I decided to share some photographs from the trip. We travelled in Gold service which offered good value for money, a compromise between the luxury of Platinum and the price of Red. The trip was worth every cent and is on the agenda again in the future. 2009 marks the 80th anniversary of the train journey known as "the Ghan", which travelled between Adelaide and Alice Springs as a break of gauge journey until 1980, when the all-standard gauge link was completed.

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The Ghan locomotives NR75 and AN2 shudder to life as we arrive at Darwin's Berrimah passenger terminal - located nearly 18km from our city centre Motel.

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Taken from the waiting room at Darwin (which is devoid of ceiling and internal wall fittings), the Ghan reverses to collect the motorail wagons from the far end of the terminal.

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A view down the train as it prepares to depart from Katherine later the same day.

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NSU58 stands at the gate of the Old Ghan museum in Alice Springs the following morning.

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In Alice Springs we left AN2 behind to assist the next Ghan (due an hour after our departure) on the Northern part of its journey. NR75 then carried the train to Adelaide solo.

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The Prince of Wales car was on the train, it was built for the Prince's visit around 1919 and is available for private hire on the Ghan and on the Western part of the Indian Pacific.

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Near the SA/NT border we encountered a duststorm and could see very little out of our windows. Further south, vaguely between Kulgera and Marla, we encountered this - an outback thunderstorm. This is the view from the Queen Adelaide Restaurant Car.

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During the storm the dining car took on a somewhat eerie feeling.

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The John McDouall Stuart Outback Explorer lounge car's bar area, this car was a great place to kick back with a glass of bubbly in the evenings and plays host to the managers' receptions to welcome guests aboard.

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Thanks to the very friendly GSR staff and a long layover at Bolivar on day 3, we were able to look inside the Prince of Wales car, which was unoccupied and attached to the train to return to Adelaide after a hire in the opposite direction. Guests in this car are welcome to hire their own private chef and eat meals in the car's large dining saloon.
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The Phonj
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Re: NT/SA: Southbound on the Ghan

Post by The Phonj »

Mmmmm.... delicious photos! Kudos also on getting inside SS44 (the Prince of Wales car); that would certainly make for an added part of interest for a journey over the country!
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Mark V
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Re: NT/SA: Southbound on the Ghan

Post by Mark V »

Great pic's.. Did you enjoy the trip?

Cheers Adam
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RailwayBus
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Re: NT/SA: Southbound on the Ghan

Post by RailwayBus »

Thank you so much for posting!
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kitkat271
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Re: NT/SA: Southbound on the Ghan

Post by kitkat271 »

Looks like a great trip ... esp love the photos to the Prince of Wales car.
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Re: NT/SA: Southbound on the Ghan

Post by stevegj52 »

Many thanks for posting Flexity110, a trip I have wanted to do for some time and will do in the future.
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Flexity110
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Re: NT/SA: Southbound on the Ghan

Post by Flexity110 »

Thanks for the comments guys, in response to you Mark V - yes I did enjoy it, thoroughly. I can honestly say I'm incredibly proud to live in Australia after that, seeing what is out there. When you think of the outback, before you've seen it, you imagine flat plains and dry sand. Nothing could be further from the truth, the Red Centre is very much alive and incredibly diverse. I'd recommend it to anyone, in my view it could not have been better. :D
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Mark V
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Re: NT/SA: Southbound on the Ghan

Post by Mark V »

Its certainly something ive always wanted to do. Its also good how you can get up close to the loco's too. :D

Cheers Adam
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