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Re: Countrylink & Sydney things to do
Micheal -
Well Newcastle is not the place to go if you want to avoid 81 and 82 locos
- they are common on the coal trains there, however around the Hunter on
the coals you should see NR's, 90's, 82's, 81's (F.C and N.R liveries), 48s
and endeavors and 620/720 railmotors.
If you like historical sites etc, Visit the ARHS and try their ghost walk
or the tunnels under st james. See our ultra modern trams over the
miserable 3.6 km they run on. Pop down to Loftus and visit the Sydney
Tramway Museum which has trams from around Australia and around the world
on display, plus a 1912 toast rack, 1965 brisbane tram and many more
operating to the royal national park and to Sutherland. Find out if 3801 or
3830 is running and give them a chase. Pop down to Thirlmere for the NSW
Rail Transport Museum (Sundays they run trains on the loop). Try the
Cockatoo run, Zig Zag. Tuesdays are good in the city for the Indian
Pacific. port Kembla and surrounds will definately be worth a call. The XPT
depot is interesting, Clyde Engineering at Kooragang Island (spelling???)
near Newcastle is worth a visit as is the Gonian plant. In Galston if you
like miniature steam and are there on the second sunday of the month pop
down to the Galston Valley Miniature Steam place, or on the third saturday
try the one at west ryde. Pop down to goulburn on the once daily cityrail
endeavor and havew a gunzel down there.
Hmmm if that isnt enough to keep you busy then take the train to brisbane
as well!!
Have I missed anything?????
Brendan
Michael Kurkowski <mk@netstra.com.au> wrote in article
<8EC7F08ACtelstraNews@vic.news.telstra.net>...
> Good Evening All,
>
> I have once again decided it's time to grace Sydney with my prescence. To
> do this I have booked and confirmed seats on the XPT for both ways. My
> experience with Countrylink in obtaining my ticket was good.
>
> The first time I called, to get prices & specials, I got through straight
> away with no hold time whatsoever. This was about 3pm. I called back at
> about 5:30pm to make the actual booking. I was on hold for about 7
minutes,
> but the waited time was worth it. The operator was extremely friendly and
> helpful, told me even more about the specials and the conditions. For
this
> reason i opted for the 40% off special instead of the 50% off special,
for
> the simple reason that I could alter travel times after purchase of the
> ticket. I asked for a seat in car C and was told that was okay, and
turned
> out I got exactly the same seat each way. I was also asked if i wanted
> window or aisle, me opting for window.
>
> Who here said the new booking system didn't allow for one to choose their
> seat?
>
> Picking up the ticket was a little more of a drama, but wasn't too bad
> overall. A stop at Essendon Station on my way home was fruitless, with
the
> SM there telling me that one could only pick up Countrylink tickets
between
> 8am and 5pm or similar, and then I would get a fax of the ticket. Not
> exactly what I wanted. So I picked up the ticket from Spencer Street
today,
> no dramas, got an original ticket, was in and out in less than about 3
> minutes.
>
> Now, lets hope the XPT trip is this faultless. I only dread having to get
> on a bus for any part of the journey. Late running is not a bother, since
I
> chose times that won't affect anything else I'm doing.
>
> Now for the big question. Armed with a purple travelpass, what is one to
do
> in Sydney for 10 days, as far as gunzelling goes? Heading out of the city
> is not too much of a bother for me, as I will be heading out to
Newcastle,
> Lithgow and Wollongong at some point. This bearing in mind that I am
mainly
> interested in freights, anything with a 48, 422, or any similar locos
> leading (actually, anything other than 81's, 82's).
>
> I will be up that way toward the last week of February.
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Michael.
>
>
> --
> Michael Kurkowski
> Email: mk@netstra.com.au
> Website: http://www.netstra.com.au/~mk
> ICQ: 1459118
> Telephone: 0416-044-124
>
> What is the point of having quotes at the end of your .sig?
>