Southern Aurora
Encyclopedia
The Southern Aurora was a named express passenger train that operated between the cities of Melbourne
, Victoria, and Sydney
, New South Wales, in Australia
. First-class throughout, including the dining facilities
, the Southern Aurora featured all-sleeper accommodation
. The train first ran on 16 April 1962 after the opening of the North East standard gauge line from Melbourne to Albury, eliminating the break-of-gauge
between the capital cities.
The carriages used featured fluted sides and consisted of roomette
and twinette
sleepers, lounge cars and diners, and were owned jointly by the Victorian Railways
and the New South Wales Government Railways
. A MotoRail service was added from July 1973 which enabled passengers to travel and take their cars.
On 7 February 1969 the train was involved in the Violet Town railway disaster
, when the southbound Southern Aurora collided head on with a northbound freight train, resulting in 8 deaths. Patronage declined though the 1980s, with the train being combined with the Spirit of Progress
to form the Sydney Express (from Melbourne) and the Melbourne Express (from Sydney), the last run of the Southern Aurora being on 3 August 1986.
After the demise of the train, the majority of the carriages have passed to the New South Wales Rail Transport Museum
and the ARHS
ACT division, who have preserved them in operational condition.
, October;November 1990 pp231–243;255-270.
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...
, Victoria, and Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, New South Wales, in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. First-class throughout, including the dining facilities
Dining car
A dining car or restaurant carriage , also diner, is a railroad passenger car that serves meals in the manner of a full-service, sit-down restaurant....
, the Southern Aurora featured all-sleeper accommodation
Sleeping car
The 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...
. The train first ran on 16 April 1962 after the opening of the North East standard gauge line from Melbourne to Albury, eliminating the break-of-gauge
Break-of-gauge
With railways, a break-of-gauge occurs where a line of one gauge meets a line of a different gauge. Trains and rolling stock cannot run through without some form of conversion between gauges, and freight and passengers must otherwise be transloaded...
between the capital cities.
The carriages used featured fluted sides and consisted of roomette
Roomette
A roomette is a type of sleeping car compartment in a railroad passenger train. The term was first used in North America, and was carried over into Australia and New Zealand...
and twinette
Twinette
A twinette is a sleeping-berth compartment for two persons in a train. The term "twinette" is in common use only in Australia and New Zealand ; thus the double-berth compartments described here are those found in trains in Australia or New Zealand.The width of each twinette compartment is...
sleepers, lounge cars and diners, and were owned jointly by the Victorian Railways
Victorian Railways
The Victorian Railways operated railways in the Australian state of Victoria from 1859 to 1983. The first railways in Victoria were private companies, but when these companies failed or defaulted, the Victorian Railways was established to take over their operations...
and the New South Wales Government Railways
New South Wales Government Railways
The New South Wales Government Railways was the government department that operated the New South Wales Government's railways until the establishment of the Public Transport Commission in 1972. Although later known officially as the Department of Railways, New South Wales, it was still generally...
. A MotoRail service was added from July 1973 which enabled passengers to travel and take their cars.
On 7 February 1969 the train was involved in the Violet Town railway disaster
Violet Town railway disaster
The Violet Town rail accident, also known as the Southern Aurora disaster, was a railway accident that occurred on 7 February 1969 near the McDiarmids Road crossing, approximately 1 km south of Violet Town, Victoria, Australia.-Overview:...
, when the southbound Southern Aurora collided head on with a northbound freight train, resulting in 8 deaths. Patronage declined though the 1980s, with the train being combined with the Spirit of Progress
Spirit of Progress
The Spirit of Progress was the premier express train passenger service on the Victorian Railways in Australia, running from Melbourne to the Victorian border, and later through to Sydney.-Route:...
to form the Sydney Express (from Melbourne) and the Melbourne Express (from Sydney), the last run of the Southern Aurora being on 3 August 1986.
After the demise of the train, the majority of the carriages have passed to the New South Wales Rail Transport Museum
New South Wales Rail Transport Museum
The New South Wales Rail Transport Museum located in Thirlmere, New South Wales south-west of Sydney, is a museum dedicated to displaying former locomotives, carriages and goods wagons from the New South Wales Government Railways as well as private operations in NSW. The collection features steam,...
and the ARHS
Australian Railway Historical Society
The Australian Railway Historical Society was founded in Sydney in 1933 as The Australasian Railway and Locomotive Historical Society. It aims to foster an interest in the railways, and record and preserve many facets of railway operations. Membership now exceeds 2,500, with Divisions in every...
ACT division, who have preserved them in operational condition.
Further reading
The Southern Aurora Sleeping Cars - Design and Construction Adam, Eric Australian Railway Historical Society BulletinAustralian Railway History
Australian Railway History , is the premier magazine covering railway history in Australia...
, October;November 1990 pp231–243;255-270.
See also
- Spirit of ProgressSpirit of ProgressThe Spirit of Progress was the premier express train passenger service on the Victorian Railways in Australia, running from Melbourne to the Victorian border, and later through to Sydney.-Route:...
- Intercapital DaylightIntercapital DaylightThe 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...
- Sydney/Melbourne ExpressSydney/Melbourne ExpressThe Sydney/Melbourne Express was an intercapital passenger train service that operated between the Australian cities of Melbourne and Sydney between 1986 and 1993...