Re: novelist research - Sydney/Melbourne travel in 1939

["David Bennetts" <davibenn@pcug.org.au>]

Frederick Compton wrote in message <7nkb5m$pic$1@news1.cableinet.co.uk>...
>Hi all,
>
>I will try and be brief.  I am an Austr. currently living and working in
the
>UK.  I am doing some research for a novel, and I need a little information
>about rail transport to Melbourne from Sydney in mid 1939, i.e. just a
>couple of months before the war broke out.  Basically, my questions are
>threefold:
>
>1) what was the name of the service - I had always thought the Indian
>Pacific went via Melbourne, which shows my ignorance.  Did (does) the
>Syd-Mel service have a special name?  Similarly, what sort of train /
>carriage combo would have run the route?
>2) Did the service terminate at Spencer Street as now, or did Flinders
>Street cater for interstate as well then - I would prefer to terminate at
>Flinders, but accuracy matters to me.
>3) Time issues - were there any particular days the service would not have
>run?  How long did it take?  What time of day was arrival in Melbourne?
>
>I would be very grateful for any info that anyone in the group can provide.
>
>Thanks,
>Frederick Compton,
>Northampton, UK.
>(formally of Frankston)
>


Back in 1939 there were two separate legs of the journey, as NSW had
standard gauge and Victoria Irish gauge.  There were two trains operated,
the Spirit of Progress was the Victorian train.   This was very modern by
standards of the day, with streamlined locos and air conditioned steel
sitting carriages.   NSW was somewhat traditional, the Melbourne Express (if
it were running in that direction) or the Sydney Express running north
employed venerable wooden bodied sleepers with steel underframes, with some
compartment style cars for the sitting passengers, hauled by 36 class steam
locos.  The trains always terminated at Spencer Street, and ran daily.

I don't have the times to hand, no doubt some-one else will be able to
provide this information.
Regards

David Bennetts
Canberra