Albany Progress
{{Short description|Former train in Western Australia}}
{{italic title}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2015}}
{{Infobox rail service
|box_width =
|name = Albany Progress
|logo =
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|type = Overnight passenger train
|status = Ceased
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|predecessor =
|first = 31 May 1961
|last = 1 December 1978
|successor =
|operator =
|formeroperator = WAGR (1961-1975)
Westrail (1975-1978)
|ridership =
|start = Perth
|stops =
|end = Albany
|distance = 547 kilometres
|journeytime =
|frequency = 3 x weekly
|trainnumber = 7/8
|line_used = Eastern
Great Southern
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The Albany Progress was an overnight passenger train operated by the Western Australian Government Railways between Perth and Albany via the Eastern and Great Southern lines from May 1961 until December 1978.
History
The Albany Progress commenced operating on 31 May 1961, when the long-standing service between Perth and Albany was relaunched with refurbished rolling stock hauled by X class diesel locomotives.[http://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/Hansard%5Chansard1870to1995.nsf/vwMainBackground/19610803_Council.pdf/$File/19610803_Council.pdf Lieutenant-Governor's Opening Speech] Western Australian Legislative Council 3 August 1961 page 4 Typically there were three overnight return services a week. In the late 1960s, Albany bound services operated on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday, returning to Perth on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.WAGR Timetable book 1969 Table 41 and 42, p.86{{cite book|last1=Bromby|first1=Robin|title=The Railway Age in Australia|date=2004|publisher=Thomas Lothan|location=South Melbourne|isbn=0 7344 0715 7|pages=99/100}}{{cite book|last1=Ron Fitch|author-link=Ron Fitch|title=Australian Railwayman: Cadet Engineer to Railway Commissioner|date=2006|publisher=Rosenberg Publishing|location=Kenthurst|isbn=1 877058 48 3|page=215}}{{cite book|last1=Bromby|first1=Robin|title=Ghost Railways of Australia|date=2006|publisher=Lothian Books|location=Sydney|isbn=0 7344 0923 0|page=81}}{{cite book|last1=Higham|first1=Geoffrey|title=Marble Bar to Mandurah: A history of passenger rail services in Western Australia|date=2007|publisher=Rail Heritage WA|location=Bassendean|isbn=978 0 9803922 0 3|pages=115–118}}
From 7 November 1964, an additional service operated as the Albany Weekender departing Perth on Friday night, returning on Sunday night using the stock from The Midlander. it ceased on 1 August 1975. The Albany Progress last ran from Albany on 1 December 1978, hauled by preserved steam locomotive W947 as far as Elleker.{{MayGray-WAGRPassCar |page=312}} It was the last regular overnight passenger train to run on the WAGR system and was replaced by a road coach service.
The train consisted of passenger sleeping berths and sit-up facilities, as well as wagons for general freight which were often shunted off the train at various towns.
Eight surplus coaches were leased and later sold to the Hotham Valley Railway and still run on the mainline today.[http://www.hothamvalleyrailway.com.au/history_of_hvtr.htm History of HVTR] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222020146/http://hothamvalleyrailway.com.au/history_of_hvtr.htm |date=22 February 2014 }} Hotham Valley Railway
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110706123225/http://henrietta.liswa.wa.gov.au/search/d?SEARCH=Albany+Progress+Train+Photographs State Library of WA Photographs]
Category:Albany, Western Australia
Category:Named passenger trains of Western Australia
Category:Night trains of Australia
Category:Railway services introduced in 1961
Category:Railway services discontinued in 1978
Category:1961 establishments in Australia