Welcome Aboard Intercapital Daylight Express brochure for the rail trip (Sydney to Melbourne) timetable and three maps Sydney to Yass Junction Yass Junction to Albury Albury to Melbourne Bi-fold brochure, blue/red/yellow printing on white papervictorian railways, intercapital express

The Fred Rochow Railways Collection incorporates photos related to the operation of the Wodonga Railway Station including different types of trains and railways staff C. 1930 – 1990. It was donated to the Wodonga Historical Society by Fred Rochow, a railwayman who spent many years based in Wodonga. He joined the Victorian Railways on 17th June l947 and retired in 1988. For some time, he was a member of the Australian Federated Union of Locomotive Enginemen and served a term as a member of the Trades Hall Council. He had an extensive knowledge of the struggles that took place to achieve better conditions for railway workers. Fred worked for many years as a fireman and then worked his way up the ranks to driver, experiencing many changes from the days of steam locomotives through to diesel trains, locomotives and even the modern XPT train. He worked throughout Victoria at different stages of his career, with his final working years focused on the northeast of Victoria and the Albury to Melbourne line. After his retirement, Fred continued to share his love of steam miniature trains with the community.This collection has local and statewide significance as it captures images of trains, locomotives and personnel who operated the railway services in Wodonga and throughout Northeast Victoria. The railways played a critical role in opening up Victoria and connecting Australia for trade, business, social communication and transport.At Spencer Street Station on the last “Southern Aurora". The locomotive was G516. Driver Tom Symonds was based in Wodonga from 1955 to 1987. He served as AFULE Branch Secretary from 1962 to 1963 and 1966 to 1971. G Class Locomotives - G Class locomotives were primarily intended for hauling freight services, they were also used on passenger trains such as the “Southern Aurora” and the “Intercapital Daylight”. Locomotive G516 came into service in December 1984. After a series of contractual changeovers between companies it was transferred to QR National and is still in operation, The "Southern Aurora", the overnight Sydney-Melbourne express, was one of the icons of Australian railways in the 1960s and 1970s. Uniquely in Australia, it conveyed only First Class passengers, all of whom were accommodated in air-conditioned sleeping cars, all equipped with showers. The Southern Aurora was introduced when part of Australia's rail gauge problem was solved with the construction of a new standard gauge line. The new line was a 317 km long line running from Albury, NSW, parallel to the existing broad gauge line to Melbourne, connecting Australia's two largest cities by standard gauge. The Southern Aurora consisted of 14 stainless steel cars: a luggage van, a power van, a dining car, a lounge car, and ten First Class Sleeping Cars. The total capacity was 198 passengers. For a number of years, there were no intermediate stops for passengers, and the train had the longest non-stop run in Australia, 430 km from Goulburn to Albury. Dining car crews changed at Goulburn and Albury, and locos were changed at Albury. The first train ran from Sydney on Thursday 14th April 1962, with full regular services starting from both Sydney and Melbourne on Monday 16th April 1962. The classic S Class locomotive was used to haul the early Southern Aurora trains. From 1984 it was also hauled by the new G Class locomotives, On the morning of 7th February 1969, the southbound Southern Aurora collided head-on with a northbound goods near Violet Town, Victoria. Nine passengers and crew were killed, and seven carriages were destroyed. A steady decline in patronage saw the withdrawal of the service in August 1986. At top of locomotive "G516". In centre of locomotive, "V" insignia of VLinerailways wodonga, fred rochow, wodonga railway men, g class locomotives, the southern aurora

The Spirt of Progress was designed under Victorian Railways Commissioner Harold Clapp, who oversaw every detail. The train was built entirely at the Newport Workshops using Australian materials and labour. The Spirt of Progress entered service on the 25th November 1937. It was launched as Australia’s first fully streamlined, air‑conditioned, all‑steel express train service. The key innovations of the train included the full blue-and-gold livery with winged VR monogram, air‑conditioning, sound‑insulated walls, double‑glazed windows, a luxurious parlour observation car, dining car, richly finished timber interiors and a hostess on board, a first in Australian rail travel. The service initially operated Melbourne to Albury as the premier Victorian Railways service. In 1962, the Melbourne–Sydney standard gauge opened and The Spirit of Progress service was extended to Sydney, becoming the prestige overnight intercapital train. The former steam locomotives were replaced by diesel locomotives. The Spirit of Progress made its final run on 2nd August 1986 and the service was replaced by the more modern but less ceremonially named Sydney – Melbourne Express and later the XPT.The Spirt of Progress was a popular slight for the local Albion, Keilor & Sunshine North residents as it travelled along the Melbourne to Sydney trainline, blowing its whistle at the various road and pedestrian crossings and spectators along the route.5852.01 - The Spirit of Progress Train 1985 42217 5852.02 - The Spirit of Progress Train 1985 42217the spirit of progress train, sunshine, harold clapp, newport workshops, weston langford