Could someone correct me if I am wrong but...........I don't think the Indian Pacific goes to Perth via Melbourne. My late husband helped build the Indian Pacific and I always thought it went out west......via Broken Hill. Hilda. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Maureen" <maureen@autoinspirations.com.au> To: <aus-nsw-sydney@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, January 09, 2007 10:07 AM Subject: [ANS] Trains from Sydney to Melbourne > Hi Louise and all, > > Sorry I don't think I'm going to be of much help. I caught the "Spirit of > Progress" in the early 70s, but travelling with four small children I went > the cheapest possible route - 2nd class seats and a bag of food and > drinks. > I don't think I even saw the dining facilities, wouldn't dare with my > hungry > lot!! > > Recent trips (last year and 2005) I travelled on the night train, economy > and 1st class, and they announce the meals to chose from, an attendant > comes > around and takes your order, and then another announcement that your meal > is > ready, you pick it up and take it back to your seat. Nothing fancy at all > these days. The same on the Sydney to Brisbane trips. > > What your partner experienced sounds like the 1st class dining on the > Indian > Pacific. Very much in the vogue of the old-fashioned European trains > we've > seen in movies - you almost expect Hercule Poirot to saunter down the > aisle. > I do think, however, that in the 60s there was more of a class distinction > than there is today. So sorry again Louise, I can't help. > > Now, if we're talking old trains and Rod would probably remember the old > carriages they called 'dog boxes.' I remember going with my aunt to > Coonamble when I was about 3 or 4 (definitely pre school), so the year > would > have been about 1944/45 and we travelled in one of these 'dog boxes.' A > long carriage, but with individual 'boxes' one could only get into via a > door that opened onto the platform. Long seats that faced each other and > I > think the toilet facility was behind a panel that was accessed by lifting > one of the seats and opening a door. Another train trip I remember, > getting > stranded around midnight in Brisbane in 1976 on my way home from > Townsville > (definitely 2nd class!) and they shunted an old 'dog box' into the station > so that the passengers who had missed their connection to Sydney could > sleep > on the seats. Someone came around about 6am the next morning and woke up > as > they had to shunt the train away from the station. What an experience!! > > Sorry folks, it all comes flooding back. Must be my age giving me away!! > > Cheers, Maureen > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Louise Reynolds" <louise@planetlighting.com> > To: <aus-nsw-sydney@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Monday, January 08, 2007 10:28 PM > Subject: [ANS] Trains from Sydney to Melbourne > > >> Good evening all, >> >> Perhaps someone can help me on this. I know people on this list are >> amazing for this sort of thing....Maureen, you must know.... >> >> We moved from Sydney to Melbourne in 1968. As I recall it, we travelled >> up to Sydney in the holidays on the "Spirit of Progress" which was a >> daytime train. You could also do an overnight trip and I think that was >> the "Southern Aurora". Am I right? One of these was a blue coloured >> train. >> >> We are arguing here at home tonight about the "dining car". I recall a >> carriage with a long formica counter-top, serving chicken curry, etc. My >> partner remembers individual clothed tables. Who is right?, Personally, >> I think he has been watching too many James Bond films....However, he is >> 14 years older than me, and it might have been different in his youth. >> He >> is maintaining there was no 1st/2nd class dining car differentiation. >> >> We both think we were travelling in 1st class at the time, but that may >> have been wishful thinking. >> >> Any advice would be welcome. >> >> Louise >> Melbourne >> >> >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> AUS-NSW-SYDNEY-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without >> the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >> >> >> -- >> No virus found in this incoming message. >> Checked by AVG Free Edition. >> Version: 7.1.410 / Virus Database: 268.16.7/620 - Release Date: 1/8/2007 >> >> > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > AUS-NSW-SYDNEY-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.1.410 / Virus Database: 268.16.7/620 - Release Date: 1/8/2007 > >

Hilda you are right. The Indian Pacific does through Broken Hill to Adelaide and then to Perth. I have been on the Indian Pacific a couple of times. I found it great. In the "sit up" compartments there were people doing all kinds of craft work. It was a real working bee, women knitting, crocheting doing cross stitch and men playing cards and others with their children and grandchildren playing all kinds of games. It was a friendly atmosphere and when we got near the Border of NSW and SA everyone was handing out their spare fruit to other people so it could be eaten before the border otherwise it would have been taken off them. Marie