the Sunlander

File:QR loco 1556 and a 1720 class haul the Sunlander northbound through Yabulu, ~1991.jpg and a 1720 class haul the northbound Sunlander through Yabulu in 1991]]

File:Sunlander Dining Car large.jpg

From December 1924, when the North Coast line was completed, a steam hauled non air-conditioned train provided the service.{{cite web|title=Travelling Times by Rail|work=|publisher=Queensland Historical Atlas|year=2010|url=http://www.qhatlas.com.au/content/travelling-times-rail|accessdate=16 February 2011}}

In 1935, a new train named the Sunshine Express was introduced. This train of wooden carriages featured varnished timber internal panelling made from natural Queensland timbers. Comforts for that period included electric fans, electric lighting, and leather upholstered seating. Accommodation included sleeping berths for first and second class passengers and seating only carriages.{{cite book|last=Burke|first=David|title=Chasing the sunshine : the story of Queensland's sunshine express|year=2009|publisher=Queensland Museum|location=South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia|isbn=978-0-9805692-3-0|pages=154|url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/31673309}}

In December 1949, Queensland Railways placed an order with Commonwealth Engineering for eight M series carriage sets totalling 99 carriages to introduce air-conditioned rolling stock to its long distance services. In addition QR's own North Ipswich Railway Workshops built a train. The carriages were designed to travel to all parts of the system with a maximum axle load of nine tons, which was a challenge for the dining cars. New features included showers in the sleeping cars, roomettes in first class and head end power cars, especially necessary where trains may be delayed by floods or other events, as was often the case."A Brief History of the Sunlander" Motive Power issue 96 November 2014 pages 33-41{{cite book|last=Dunn|first=John|title=Comeng A History of Commonwealth Engineering 1921-1955|year=2006|publisher=Rosenberg Publishing|isbn=1877058424|pages=182–198}}

The Sunlander commenced service on 4 June 1953, replacing the Sunshine Express. This new air conditioned train was hauled by a diesel locomotive and by eliminating steam locomotive servicing stops, the transit time to Cairns was reduced from 45 to 41¼ hours. By the time it ceased in December 2014, the time had been cut to 31 hours with many infrastructure upgrades having taken place.[https://web.archive.org/web/20141222082832/http://www.queenslandrailtravel.com.au/Planyourtrip/Railinformation/Documents/Timetable_effective%20December%202014_A4_LR.pdf Timetable] Queensland Rail 16 December 2014

As further rolling stock was delivered, a second weekly service commenced on 30 November 1953 building up to five on 9 December 1955. The much delayed Ipswich built set was commissioned on 10 May 1961, allowing the service to build up to six services per week, this was reduced back to five on 8 November 1970 to release stock for the Capricornian.

File:The-Sunlander.jpg

File:queenslander-class.pngThis was further reduced when the luxury Queenslander commenced operating on the Brisbane to Cairns route. On 29 February 1992, a motorail service was introduced. The Queenslander was later merged in with the Sunlander to offer "Queenslander Class" accommodation on selected services.

In 2014, the service was gradually replaced by the Spirit of Queensland using extra Diesel Tilt Trains. From 13 October 2014, the number of weekly services was reduced from three to one, with the last service departing Cairns on 31 December 2014.[http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/Id/72249 World class trains for Queensland supporting 800 Maryborough jobs] Minister for Transport 27 October 2010[http://www.queenslandrailtravel.com.au/RailServices/Pages/spirit-of-queensland.aspx Spirit of Queensland] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130818092636/http://www.queenslandrailtravel.com.au/RailServices/Pages/spirit-of-queensland.aspx |date=18 August 2013 }} Queensland[http://www.queenslandrailtravel.com.au/RailServices/Documents/spirit-of-queensland/queensland-rail-travel_spirit-of-queensland-factsheet.pdf Spirit of Queensland factsheet] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131204010333/http://www.queenslandrailtravel.com.au/RailServices/Documents/spirit-of-queensland/queensland-rail-travel_spirit-of-queensland-factsheet.pdf |date=4 December 2013 }} Queensland Rail[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-28/sunlander-makes-farewell-journey-from-brisbane-to-cairns-and-b/5990256 Sunlander Farewell: Brisbane to Cairns service makes final journey after 61 years and 3.5 million passenger journeys] ABC News 30 December 2014

The route followed the North Coast line from Brisbane in the sub tropical region of South East Queensland through to the tropical north region. The train travelled the coastal strip between the beaches and the Great Dividing Range passing diverse country including the Glasshouse Mountains, the sugar cane country of North Queensland and the tropics beyond Townsville.

The Sunlander was operated by M series carriage stock. From the early 1980s this was supplemented by L series stock.

Motive power was provided by diesel locomotives throughout until the North Coast line was electrified in 1989 with the 3900 class operating the service south of Rockhampton. Following the cessation of electric locomotive working on the North Coast line, The Sunlander was again diesel hauled throughout.

Following the reorganisation of Queensland Rail's freight operations in preparation for privatisation, the locomotives were provided by QR National. On 1 July 2014, this function was taken over by Queensland Rail.

Facilities and accommodation onboard remained generally consistent throughout the history of the train, although some changes were made over time with the addition and removal of carriages. Facilities and accommodation after the refurbishment of carriages in the 1990s featured:

• First Class Roomette Sleepers
• First Class Twinette Sleepers
• Economy Class Triple Berth Sleepers
• Waterways Restaurant Car
• Macrossan Lounge Car
• Tropics Club Car
• Sitting Cars

From 2003 through to the last service, the Sunlander service was merged with the Queenslander train and provided two levels of "First Class" accommodation on selected trains.

Queenslander Class featured a premium First Class experience, with premium toiletries packs, bath robes, premium bedding and meals included,{{cite magazine|title=Australia's Sunlander|year=2017|issue=271|volume=42 (#2)|magazine=Passenger Train Journal|publisher=White River Productions|pages=36-41}} made up with carriage stock formerly used on the Queenslander service. Facilities and accommodation of Queenslander Class were as follows:

• First Class Twinette Sleepers
• Coral Cay Restaurant Car
• Lounge Car

Facilities and accommodation on the Sunlander portion of the train from 2003 onwards were as follows:

• First Class Roomette Sleepers
• First Class Twinette Sleepers
• Economy Class Triple Sleepers
• Food Bar Car
• Tropics Club Car
• Sitting Cars

With the widespread retirement of the M Series carriages, several carriages allocated to the Sunlander have been preserved.

The Queensland Pioneer Steam Railway at Swanbank were gifted six M-class cars following their retirement. Of those, three had been formerly used on The Sunlander:{{Cite news|url=http://www.qt.com.au/news/carriage-gift-to-lift-the-spirits/2893603/|title=Queensland Rail's heritage carriage gift to lift spirits|last=Hartley|first=Anna|newspaper=Queensland Times|language=en|access-date=2017-01-26}}

• Sleeping car MAS 1540 (the final M car)
• Dining car MDC 1461
• Tropics club car 1502 (in its 1990s configuration)

Four of the M-class cars (including two of those listed above) have now undergone work to return them to traffic as the Queensland Pioneer Dinner train over the seven kilometres scenic railway outside Ipswich, and are sporting the blue and white livery they first wore in 1953. These cars had their first trip as the Queensland Pioneer Dinner Train on 22 July 2017.

The Q Train is a fine dining restaurant on the Bellarine Peninsula in Victoria. It operates on the Bellarine Railway. They acquired a large number of Sunlander coaches and renovated them to become Australia's only dedicated fine-dining rail experience.{{cite web|url=http://www.theqtrain.com.au/|title=Our story|website=The Q Train|accessdate=9 July 2019}}

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Category:Named passenger trains of Queensland

Category:Railway services introduced in 1953

Category:Railway services discontinued in 2014

Category:1953 establishments in Australia

Category:2014 disestablishments in Australia

Category:Discontinued railway services in Australia

Category:Night trains of Australia

Category:Motorail