GSR press release re: Ghan

[dbromage@fang.omni.com.au (David Bromage)]

Got this by email from GSR's PR company.


Dear David,

Great Southern Railway is holding a Melbourne Ghan open day this Saturday
at Spencer St Station. It was suggested to me that I email you our release
as it may be of some interest to you.

Please feel free to contact me on (02) 9959 3822 or 0412 457 321 if you
have any questions. 

Kind regards

Emma Sturgiss
Consultant
Savage Communications (Great Southern Railway's Public Relations Company)



Media Release 

3 November 1998

Open House on Wheels

On Saturday, 7 November 1998 the legendary Ghan train will be open to the
public at Platform One, Spencer Street Station, Melbourne. The Ghan will
be on display from 10am to 4pm. This is the first time The Ghan has been
to Melbourne for an open day. This is an exciting opportunity for the
Melbourne community to inspect a world class train. 

The Open Day is to celebrate the extension of The Ghan service from
Melbourne to Alice Springs from 18 November 1998. The original Adelaide to
Alice Springs service has been extended to leave Melbourne to Alice
Springs via Adelaide and return on a weekly basis. 

First Class and Holiday Class Sleeper carriages, dining and lounge cars,
one Coach Class carriage and a National Rail locomotive, painted in an
aboriginal design will be open for public viewing. 

Open Day is a fantastic chance for Melburnians to view The Ghan before
Sydneysiders, as the train does not commence services from Sydney until
April next year. 

A Ghan merchandise stand and information booth will be set up on Platform
One. Admission to the Open Day is free. 

A fantastic discount of 20% off the price of travelling on The Ghan will
be available on the day. To collect this discount, visitors to The Ghan
Open Day need to collect a flyer from Great Southern Railway staff. 

The Melbourne to Alice Springs journey will take 36 hours and travel an
amazing 2,383 kilometres. The Ghan will leave Spencer Street Station,
Melbourne, each Wednesday evening and will accommodate 275 passengers. 

Great Southern Railway staff will be on hand to answer any questions about
The Ghan and the other two trains that they operate - The Indian Pacific
and The Overland. 

*ENDS*

Prepared and issued by Savage Communications on behalf of Great Southern
Railway. For further information on Open Day or any of the three trains,
please contact: 

Leslie de Wit						Emma Sturgiss
Great Southern Railway				        Savage Communications
Tel: 08 8213 4520					Tel: 02 9959 3822
Mob: 0419 848 507					Mob: 0412 457 321